The Forumist #07 ACTIVATE by The Forumist

The

Forumist

issue 7

Activate

THE DR. MARTENS STORE, KATARINA BANGATA 15, 116 39 STOCKHOLM

INDIVIDUAL STYLE UNITED SPIRIT KAVITA BLOGGER

The times they are a-changin’ and important questions and issues are forcing us to reconsider and take a stand for what we believe to be right and what is evolving. It is a time for being involved. It is not the time for ignoring what’s important for us — we should be turning these questions into actions and taking part in what is happening around us. Each opinion and action counts and is important for the outcome of our future and how we want life to continue on this planet. It is a time to be aware and make way for the voice of sanity and clear consciousness. It is a time to be heard and have an opinion. Therefore, we decided to dedicate this issue to the theme “activate”. This word has a different type of meaning for us than the definition it is usually associated with. Activate, for us, means getting started — to stand for something or a thought — to make a difference. It can also be the simple beauty of rebirth of life, with spring pushing out winter, the snow melting and the green grace reappearing with a rainbow of colours. On the pages inside are the voices of our beautiful talents, artists and teams who have actively been working to define the current vibe. CoVER Photography: MANUEL OBADIA-WILLS. Styling: Théophile Hermand. make-up: Ismael Blanco at Aurelien Paris using nars. Model: Helen McCusker AT Elite Paris. COAT AND TOP: MOSCHINO

Editor-in-Chief Pejman Biroun Vand

London Fashion Editor Sara Dunn

Creative Direction Daren Ellis

Paris Fashion Editor Théophile Hermand

Fashion Co-ordinator Emma Thorstrand

Paris Editor Sophie Faucillion

Managing Editor Gustav Bagge

Stockholm Editor Filip Lindström

Marketing Managers Magnus Rindberg Emma Viberg

Berlin Editor Andrea Horn

Social Media Editor Joel Karlsson

Contributing Designer Daniel Björkman

Contributing Fashion Editors Josef Forselius (Sthlm) Christopher Insulander (Sthlm) Fiffi Jenkins (Sthlm) Contributing Editors Anna Åhrén (Sthlm) Tor Bergman (Sthlm) Veronika Dorosheva (Berlin) Dr Ashkan Fardost (Sthlm) Tanya Kim Grassley (Sthlm) Fredrik Wallin (Sthlm) Julien Millet (Paris) Tsemaye Opubor (Sthlm) Iselin Page (Sthlm) Weronika Pérez Borjas (Sthlm) Christina Rosewing (Sthlm) Ole Siebrecht (Berlin)

Ashik Zaman (Sthlm) Arijana Zeric (London)

Web Producers and Partners Fröjd

Contributing Photographers Johan Borgqvist (Sthlm) Fredrik Etoall (Sthlm) Alexander Gehring (Berlin) Harling & Darsell (Berlin) Anders Kylberg (Sthlm) Oskar Gyllenswärd (Sthlm) Manuel Obadia-Wills (Paris) Philip Persson (Sthlm) Felix Swensson (Sthlm) Paula Winkler (Berlin)

Printing MittMedia

Event Co-ordinator Jon Forsgren

Advertising ad@theforumist.com

Online Editors Johanna Bergström Leo d’Oriano Sidsel Löyche Veronika Natter Iselin Page Pauline Suzor Clara Uddman

© 2016. 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 theforumist.com info@theforumist.com

THE DR. MARTENS STORE, KATARINA BANGATA 15, 116 39 STOCKHOLM

INDIVIDUAL STYLE UNITED SPIRIT KAVITA BLOGGER

Editor-in-Chief Pejman Biroun Vand

London Fashion Editor Sara Dunn

Creative Direction Daren Ellis

Paris Fashion Editor Théophile Hermand

Fashion Co-ordinator Emma Thorstrand

Paris Editor Sophie Faucillion

Managing Editor Gustav Bagge

Stockholm Editor Filip Lindström

Marketing Managers Magnus Rindberg Emma Viberg

Berlin Editor Andrea Horn

Social Media Editor Joel Karlsson

Contributing Designer Daniel Björkman

Ashik Zaman (Sthlm) Arijana Zeric (London)

Web Producers and Partners Fröjd

Printing MittMedia

Event Co-ordinator Jon Forsgren

Advertising ad@theforumist.com

Online Editors Johanna Bergström Leo d’Oriano Sidsel Löyche Veronika Natter Iselin Page Pauline Suzor Clara Uddman

main photograph: lamar boots. BELOW: wilde chelsea boots. bottom, from left: 1460 vegan BOOTS and dante SHOES; adrian LOAFERS; dante SHOES, 1460 vegan BOOTS AND wilde CHELSEA BOOTS all by dr. martens, Katarina Bangata 15, Stockholm

Grin and Bear It After decades in the music business, bitpop rockers Teddybears are still producing instant hits, as a quick listen to their latest album, Rock On, proves. They talk to The Forumist about their followers, their fight for veganism and what forges their sound Words by FILIP LINDSTRÖM Photography by FELIX SWENSSON Styling by FIFFI JENKINS Special thanks to DR. MARTENS

“They are still just dropouts and losers,” says Joakim “Jocke” Åhlund, onethird of Teddybears, when we ask him how their followers have changed since the band helped reactivate the Swedish punk scene in the 1990s. He says it with love and with his tongue firmly in his cheek, though – something he does a lot during the interview. Teddybear Patrik Arve, on the other hand, finds it hard to pinpoint who he thinks really enjoys their music. He’s fairly sure that their fans haven’t changed much at all, until we suggest how they must have developed and diversified just as much over the past 20-odd years as their music has: along with those good old dropouts, devotees can now be counted among Dr. Martens-loving school kids looking for a party. We meet the two-thirds of the band in Jocke’s studio, an eclectically decorated space, where we find piles of fantastic vinyl records, including Primal Scream’s XTRMNTR and almost the entire Ramones catalogue. For our shoot, they have brought with them items from their own wardrobes, as well as their signature huge bear heads. There’s another palpable presence in the room: Dr. Martens. Multiple styles are strewn all over the studio during the shoot. The rebel nature of the brand makes the footwear an obvious choice for Teddybears, and even more so since the introduction of their new line of vegan shoes – Patrik has been a committed vegan for five years now. At one point, Jocke becomes Spaceman, the persona of Kiss former lead guitarist Ace Frehley. He’s in a silver suit that he found in Austin, Texas, while he was touring with psychedelic rockers Les Big Byrd; it’s the same outfit he wore for the video for Les Big Byrd’s Vi Borde Prata Men Det Är För Sent. “I was strolling through Austin and happened to pass a store selling fancy-dress costumes. I had to have it,” he says. “It’s official Kiss merchandise.” After posing in a pair of brown dungarees that reveal his many tattoos, Patrik tries on a black cassock with a pair of Dr. Martens Wilde chelsea boots, and then teams a tracksuit with a disco-ball version of the bear head – the perfect accessory for stealing attention. This is a band that is clearly prepared to put up with a lot for their audience’s entertainment, as well as their own: the bear heads are uncomfortable enough to wear when they are not covered in hundreds of tiny pieces of mirrored glass. Missing from the interview is Jocke’s brother, Klas, who has also worked with artists such as Ellie Goulding, Katy Perry and Ghost BC. All three Teddybears have side projects, which contributes to the magic that happens when they all come together. “There are three guys in this band, and sometimes someone’s personality shines through more,” says Jocke, when we discuss the Rock On track Shades, on which his brother apparently shines through the most. “But you can also hear when it’s a mix of the three of us.” Patrik’s other ventures include a children’s puppet show for television and five other bands, including the hip-hop/reggae group Swedish Tiger Sound and punk rockers Krösus. Meanwhile, as well as being part of Les Big Byrd, Jocke has produced up-and-coming acts such as Sudakistan. We ask them what a Les Big Byrd song featuring Swedish Tiger Sound and produced by Klas Åhlund would sound like, and the joint response is immediate: “Teddybears.” Each piece of the Teddybear puzzle is visible for anyone; you just have to look closely enough. Patrik’s frustration and anger with the meat industry is also a big part of his life. “It’s a major problem in every way, that industry,” he says. “I have to do everything in my power to put a stop to it.” As a father of three children, aged 7, 10 and 13, his desire to promote veganism is stronger than ever. “The more people you reach, the more impact you have,” he says, going on to talk about how he would like to play with other vegan artists, such as Dennis Lyxzen of Refused and Mårten “Promoe” Edh of Looptroop Rockers. “I have tried to start something for years,” he says, but spreading the vegan message is proving to be a struggle. He also discusses his idea of taking a vegan hot dog vendor with him on tour – it sounds like a subtler version of Morrissey’s ban on meat at all his shows. Teddybears are renowned for being outspoken, but they do not consider themselves a political band and their lyrics do not give away any particular leanings – “Though when we are asked something, we speak our mind,” Jocke says. No matter what subject their musical mix takes up, we believe that their audience of “dropouts and losers” will not be disappointed. For all those cult followers, and for the rest of the planet, Rock On is available now, and it might just be followed by a new album sooner than we think. Rock On is out now on Deg in the Lake HB/Universal 04

Punk’s 40

THIS PAGE: Siouxsie SIOUX at the 100 Club, LONDON, 1978, © Derek Ridgers, Courtesy The Photographers’ Gallery OPPOSITE page, CLOCKWISE, FROM FAR LEFT: Kilburn National, London, 1989, © Adam Friedman AND PYMCA; AT Trafalgar Square, London, 1980, © Chris Parker AND PYMCA; ON the King’s Road, London, 1983, © Ted Polhemus AND PYMCA; Debbie Harry at The Roundhouse, London, 1977, © Philip Grey AND PYMCA

Throughout 2016, via a series of exhibitions, performances, films and gigs, Punk.London is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the birth of the movement that changed everything — politics, art, fashion, culture and music. The Forumist talked to graphic-design innovator Neville Brody about why London was, and still is, the best place to experience its spirit Words by Tsemaye Opubor

“Growing up in London during the whole punk thing gave people like myself opportunities to come up with ideas and to try out things that probably wouldn’t have been possible anywhere else,” says Neville Brody. Perhaps best know for his seminal work during the 1980s as art director for UK magazines The Face and Arena, Brody began his graphic design course at London College of Printing in 1976. He talks of the spirit of experimentation and energy that came from the punk movement during his early years as a graphic designer, and how that energy influenced the work that he and his peers were doing. “There were so many ‘bedroom’ record labels that popped up, and someone would always ask if I could do an album cover or a poster or something,” says Brody. “There was space to do things and to question the way things were done through the design work. At that time, it felt more like we were inventors than designers. London was the best place for that.” Through his contact with small, new, independent record labels, he designed record covers for many of the bands that defined that moment in time, including Cabaret Voltaire, 23 Skidoo and Throbbing Gristle. While much was happening creatively in London during this period, Brody also looked to the bande dessinée comic book culture of Paris for inspiration. “There was this group in Paris called Bazooka, and they were a big influence on my work, along with dadaism,” he says. Bazooka was a group of seven core members, all graphic artists studying at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Instead of forming a band, as many art students did at the time, Bazooka instead played with visual-art codes and deconstructed graphic design to provoke audiences and start political dialogues through their work. Finding ways to question the status quo, and to rebel against it, still intrigues Brody today. “I have always tried to challenge myself

and disrupt, rethink and change. Trotsky had the idea of permanent revolution, and for me I don’t want to settle down, because the minute you do, the work becomes a formula. I like the idea that nothing is ever finished,” he says. He doesn’t agree with those who say the attitude that created punk is dead. “But it doesn’t represent the same danger it once did,” he says. “The massive explosion from that time, in music and politics, was something quite different – Beyoncé at the Super Bowl isn’t quite the same thing, is it? At the time, people really felt threatened by the disobedience. Many saw the punk movement as the work of the devil or a black hole appearing in society. Groups of people tried to shut it down. What movement has that power today? What groups can claim to engage in truly subversive political action?” Brody believes that London is an incredible place for young art, and that the music scene still has plenty to offer. “There’s a real energy in the city,” he says. “Though, there is new energy coming from different places, and the most recent big bang of punk influence is continuing. I do wonder what’s next – perhaps Mexico might be happening, or Guangzhou, or Lagos, Accra, Beirut or somewhere in India.” Of course, one significant change in the past 40 years is the internet. He sees it offering access to “so many more places, making it possible to see everything”. For him, this means that, culturally, there is a more level playing field. “But the downside of the internet is that local complexities are replaced by global consensus. That’s why punk is so vibrant and still relevant. Individual expression meant that anything was possible. Anything was possible, and the fact was, we really could do anything. We didn’t reinvent the wheel. We invented new wheels.” punk.london

Punk’s 40

look THIS WAY Beauty has been interpreted in innumerable ways throughout the centuries, unfortunately often in relation to perfection. But is it not more interesting and relevant to present it in a more playful, imperfect way? Influenced by the cubism painters of the early 20th century, photographer Manuel ObadiaWills and his team have created an experimental look, dedicated to activating the senses, for a mindset and lifestyle that is never static, always evolving Photography by Manuel Obadia-WillsÂ Make-up by Ismael Blanco Styling by THĂ&#x2030;OPHILE HERMAND

EYES: Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly, Hardwired Eyeshadow in Opal Coast and Audacious Mascara in Black Satin. LIPS: Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Bolero, Semi Matte Lipstick in Jungle Red and Triple X Lip Gloss. ALL BY NARS

EYES: Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly, Hardwired Eyeshadow in Opal Coast and Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in 47th Street. LIPS: Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Bolero, Semi Matte Lipstick in Jungle Red and Triple X Lip Gloss. ALL BY NARS HAIR: Vincent de Moro at Aurelien Paris. MODEL: HELEN MCCUSKER AT ELITE PARIS

system itself. The government is using and creating phobias as a way of manipulating minds. And that is partly described in our song Russian Anal Game.” You proclaim that you are the descendants of the Marquis de Sade and his servant, so who do you actually come from? “Oh, yeah, the Marquis de Sade and one of his servants. And four French prostitutes. You know how it works during orgies – you can never be sure whose seed it was – the Marquis’s or his servant’s? So, to maintain historical veracity, we mention both. And yes, we are not ashamed to say that our greatgrandmothers were working girls.” In some of your lyrics you sing, “They say you’re different. They say it’s a serious disease.” You don’t care, do you? “These lyrics are from our song called Kissing the Gay Guy. It is about the belief some people hold that homosexuality is ‘a disease, a sin, a virus’. Unfortunately, that

everything we do, we do together. But on stage everyone does what he is best at – Colonel sings and dances, Wild Man plays bass, Mr Adolf plays drums and Magic Doll does a bit of everything. Colonel is a passionate soldier and brave lover. He stands for order in love affairs and for ‘gender blending’. Wild Man is an aggressive hedonist. He loves food, flowers and women. Mr Adolf is a big dreamer and a true pacifist. He dreams of a world without borders or prejudices. Magic Doll stands for the magic power of girl power.” If you had a time machine, when would you go back to? “Actually, time travel is the only thing that really excites Magic Doll. Her only sexual fantasy is to sleep with a time traveller. So we are sure that, if we had a time machine, Magic Doll would have it for her sole use and just go back and forth in time – all the time!” Does Sado Opera have a motto? “We even have two. The first

Sing a Different Song Colonel (Herr Oberst), Magic Doll, Wild Man and Mr Adolf — passionate performers and ‘direct descendants of the Marquis de Sade and his servant’. Welcome to a night at the Sado Opera Words by OLE SIEBRECHT Photography by Alexander Gehring & Paula Winkler Production and art direction by Andrea Horn

What is Sado Opera? “We’re a visual music band. And with the sources that our artistic activity allows us, we want to bring to the world more joy, playfulness, unity, equality, fun and confidence.” Most of Sado Opera’s members come from Russia. Since homosexuality is illegal in Russia, how do you feel about performing there? And what sort of reaction do you get? “Half of the band is German – from both East and West Germany, but we love them just the same. And as for Russia, well, homosexuality itself is not illegal there – its federal law forbids so-called homosexual propaganda. Still, society there is extremely 12

homophobic and aggressive towards the LGBT community. “When we were still living in Russia, we were prominent on the gay scene in St Petersburg and Moscow. Inside the clubs, everything was mostly ‘happy and gay’, but when you stepped outside, you were exposed to a world of danger and repulsion. Unfortunately, anti-gay fanatics would sometimes also break into the clubs to beat people up. Some of our gay friends have been verbally and physically abused on the streets for looking like a пидор – Russian for ‘fucking fag’. We also had problems with the Russian police, just because Colonel was wearing make-up and nail polish… But this aggression in people is generated a lot by the

is still a common point of view in many parts of the world.” What does “being different” mean for you? “Actually the ‘being different’ is more a judgment of the perspective of ‘others’. We think it’s more important for each individual to find his/her/its real inner self and let it grow and love it and let it out and let it have fun and make friends and make love. We all are different in one way or another. All genitals are different, all breasts are different. And that is beautiful, isn’t it?” During your performances, you are known for passing around chocolate-based “magic candies” – sweets laced with a sexual stimulant, some say. What effect do they have? “They make you feel good – really, really good. As if you are having the most amazing sex with the person you are deeply and freshly in love with. And this person thinks you are the best partner in the whole world. Wanna try?” Who is responsible for what in the band? Who stands for what? “We are all one big family and, though we are brothers and sisters, we do sleep with each other and

is, ‘We love you! We must be together!’ And the second is, ‘Elegant and obscene!’” What do you want to change in this world? “The world is perfect and wonderful. The only harmful element in it is human stupidity. We think we and all thinking creatures have a very important task to carry out – to defend, to save and to develop as many of those vulnerable, beautiful things and to help as many billions of people as we can to fight this stupidity. And to do this, we have to fight like soldiers. Not like a military army, of course, but more in your Swedish way – like an army of lovers.” You once said you are helping people in this world. What exactly did you mean by that? “We are a big, polyamorous family. And there are many more members in this family besides the band members. We are open to all who need support and tender care because they are ‘different’. We have already helped to heal a lot of broken hearts, and we have treated them all as our children, whether they were 18 or 80.” sado-opera.com

declaration

independence It takes energy, attitude and a few key pieces to let people know who you are and what you stand for. So make like the mavens of music on these pages — strike out and raise a flag of red, black and you. And don’t ever look back Photography by Fredrik Etoall Styling by Christopher Insulander

declaration

previous Page: SWIMSUIT BY GANNI, HAT BY MALINDA DAMGAARD, FISHNETS BY CAPEZIO, BOOTS BY ACNE STUDIOS This Page: BLACK COAT BY HUGO BOSS, LEOPARD-PRINT COAT BY GANNI, GLOVES BY J LINDEBERG opposite page: JACKET BY LA ROXX, SWIMSUIT BY WEEKDAY

this page: DUNGAREES BY DIESEL, TOP BY ACNE STUDIOS opposite PAGE: BAG BY BACK, TIGHTS AND KNICKERS BY WOOLFORD, SHOES BY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

Virpi Pahkinen Dress by Ina Hjelte, Belt by Acne Studios, Boots by Acne Studios, Briefs by Calvin Klein

this page: DUNGAREES BY DIESEL, TOP BY ACNE STUDIOS opposite PAGE: BAG BY BACK, TIGHTS AND KNICKERS BY WOOLFORD, SHOES BY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

Virpi Pahkinen Dress by Ina Hjelte, Belt by Acne Studios, Boots by Acne Studios, Briefs by Calvin Klein

This Page: SKIRT BY DAGMAR, BOOTS BY DR. MARTENS opposite page: JACKET BY LOUIS VUITTON, SWIMSUIT BY ACNE STUDIOS, TOP BY NELLY, GLOVES BY J LINDEBERG

TOP BY GIORGI ROSTIASHVILI, HAIRPIN BY MARIA NILSDOTTER, UNDERWEAR BY SPANX, FISHNETS BY CAPEZIO, BAG AND SHOES BY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

This Page: TOP BY IDA KLAMBORN, SKIRT AND BELT STYLIST’S OWN, HAIRPIN BY MARIA NILSDOTTER, UNDERWEAR BY SPANX, FISHNETS BY CAPEZIO opposite page: ANKLE BOOTS AND SILVER HEELS BY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, BLACK HEELS BY TIGER OF SWEDEN, TIGHTS STYLIST’S OWN HAIR: Sainabou Chune and Joanna Rask at Mikas Make-up: Josefin Scherdin at Mikas TALENT: Caroline Hjelt and Aino Neneh Jawo (iconapoP.com), Tove Lo (tove-lo.com), Elin Blom/Felin (thisisfelin.com) and Miriam Bryant (@miriambryant)

Are You a Superhero? Yes, you are. Think about it: today, with an internet connection, you can take a world-class university course for free, start a business that changes the world, or even build a satellite and send it to space. It’s true — Google it. Words by Dr Ashkan fardost We live in a time where we can turn any idea into reality, with little or no money. This is possible, thanks to the superfast advancements of computers and technology. At the same time, these amazing advancements in technology require us to evolve beyond what we were told as children – “Go to school, get a good education and you’ll live happily ever after.” It was like that for a long time, sure, but it’s starting to change, because technology allows us to be more effective, which reduces the need for human labour. Also, more and more human professions are being replaced by machines and computers. We now have self-driving cars that are better drivers than humans. There’s also Watson, a computer created by IBM that has beaten humans at the television game show Jeopardy!. For the first time in history, a computer has beaten us at analysing, retrieving and presenting knowledge. You know, knowledge – that thing we spend years at university to acquire. And this is not sci-fi or something that’s happening in a dark and lonesome laboratory somewhere. IBM’s Watson is actually installed in hospitals and is diagnosing cancer – sometimes even better than human doctors. And all of this is just the beginning. Ultimately, when knowledge is for free, only your ideas are worth paying for. So what can we do? Well, the value of knowledge – or, actually, the value of working with knowledge – is shrinking. But on the other hand, the value of coming up with great ideas and creating new things is increasing rapidly. Therefore, we need to supercharge our brains and become hyper-creative idea makers, and learn how to execute and build those ideas. We still need knowledge, though, because without it, it’s impossible to be creative. But we need to build on top of that knowledge, with a hyper-creative mind-set. So, how do you actually supercharge your brain and become a hyper-creative idea maker? It’s pretty simple, actually: if you start to play with and learn the right tools, the ideas will start to come. You don’t revolutionise the art of painting by thinking or reading about painting. You do it by picking up a brush and actually painting. The same goes for the art of technology. What if I told you [Puts on Morpheus from The Matrix sunglasses.] that there is an equivalent of the paintbrush for technology, with which you can turn almost any idea into reality, with very little money and with no prior skills in electronics or programming? There’s no red pill vs blue pill in this story, but there is something else, and it costs about SEK 170 at Kjell & Company. It’s called the Arduino: a tiny computer with which you can build amazing things. You can attach GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and a myriad of sensors. Want to detect dust, pollen or pollution in the air or water? There’s a sensor for that. Do you want to interact with it by touch? There’s a sensor for that, too. And I’ll say it again: you need no prior skills in electronics or programming to get started. It’s so easy to learn, you’ll be up and running within weeks. Now imagine what you could build with something like this. Sebastian Alegria from Chile built an earthquakedetection device with it when he was 14 years old. The device has its own Twitter account – (@alarmasismos) – and announces earthquakes to all of its followers. Much better and cheaper than the million-dollar system that the Chilean government was building. Botanicalls is another product built with an Arduino, originally created by New York-based students. It’s a device that sits in your plant pot and monitors water and sunlight levels. And it has its own Twitter account for your plant, so when it’s thirsty, for example, it will tweet to let you know.

ABOVE: THE ARDUSAT (© Ardusat). BELOW, CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT: A Lilypad Arduino, designed FOR wearable technology, AS WITH DANA RAMLER’S BIO CIRCUIT CLOTHING (PhotoGRAPH by Leah Buechley); AN Arduino Uno (PhotoGRAPH by Nick Hubbard); AN Arduino Leonardo (PhotoGRAPH by Becky Stern)

Dana Ramler, an industrial-design student from Canada who is now based in Spain, used an Arduino to build the Bio Circuit – wearable electronic clothing that monitors your heart rate, which in turn determines what kind of music you’ll hear through a speaker built into the collar. Meanwhile, ArduSat is an open-source and crowdfunded satellite, also built using an Arduino, which was launched into space in 2013 from Japan. Today, ArduSat sells a “launch

pack” to schools, so that they can start their own space programme (I wish I were still at elementary school). Talk about changing the world and making it a cooler place. And these are just a few of the thousands of amazing projects out there that have been built using an Arduino. We live in a time where you can turn any idea into reality, with little or no money. And the direction in

which technology is taking us has made your ideas more valuable than ever. So, go on, pick up the brush and start painting. We dare you to step into the unknown. Because only then will your mind get hyper-charged and start throwing great ideas at you. And we dare you to turn one of those ideas into reality and make the world a better place. We dare you to be a superhero.

Pussy bows, intricate details and masculine tailoring — girl meets boy in androgynous looks that will suit you no matter what mood you’re in Photography by Anders Kylberg Styling by Emma Thorstrand

LET’S GET TOGETHER

THIS page, clockwise, from top left: Blouse by Lars Wallin, Top by Urban Outfitters, Trousers by Giorgi Rostiashvili; Blouse by Lars Wallin; Coat by Moa Antonsson, Shirt by Chloé, badge Stylist’s owN, Bow vintage, TRAINERS by Nike; Dress by BACK, Blouse by Nina Ricci OPPOSITE PAGE: Dress by Lars Wallin

LET’S GET TOGETHER

this page, clockwise, from top left: Trousers by BACK, trainers by Nike; Top by BACK; Suit vintage, Shirt by Millet; Shirt by Lisa Viola SetterberG, vest by Rag & BonE, Beret by Saint Laurent by HEDI SLIMANE, BADGE Stylist’s own, trainers by Nike OPPOSITE PAGE: Suit vintage, Sweater by Citizen Cashmere HAIR: Henrik Haue at Link Details Make-up: Sophia Eriksen at Hall & Lundgren Models: Ia W and Emily P at Elite, Mia at Le Management, AND Georg Nordmark and Sebastian Åhman at Nisch Photographer’s assistants: Christoffer Dalkarls and Olivia Markström Stylist’s assistant: Alicia Rosati Retouching: Anna-Maria Edvinsson

Snap Happy With the proliferation of cell-phone cameras we all now have the resource to produce quality photos with just one click. The Forumist asked the professional photographer Ruggero Maramotti to do a little experimenting with the Samsung Galaxy S7 to show just how far cell-phone photography has come now Words by Fredrik Wallin Special thanks to Samsung In the 1960s, photographers’ work was something totally different. Helmut Newton and others started to experiment with a new style, led by what was considered reportage photography. Then, inspired by the art movement of that time, photographers such as Jürgen Teller and Terry Richardson got more interested in the basic meaning of “capturing a moment”. This trend started to be more about representing a lifestyle and capturing what was happening around them. Being a photographer – someone who shoots to create art or communicate – once required equipment, lenses and add-ons for a lot of money. Nowadays, a photographer’s kit can just be one device that fits in your pocket. Today, photography has become progressively more accessible, and making dramatic improvements to an image that was taken quickly is not only possible, it’s extremely easy. Almost everyone can be a part of this process and, thanks to the ease of access to the medium, anybody can create magical images. Taking hundreds of photographs costs nothing, so cameras aren’t just for bringing out at birthdays and graduation ceremonies any more, they are for the everyday. The initial snap is just the start. To highlight what photography has become today, The Forumist approached the professional photographer Ruggero Maramotti about experimenting with the Samsung Galaxy S7 phone. Born and raised in the northern Italian city of Parma, Maramotti’s career started more than 15 years

all images taken with samsung galaxy s7 32

ago. His introduction to photography came at the age of 13, when he stole his father’s camera, and the punishment was to help him in his dark room. It was there that his love of classic techniques grew. After living in Milan for a year when he was older, he then relocated to Scandinavia. Today he is located mostly in Sweden, where he makes Stockholm his home. In his work you often see a touch of melancholy and loneliness and realistic depictions of contemporary life. Most of his inspiration comes from painters. “I often seek a way to escape the direct objectivity of photography – painting, music and sculpture don’t have this problem,” says Maramotti. “My photos are intended to express my feelings or mood when I took the image.” Maramotti carried out the experiment using the newest Samsung phone over the course of one weekend. He visited countryside just outside Stockholm and tested the phone in daylight and in the darkness of night. He also took photographs at his home. “I’m not an expert in matters of phone cameras,” he says, “although I can say, with this one, the capacity of catching the details and the colours are impressive, and it has a very fast lens.” As he says himself, cell phones are not Maramotti’s usual tool of the trade. “I always work in low ISO. With small-sensor cameras, like those in a phone, it is usually very hard to do this. Since I don’t have control of it, I normally skip using a phone when low-light conditions require high ISO. The S7 has the possibility to manually control the low ISO, so the challenge is only to keep the phone steady [low ISO in low light requires longer exposure]. The manual control of the ISO and the exposure time to me was the biggest news. It doesn’t give full manual control, but it is definitely more than enough. And, as I said before, the fast lens allows you to take pictures in difficult light conditions.” Another excellent feature he discovered about the S7 is that users are able to shoot in raw mode. “That’s a game-changer in the phone battle,” he says. “It allows you to have much more control in postproduction, without losing the quality of the picture. In other words, if you keep the ISO low and if you shoot in raw mode, you would definitely reach the level of a good-quality digital camera, keeping the size of the print under a certain limit.” Any tips for amateur photographers who now only take pictures with their phones? “I approach a subject with the attitude that I only have one shot when I take a picture, so I make that moment relevant. Maybe I have this approach because I come from the film generation. I concentrate, I compose, I check the controls of the camera – this can be done with the S7 – then I take the image. Obviously if I’m not happy, I take another one but, in general, with the first one, I know if the image is worth saving or if it should be discarded. Another tip that is absolutely driven by personal taste is this – try to have the camera straight and to be parallel with the subject. I consider a cell-phone camera the same tool as an ordinary camera. Phone cameras have wide angles, so I would pay attention to avoiding unwanted things or light in the image.” Our connection with photography has undeniably changed radically over the past few years. Most of us carry a cell phone in our pockets, so everyone can be a photographer, but this doesn’t always mean you are going to be a great photographer. You have the tool now – see what you can do with it.

all images taken with samsung galaxy s7 34

People Watching in Berlin

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Electro DJ Larry Tee Thom and vegan vlogger Sophia Hoffmann are making their impact on the world in very different ways. We dig deeper about what drives them and discover how what they’re doing is keeping Germany’s capital ahead of the game Words by VEronika Dorosheva Photography by Harling & Darsell Production by ANDREA HORN

Larry Tee Thom The DJ, club promoter and music producer is concerned that people do things they think they have to do, even though they could be doing the things they love instead. He coaches people on making their dreams become a reality, and he believes that humans are magnificent creators. In the late 1990s you coined the term electroclash to describe that mixture of synth-pop, techno, punk and performance art, which was a revolutionary response to the somewhat rigid formulations of techno. The genre is associated with names such as Peaches and Fischerspooner, whose careers you helped to launch. What was the movement about and how has it evolved? “It was a reaction to how dance music, and house music in particular, had become more mainstream. Even fashion was taking the same path. There was no counterculture and no critique on contemporary lifestyle. When I discovered Peaches, Chicks on Speed, Fischerspooner, Adult, Miss Kittin, Felix da Housecat, Scissor Sisters, I realised their music was about more than just selling a product. It was political, with Chicks on Speed singing about corporate criminals. It was feminist [such as Peaches questioning gender norms through her music]. “This music also had an open attitude towards gay people, and many of the acts were calling themselves bisexual, even though they were predominantly straight. It was everything I wanted in music. People at the top of the industry at that time were very against this invasion of women, gay people and politics into music. The artists involved are still as vital as ever. And even the new ones, such as Crystal Castles, the DFA Records crew and Grimes, could be considered children of this revolution.” Is there any connection between music and politics? Can music change the world? “I grew up knowing that music can change the world, but since Apple took over music distribution, it has devalued what music used to mean. The pop-music industry is also controlled by big corporations that pay hardly any taxes. Music is not distributed very fairly any more and the money that artists make flows into the hands of big corporations. It’s time to start the next music revolution – to give money back to the artists and the public.” You are starting up a new queer party in Berlin – Krank. Tell us a bit more about your new baby. “Berlin certainly has the best clubs, but sometimes it feels like music-industry people here are too afraid to try anything new, so I feel there is a room for another party. I know so many creative people in Berlin, but I rarely see them all attending the same party on a regular basis – Krank is an attempt to bring people together more often. It’s about a mixture of music, performance art, contemporary dance and fashion.” What about Berlin – is it the perfect city to live? “Berlin is constantly changing and it’s one of the few cities that doesn’t have a grumpy and frustrated atmosphere. It has reasonable prices, it is kind to its citizens and it values creative expression.” Twitter: @larryteedj 36

Sophia Hoffmann Cooking has been always Sophia Hoffmann’s biggest passion, but four years ago, she was able to make it her profession, too. A committed advocate for veganism, she has written cookery books and regularly shares her versatile and colourful recipes on her blog and YouTube channel. She believes everyone should make an informed decision about what they’re consuming, whether that’s food, electronics or clothing. “It’s shocking how cheap animal products are nowadays and what a huge negative impact animal farming is having on climate change,” she says. What is veganism for you? “It’s a social and an ethical movement. It means showing empathy to all living beings – humans and animals alike.” In one of your videos, you talk about the refugee crisis in Germany. Why are you covering such topics on your vegan-food channel? “I always say what I think. Especially now, because of the presence of so many right-wing tendencies in society and crimes against refugees, I feel I should

speak out more loudly against injustice and support human rights and altruism. For me, being vegan, caring for the environment and showing empathy to all living creatures is all part of the same mind-set. I don’t know, maybe there are some vegans out there who care more about baby chickens than refugees, but I am not like that and there are other people who are not like that – and those people will get my message.” There are many gender stereotypes and clichés associated with cooking – the perfect housewife who does all the cooking at home, the testosterone-fuelled chefs at top restaurants. Can cooking contribute to gender equality? “It’s part of my mission to change those stereotypes through my work. There is a new generation of women who are entering the food industry, who are excellent entrepreneurs and have an alternative perspective on leadership. My second book, Frauen am Herd [Women in the Kitchen], released in September, is actually about this kind of woman. We work together and inspire each other. Of course, men are welcome to join us and work with us as well.” oh-sophia.net 15

People Watching in Berlin

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No Holding Back After living all over the world and writing songs for other artists, Ana Diaz has returned to Stockholm to release her own music — a hybrid sound of slow trap and highly personal pop that will keep you listening. We catch up with her as she dives headlong into the new direction her career is taking her

Words by FILIP LINDSTRÖM Photography by Oskar Gyllenswärd Styling by Emma Thorstrand Special thanks to LEE JEAN S

Ana Diaz has a lot on her plate. Since the release of her debut album, Lyssna del 1, in early February, she has done tons of interviews and photoshoots, all while still working as a songwriter and running her own label, WINWIN Recordings. When we meet, it’s in an industrial studio, where one of these many shoots has been going on for at least four hours, and it looks as as though she’ll be there for several more. When she breaks for lunch, I ask what she thinks of the clothes, which at that stage of the shoot means an all-white ready-to-wear outfit. “If I could take this with me, I would,” she says. “I usually just wear black and comfortable clothes. I know what I like, but I have no interest in searching for it.” She enjoys the transformation, but couldn’t imagine the life of a model, being constantly judged by appearance. The relaxed, natural feel of Lee Jeans she wore for The Forumist’s shoot seems a perfect fit for her in more ways than one. “It’s interesting, a different perspective on the music business,” she says while we wait for the photographer to return to the desolate studio. Diaz has written songs for international artists for years, including Wyclef Jean, Sounwave, Britney Spears and One Direction. She talks about their “sessions”, the meetings with other writers, where their mutual talents fuse together. It can be an intimate moment, writing with a stranger, who is

then replaced with a new stranger the next day. It sounds intense. Diaz has lived in Detroit, London, LA and Seattle, but has now moved back to Stockholm, which she calls “a mother”, a comforting place for her. Does her writing change depending on the city she is living in? “No, I don’t think so. The colleagues change, but I stay the same. I still recognise my own work, although I’m a part of all these different constellations. I’m always good at starting collaborations up,” she says. “Detroit sometimes feels grimey and London can be draining, Seattle is quite peaceful. One thing I love about London, which I don’t see as much of in Stockholm, is the diversity. In London you can hear 13 languages on your way to work in the morning.” While living in London, Diaz booked visits back to Sweden for writing sessions for her solo work. The poet Daniel Boyacioglu was one of the main collaborators for what eventually became Lyssna del 1, a pop record with trap elements and revealing lyrics in Swedish. Boyacioglu, who features on the track Simma Själv, has previously released music through Robyn’s label, Konichiwa Records. He’s a talented poet and artist who could be called Sweden’s answer to Saul Williams, the American rapper known for his blending of poetry and alternative hip-hop. Diaz thinks so, too, and says that boosting Boyacioglu’s music career might be the next item on her to-do list. Before that can happen, though, there are many things still on the agenda: the follow-up solo album is being finished – shaped by about 12 producers; and she is working on Snow Culture, a duo she has formed with Oskar Sikow, a former member of

electro group Kate Boy. Diaz plays a Snow Culture song on her phone and we remark how the Kate Boy sound in the industrial electro pop seems noticeable. “I think it is Oskar that is noticeable,” she says, encouraging us to listen closely as the track goes in to a Phil Collins-esque guitar solo. “We’re shooting a music video in LA in March and then I’m coming back to Sweden for the release of my second album. After that, Snow Culture will do an EP.” Diaz describes the work of a songwriter as “being Robin to someone’s Batman”, assisting someone else with your own talents. Ever since she chose to start making music of her own, instead of being the eternal Robin, she has been asked the same question: “What’s it like being known now?” Just because Diaz has stepped into the limelight and put on her Batman suit, it doesn’t mean we know anything about her. “I am in constant motion, I’m changing all the time,” she says. “No matter how much of me I share, my inner sphere will never be seen by anyone but myself. I could publish a diary and still not be seen for who I really am.” For her, this recent rise to fame has been a welcome thing. When we speak, she has performed music from her new album live only three times. She has a few tour dates planned, which include opening for soul songstress Seinabo Sey, and she’s looking forward to it, though she will admit to a little fear mingling with the anticipation. But as she says: “Challenging yourself and doing things you’re afraid of is important.” Lyssna del 1 is out now on WINWIN Recordings

Words by FILIP LINDSTRÖM Photography by Oskar Gyllenswärd Styling by Emma Thorstrand Special thanks to LEE JEAN S

I’ve said this to you before, but part of what I like about your work is how bold you are about your worldviews. You’ve never shied away from being political and setting things straight in a heavyhitting fashion. “The political exists, of course, and I suppose you tend see much more in illustrated comic art, but we seem to be living in very anxious times, where we are afraid to do things that can be contested and could be deemed not to be the ‘right’ or ‘appropriate’ thing to do. There’s a reluctance to do anything, in case you become excluded. But then again, the media climate is so cutthroat today – there is so much to lose in the public eye. People are hating, left and right, in whatever channel and forum. “When you think of political art, it’s so easy to address things that get you a pat on the back from everyone. Take solidarity, anti-racism or even capitalism. What you rarely see is artists making themselves the focus and looking critically at the social group to which they belong – the middle class scrutinising the middle class, for example. You say I’m bold, but sometimes I wish I were bolder. It’s easy to cop out when things are so polarised, with no room to move along the grey scale.” One of the most ingenious artworks I saw of last year was your poster YOLO, which you made to highlight the situation of the refugee boats crossing the ocean towards Europe. “When I did it, I felt that, as a whole, our society finds it so difficult to emotionally relate to those who are running away from horror. That scared me and still does. It’s so hard for us to think beyond numbers and start thinking of people as moms, dads and hipsters and the like. These people have no choice. And I thought, ‘How better to express this in a way that gets through to my own peers than by using language that is symbolic for my generation?’ The term YOLO in the Western world refers to guilty pleasure and just giving in to the moment – such as getting drunk out of your mind or spending money. Here, YOLO signifies a real, tangible riskthat has lethal consequences, showing how worlds apart we are.”

A View to Destruction

Does your art derive from thorough concept or does it organically grow on the canvas? “What happens is that making art, in a way, becomes my own personal therapy. It’s a way to channel my fears, feelings and reactions to things that I see going on around me in the world. It’s my way to communicate. When there’s a troubling feeling, I keep elaborating on it in my painting – exhausting it, until it’s been fully dealt with, you could say. Take, for example, when police rode over demonstrators at a rally in Limhamn in the south of Sweden [in 2014]. When I see something like that, I have to do something immediately.”

You also have a background as a punk musician. How do your two roles as a politically orientated musician and painter differ, if at all? “Well, the audience differs and the expectations are so different. Punk music is all about giving a ‘f*** you’ to the establishment, and as a painter, you are ultimately a part of the establishment you are bashing. The punk in me wants to dare even more and kick out, while the painter in me will go, ‘Hush, hush.’ It’s like two different personalities at once.” Something that is striking, looking at your body of work, is the existence of children, which bears a certain symbolic value in light of the matters you call to mind. I like that, and I find children to be rare in contemporary art. “I did a project called Good Luck when I was pregnant with my son – I intended to call it One Day, All of This Will Be Yours. It speaks of how I was feeling. You become a parent and you increasingly think of what world you’re bringing your child into and what you are leaving behind. And then there’s that insufferable feeling that humanity is in crisis and it will continue to be. We will just continue to ruin things for future generations and there’s not really going to be a change.” Tell us about your current solo exhibition, No Matter Who Wins, It Will Be Us Losing, at Krognoshuset, in Lund. “It’s a very dark exhibition, not just emotionally, but also visually. Everything runs in black. I’ve long felt a disappointment about the political climate in Sweden. My family has politically always been left. When the social democrats in Sweden signed their agreement to the closure of our borders, it really felt like such a blow to the face. One angle of the show, aside from painting, is revisiting historical socialist banners – originally red, but in my rendition, they are black as a symbol for sorrow. As such, these banners are hung on the exterior of the venue and there’s even a brass band playing mellowed renditions of tunes that are meant to tell of hope. But they don’t carry that hope here. The tunes instead belt out their sadness – as to their own death, you could say.” No Matter Who Wins, It Will Be Us Losing, until March 13; Krognoshuset, Lund

In this time of global crisis, much of what’s happening in the contemporary art world seems to remain considerably detached from what’s going on outside of its bubble. But there is a rare exception to be found: the work of the punk rocker and painter Ella Tillema Words by Ashik Zaman

RIGHT: ELLA TILLEMA. above, from top: YoLO (2015), en dag ska allt det här bli ditt (2013). Opposite, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: UNTITLED ( jag vill inte kvävas av luften jag andas) (2013); Den fula ankungen (2012); Vem som än vinner är det vi som förlorar (2015) 40

A View to Destruction

The Bigger Picture

main photograph: Samuel Fosso, Self Portrait, from “African Spirits”, 2008, Courtesy The Walther Collection and Jean Marc Patras, Paris Right, from top: August Sander, Antlitz der Zeit (Face of Our Time) – Unemployed Sailor, 1929. Stephen Shore, Avenue of the Americas, 1970, Courtesy The Walther Collection and 303 Gallery, New York. Malick Sidibé, Vues de Dos (Back View), 1999/2005, Courtesy The Walther Collection and MAGNIN-A, Paris

Done right, photography can bring the world closer to us while simultaneously widening our horizons — as a comprehensive new exhibition of inspiring imagery at Stockholm’s Fotografiska demonstrates Words by Anna Åhrén Photography connects with our desire to understand who we are and to relate with the world around us. Private collectors have become change makers of standardised taste in art, exploring new ways in which the medium can been shared with the public. They add fresh perspectives on reality. At the opening night of Time and Again at Fotografiska, Stockholm, we met Artur Walther – the man behind the show and the creator of one of the most important private collections of contemporary photography. Building up this collection has not happened quickly – it’s been an organic process that started more than 20 years ago when Walther left a career as an investment banker on Wall Street. The creative path he chose to pursue instead has led to a worldrenowned body of photography from Germany, the US, Africa and Asia, as well as an exhibition space in his hometown of Neu-Ulm, Germany, a project space in New York and numerous international shows. For Time and Again, 800 photographs by 34 photographers from 10 countries have been selected. The bringing together of established and unknown photographers from all around the world prompts the viewer to look at different ideas and eras and consider what actually defines our own culture or place in the world – and as Walther himself says, “to contemplate what is unique and what is universal”.

perfect time. At this point I had collected a large body of Chinese and African work, and I could see in there, as you can see in all of this work, this concept repeating itself. Out of this came the idea of looking cross-culturally, cross-geographically and across time and putting this exhibition together.” Given your international influence, what made you think about showing at Fotografiska? “Fotografiska holds about 20 exhibitions each year of work that comes from all over the world – different places, cultures and artists. It makes Fotografiska a very interesting venue. A museum normally only looks at the more established, the proven, and museums in general still very much revolve around a Western perspective.”

During your time as a collector, what has been important to you? “Collecting photography has been a journey of passion – a very expanding journey, in terms of what I’ve learnt, what I’ve shared with others and what I’ve been able to give artists in terms of both credit and visibility. I feel good about the personal element, about getting to know and learning from different artists. It has been a very special experience.”

Walther’s words and his collection highlight how art in its purest form can often turn the focus on universal questions. Photography triggers questions about culture, society and structures of power. Walther’s experiences, meanwhile, illustrate what can happen when we act on our creative impulses. And that we shouldn’t look for a quick fix when creating something new. In his case, it all started the moment he picked up a Leica camera 20 years ago – it’s a reminder of how one small action can change the way we live in surprising ways.

What have you learned or discovered on the way? “With collecting you always discover new things, not only pictures, but also ideas and concepts. Looking at the world helps you see how similar many things are. When you really look for the underlying theme, the key issues often involve race, gender, sexuality and ethnicity.” How would you describe the work you do today? “If I look at what I’m doing right now, it goes far beyond collecting – it is also covers researching, exhibiting and publishing. We have published four major catalogues thematically on the works in the collection and seven books on individual artists or important projects so far. For a number of lesser-known or non-Western artists, this has been very important. Furthermore, a number of our exhibitions travel to various institutions worldwide, for example this exhibition here at Fotografiska was shown at the 45th edition of the Les Rencontres d’Arles photo festival in 2014 and at La Maison Rouge in Paris in 2015.” What makes exhibiting interesting for you? “That you really have to think about things conceptually – it’s not good enough just to put pictures up. They have to have a message, concept and theme. They have to play off each other, question each other or create a dynamic.” One part of the exhibition shows Richard Avedon’s portrait series called The Family, of the American political establishment during the 1970s, alongside the Occupy Wall Street images. What are your thoughts on this? What comes to mind? “There is a direct timeline to the political landscape in the United States today. The emergence of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders is the direct outgrowth of the power structure Avedon so skilfully presented in 1976. And the discontent of the Occupy Wall Street

Time and Again, until May 15; Fotografiska, Stockholm

above, clockwise, from top left: Bernd and Hilla Becher, Kugel-Gasbehälter (Spheric Gas Tanks), 1963-1983, Courtesy The Walther Collection and Sonnabend Gallery. Guy Tillim, Mai Mai militia in training, December 2002, Courtesy The Walther Collection and Stevenson, Cape Town and Johannesburg. Zanele Muholi, Faces and Phases, 2008-10, Courtesy The Walther Collection and Stevenson, Cape Town and Johannesburg. Accra Shepp, Occupying Wall Street, 201112, Courtesy The Walther Collection and Steven Kasher Gallery. Ai Weiwei, Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn, 1995, Courtesy The Walther Collection and Lisson Gallery

movement has expanded to a much broader level all over the United States.” How did you start to put together Time and Again? “The origin of this exhibition goes back a number of years. When I was first archiving all my images, printing them out, I could see that I was looking at things very much in grids and series. I thought it would be interesting to put together an exhibition – Typology, Taxonomy and Seriality – which was first shown in Arles in 2014. It became clear that, nowadays, we are very focused on the single, individual image. But historically, photography was shown in series – it was not about the precise moment or the perfectly framed picture taken at the JD Okhai Ojeikere, Untitled (Hairstyles), 1971 and 1974, Courtesy the Walther Collection and Galerie Magnin-A, Paris

The Bigger Picture

Time and Again, until May 15; Fotografiska, Stockholm

THIS PAGE: Cornel coat, Bertin jacket, Fredrik sweater and Dickie shorts Opposite page, clockwise from top centre: Zipped shirt jacket; Bendix jacket, Désiré sweater and StandARD special weave shirt; DION Jacket; marc Bomber jacket, standard safari shirt and Adan CHINOS ALL ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE AT VELOUR.SE

Riding high Sweden and wave riding: two things that aren’t linked together very often. But now meet Freddie Meadows, the first Swedish surfer who, after years of doing it professionally around the world, wants to inspire us to discover waves and how to dress well. Words by Fredrik Wallin Photography by Oskar Gyllenswärd Styling by Maria Barsoum Grooming by Sherin Forsgren & Kevin Murphy Special thanks to Velour by Nostalgi Freddie Meadows grew up in Åhus and London, places that aren’t really associated with waves. Perhaps that’s what led him to discover something as un-Swedish as surfing. At the age of 13 he started wave riding and soon became consumed by a fascination with a sport that had no rules and the close connection to nature surfing brought with it. 44

“The feeling that hit me right away was that you come into contact with nature in an incredible way – more than with any other sport,” he says. “Waves can travel huge distances across our oceans – at times, 5,000km – and then you get the chance to be part of the final chapter of a wave’s journey before it disappears forever. That energy does not exist in any other sport.” After many years on tour and many competitions – among other highs, he scored a fifth place in the European Championships for under 18s in 2006 – Meadows is currently on a sabbatical from the contest world. Instead, he is at home in Sweden in search of a little magic in the Baltic Sea. And he is always ready to jump in his car to drive to where the waves are. “Sometimes I only have two hours to get my stuff together before I have to go. As each opportunity comes so rarely, the feeling of missing something can be pretty hard to deal with. All I think about is how to time it as best as I can.” Over the years, Meadows noticed that, in order to win, it was necessary to go against the morals and respect that is so deeply connected to surfing. So, instead of touring, he followed his dream to find worldclass waves in Sweden. And, in October 2014, he found them. “I went on my first trip in the woods, in the wilderness. And there, by the furthest part of the coast, I found a sort of balance. It was as if it were fate. I saw the best waves I had ever seen in Sweden – so big, heavy and perfect. It was exactly what I was looking for. I named the best one Valhalla.” He thinks that Sweden’s surfing culture is exciting because of what can be found in places where you’ve never seen waves before. Surfing in Sweden is better than people think. “We have a fairly large community here,” Meadows says. “But because of our circumstances, we end up always in

the same places. But Valhalla meant that I discovered something I had never seen before in Swedish waters, which makes it so exciting.” When pushed to talk more about why he semi-retired from competitive surfing, he mentions feeling a strength within him. “I thought, ‘Let’s ignore all of the things that I have lived for, and instead focus on new projects.’ It was natural, because I love being creative. Film and photography have always held a deep interest for me. So I decided to do what I’ve kind of wanted to do my whole life – surf the magical waves here in Sweden, and then document it all with the right people. It’s when I’m on these adventures that I am at my happiest. I hope that what we produce can inspire people the way I’ve been inspired.” Even though he now surfs 100 days a year, compared with the 300 days he used to just a few years ago, he is happier than ever today. “I feel so content when I’m in my car, heading to a place with the hope that there may be good conditions for surfing. I get so excited every time I go back to places that I know already – it’s like seeing an old friend. I hope I have inspired people to not only surf, but also to go out and discover. Go out and look for waves yourself. Anything is possible. That’s the best thing about surfing – the adventure.” And the future? “I hope and believe that I will keep going with all these exciting projects for the next three to four years. Then, perhaps, I’ll start competing again. Who knows?” What is your preferable style when you’re not wearing a wetsuit? “I like dressing comfortable and casual but at the same time being well dressed. freddiemeadows.com Jacket by Dimepiece, sunglasses by Monokel

Hair and make-up: Brooke Hill, Model: Monica Wiseman at JE Model Management

THIS PAGE: Hellas Black Belt by URBANEARS OPPOSITE PAGE, from left: Hellas Rush and Hellas Black Belt by URBANEARS TALENT: johan borgqvist

And the Beat Goes On Fashion and technology have a complex relationship. The very different worlds often struggle to find a way to merge in order to make tomorrow’s hottest trends palatable for today’s consumers. But Urbanears founder and creative director, Oscar Axhede, knows exactly how to combine them to create fashionable headphones Words by FREDRIK WALLIN Artwork by Joe Cruz Special thanks to Urbanears

More and more fashion labels are integrating digital components in their garments. During Stockholm Fashion Week this year there was everything from virtual-reality experiences to panel discussions on technology in fashion. The designer Ida Klamborn broadcast her show in real time through an application and a Google cardboard set, making fans feel like they were on the front row. DRKN, the streetwear brand inspired by gaming, closed the week with a laser installation at their show. The fashion crowd is trained to look into the future, and currently the whole industry seems to be embracing technology and the innovation it can provide. But will consumers choose efficiency over stylishness? As technology progresses and is able to create more discreet, flexible and washable materials, fashion can develop, and vice versa. Everything, from hats to underwear, contains some form of tech today. Since its launch in 2008, Zound Industries, the company with the colourful headphones, has sold more than 10 million products all over the world. One of their four brands, Urbanears, has now set its sights on targeting a new audience – active people. In 2014, while watching the Stockholm Marathon, Oscar Axhede noticed that a lot of the participants were sporting Urbanears products, even though there weren’t any styles in the range specifically designed for running. He and his team immediately started

looking at what they could add to the marketplace. “We are always trying to come up with new, interesting angles,” he says. “A lot of what we do is based on ourselves, and the fact that many of us are training nowadays has made it inevitable that you take note of what other people are wearing.” With his background in lifestyle and fashion, Axhede tasked his team to think about how the company could produce headphones that would be able to straddle the worlds of fashion and sport. And so, the new collection from Urbanears Active, featuring the styles Hellas and Reimers, was launched at the beginning of January. As functional as they are good-looking, these sporty headphones are calculated to keep up the pace, no matter what beat you go with. “One of the first things we thought about was that the headphones should be washable,” Axhede says. “We also scaled down the weight and tried to remove as much unnecessary material as we could, focusing on pure function and materials that work well when training, such as mesh. And the headphones also have a lot of reflective elements, helping make you more visible when you’re running at night.” Thanks to the development of hi-tech fabrics over recent years, the scope of possible new designs is much wider. “There are a lot of varieties of mesh, so it took time to find the right kind – one that didn’t feel too ‘plasticky’,” he says. “You don’t want the

headphones to feel like a wet T-shirt. You want them to feel airy.” Axhede says that inspiration for the Active collection partly came from other types of materials used in the active-wear industry – “There are exciting things happening in that industry. Johanna Schneider’s collection with Nike last year is one of the better ones I’ve seen. Adidas always make great stuff, too – we got a lot of inspiration from their Stellasport collection. To take something that is a sports or fashion item and take it in any direction and see how far you can draw it before someone reacts, that is interesting, though some things are better if they have a function. Why put a square hood on a gym top if it doesn’t have a function? But I think there is an insane amount of inspiration to be found in the sports world.” With all the holes in the Hellas headband and ear cushions, the headphones may look unfinished to some, but these holes are key to making the headphones as light as possible. Indeed, when it comes to aesthetics versus function, there is always a balance that needs to be struck, but it’s clear that there is something more important for Axhede and Urbanears: “We have worked hard to remove, delete and then remove more. We’re from Scandinavia, so we’re good at that.” urbanears.com 43

THIS PAGE: Hellas Black Belt by URBANEARS OPPOSITE PAGE, from left: Hellas Rush and Hellas Black Belt by URBANEARS TALENT: johan borgqvist

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