FOAM 30 BXC by Drew Dougherty

august & september 2009

| home made

dig it

RADICAL GARDENING Acid Test-

Eyes Wide Open The Return of

denimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new shade

Sustainable Styles we love

art projects: Deanna Templeton, russel crotty, mitch abshere

Tunes from Wavves, Hockey, and Zee Avi

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Cocoa Beach, FL Galveston, TX Encinitas, CA Biarritz, France Venice, CA Grand Haven, MI Ventura, CA Honolulu, HI Hampton Beach, NH Brooklyn, NY Olympia, WA Portland, OR Vancouver, Canada San Francisco, CA Avalon, NJ Hermosa Beach, CA Santa Cruz, CA San Clemente, CA Wilmington, NC Virgina Beach, VA Oceanside, CA Europe Japan Australia

June 19 June 27 July 2 July 11 July 17 July 18 July 18 July 23 & 24 July 28 July 30 August 1 August 4 August 6 August 8 August 13 August 14 August 14 August 21 August 26 August 27 September 19

Dates and locations subject to change For tour updates go to dearandyonder.com and roxy.com

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A Villa Villa Cola production Created by Tiffany Campbell & Andria Lessler

Featuring: Sofia Mulanovich, Belinda Baggs, Stephanie Gilmore, Kassia Meador, Liz Clark, Rell Sunn, Prue Jeffries, Coco Ho, Ashley Lloyd, Linda Benson, Lee-Ann Curren, Ashley Davis, Lisa Andersen, Judith Sheridan, Silvana Lima, Chelsea Hedges, Sally Fitzgibbons Primarily 16mm filmed on location in Australia, French Polynesia, California, Indonesia, Mexico, Arizona

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foammagazine.com

Assembled by Brittanny Tran

CONTENTS

Features Page 58 | point of no return: Explore Itacare, with book in hand. By Jenni Avins Page 62 | switchblade sisters: Girls Girls Girls, in jeans jeans jeans. Photographed by Jonathan Leder Page 76 | zippity doo dah: Totally untouched, New Zealand’s Zippora Seven. Photographed by Ben Sullivan Page 86 | merry pranksters: Joe Tenore, CC Sheffield, and Tanner Prairie meet up for madness. Photographed by Kevin Zacher Page 98 | loving leelee: Leelee Sobieski shares pillow talk and gives hugs. Photographed by Kenneth Cappello Page 104 | eagle eye: Deanna Templeton opens her lens and lets us have a look. By Kate Williams Departments Page 12 | the crew: The dedicated Foam-ettes. Page 14 | letter: Fusilla Kristina. Page 16 | contributors: Whole lotta makin’ goin’ on. Page 18 | pipeline: Getting to know the new PiperGirl ambassadors, plus, keep your eyes on the Waterways travel package contest! Page 20 | snapshot: Photographer Doc Ball’s iconic pic of triumph over bummer. Page 23 | the one thing: Thar she glows! Page 24 | style news: Trash piles, cleavage shots, and books to read. Page 26 | insider: Captain Fin makes...fins. Page 28 | girlcrush: Gal Gadot puts on her pretty face. Page 30 | role model: Hollis Ann Stewart loves cats and dogs and, seals. Page 32 | artist: Russell Crotty rises from the ashes. Page 34 | diy: Una Kim from Keep makes a tye dye shirt and shows us how. Page 36 | forecast : Take to the streets with shovel and trowel, make a garden anywhere. Page 38 | camp: Beklina’s Angelina Rennell opens her doors. Page 40 | the look: Bodkin’s catsuit paired with deserted Los Angeles. Photographed by Carolina Palmgren Page 42 | fashion news: Vests, Model Documentaries, and a trend round up for fall. Page 46 | flotsom & jetsom: Bleach Black customized denim, 40’s glamour, and the always rad plaid. Page 52 | timezone: A Matix jacket and Von Zipper sunglasses together at last. Photographed by Joe Termini BEAUTY Page 55 | last drop: Lip Gloss for designing women. Page 55 | beauty news: Fashion’s darlings, Spa Nky salons, and more mascara to wag a wand at. Written by Lori Bergamotto music Pages 108—112 | The rundown, the playlist, the up-and-comers, the q&a’s. Written by Cristina Black Page 114 | fin: In the surf with Stephanie Gilmore. Photographed by Ryan Heywood.

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THE CREW

Foam Magazine | Issue 30 | August/September 2009, “Home Made” EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kristina Dechter DEPUTY EDITOR Zoe Buck FEATURES EDITOR Rumaan Alam ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Cristina Black ONLINE EDITOR Zoe Buck SURF EDITOR Christina Scannapiego ART DIRECTION & DESIGN Drew Dougherty and Betty Ra of BXC EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Katherine Comparetto, Dawn Gregory CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Julie Alvin, Jenni Avins, Lori Bergamotto, Neha Gandhi, Marshall Heyman, Laura Neilson, Adam Sherrett, Kate Williams, Erin Wylie CONTRIBUTING FASHION EDITORS Ingrid Allen, Quinn Asteak, Christine Baker, Monique Bean, Jessie Cohan, Erin Hirsh, Zara Merkin CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Kenneth Cappello, Ryan Heywood, Jonathan Leder, David Land, Jed Lind, Kassia Meador, Carolina Palmgren, Joe Schmelzer, Ben Sullivan, Joe Termini, Megan Villa, Lauren Ward, Kevin Zacher DIGITAL STUDIO Jeff Sipper OUR STYLE ICON INTERNS Joyce Ho, Nina Madrid, Madie McKay, Taylor Olson, Lauren Thornton-Brown, Brittanny Tran SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITORS Monica Campana, Mai Miyama, Jodie Nelson associate publisher Advertising & Marketing Monica Campana ADVERTISING INQUIRIES 877-521-7808 x717 or advertising@foammagazine.com SEND EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE TO: Foam Magazine Attn: Editor 951 Calle Negocio, Suite C, San Clemente, CA 92673 or editorial@foammagazine.com SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES www.foammagazine.com/subscribe or 800-849-8754 Back issues are available via www.foammagazine.com/archives DISTRIBUTION Shops and boutiques can sign up to carry Foam via www.foammagazine.com/shops or call 877-521-7808 x712. Newsstand distribution by Curtis Circulation Company, LLC PUBLISHED BY AIRBORNE MEDIA, LLC GROUP PUBLISHER Ross Garrett DIRECTOR OF PRINT MANUFACTURING Barry Berg INTERACTIVE SERVICES Randy Taylor Digital BUSINESS MANAGER Dina Andre founding publisher Steve J. Zeldin Airborne Media LLC 951 Calle Negocio, Suite C San Clemente, CA 92673 T: 877-521-7808 F: 949-606-9563 www.airbornellc.com Some opinions expressed in Foam are those of the individual authors and not necessarily the publisher. Foam accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Unsolicited submissions will not be returned. Material appearing in Foam or on foammagazine.com or any of its affiliate websites may not be reproduced, excerpted, or copied in any form whatsoever without express written permission of the publisher, no exceptions. Foam Magazine and its logo are trademarks of Airborne Media, LLC. All rights reserved. © 2009 Airborne Media, LLC.

FOAM MAGAZINE’S PRINTER IS FSC CERTIFIED, UTILIZING WELL MANAGED FORESTRY AND WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. FOAM IS ALSO PRINTED ON 20% RECYCLED PAPER (10% POSTCONSUMER WASTE). ALL INKS USED CONTAIN A PERCENTAGE OF SOY BASE.

Also check out Pipergirls.com and GirlsLearnToRide.com Foam is a proud supporter of: Surfrider.org Liferollson.org Surfingamerica.org B4BC.org SIMA.com Keep-a-breast.org Surfaidinternational.org Followthelightfoundation.org

N62LL

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introducing the know by heart collection elementeden.com

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LETTER

foammagazine.com

home made

with !

This issue’s theme happened… organically. It began as a Fall Preview, and in many ways it still is—an advance look at this season’s music (Bring It, pg 108), style (Trend or Foe, pg 24), and beauty (Sexy Mother Pucker, pg 23). But as the issue evolved, we realized that the stories we were most drawn to were the ones that involved some added elbow grease...a personal touch. Our fashion stories have a homemade appeal that hopefully transcends the standard model-in-beautiful-clothes set-up. In Switchblade Sisters (pg 62), stylist Monique Bean and photographer Jonathan Leder decamped to a motel on the Jersey Shore with 6 models and a mountain of clothes, and created a perfectly curated reflection of tough-girl style, drawing on early 90s fashion (yes, acid wash denim is back). Monique assigned the girls behind the fashion blog BleachBlack.com to create one-of-a-kind denim pieces for the shoot (One of a Kind pg, 46) and that extra DIY touch just makes things so much more special. PS - We’re now giving these customized pieces away, so check FoamMagazine.com and enter to win. In Zippity Doo Dah (pg 76), Aussie photographer Ben Sullivan flew with just the bare essentials—no hair and makeup crew, no lights, no frills— to model Zippora Sevens’s home in New Zealand and turned out a stunning series of some of the purest beauty shots we’ve ever seen. Sometimes less really is more. But sometimes more really matters. Especially when it comes to community activism (see Bombs Away, pg 36) or helping local animal populations (see Slow Motion, pg 30). Or being an old-fashioned overachiever like our cover star Leelee Sobieski, who not only has an astonishing resume, but is also just plain awesome (see Loving Leelee, pg 98). The bare essentials. Hard work. Those are the perfect counter to these tough economic times. Roll up your sleeves and tackle some projects at home (better yet, create a sustainable home and garden with tips from Angelina Rennel, see pg. 38), re-work your closet, and get back to the basics. That’s where it all starts anyway. xo

Editor in Chief Kristina Dechter

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BEHIND THE SCENES

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THIS ISSUE IS ALL ABOUT LIFE’S SIMPLE PLEASURES: THE HUMBLE, THE HANDMADE, THE HOMEMADE. SO WE ASKED OUR TEAM TO TELL US ABOUT THEIR ALL-TIME HOMEMADE TRIUMPH. “My all-time homemade triumph, besides most recently collaborating with the amazing Bleach Black girls on DIY pieces for my shoot, would be the coloring contest I won when I was 4. The prize was a tie for my dad.” MONIQUE BEAN is currently a freelance stylist working between NY and LA. Her work also appears in Nylon, Elle, and Interview. She was previously Fashion Associate at The New York Times Magazine.

LOVING LEELEE THE RETURN OF LEELEE SOBIESKI

Cover Story

PHOTOGRAPHER: Kenneth Cappello WRITTEN BY: Marshall Heyman

LS SEEMED LIKE THE PERFECT FIT FOR THIS COVER: She has an insanely busy schedule of movies slated to release this fall, she’s madly in love with one of our favorite fashion designers (Adam Kimmel); and best of all, she’s wildly articulate and enthusiastic about her personal and professional growth, genuinely down to earth, and just plain cool. She showed up to our shoot in Venice in a printed dress and envy-inducing reptile cowboy boots—that had been perfectly, and ruggedly, lopped off at the ankle by Kimmel. (Uh, we copied that idea the next day). Photographer Kenneth Cappello (his Chihuahua Cicciolina in tow), captured Leelee’s natural ease and grace on the beach in Venice, California. See more on pg 98.

ON THE COVER: Leelee wears a simple Roxy shirt, paired with a super cool vintage Valentino blazer. Shot on location at Venice Beach, California.

“My all time homemade triumph is pretty boring—the last thing I did round the house that I was reasonably proud of was changing the position of a door handle. I particularly enjoyed the chiseling involved. I also enjoy vacuuming the ﬂoors.” BEN SULLIVAN is a Sydney-based photographer. His clients include Wrangler, Levis, Insight, Modular Music, Sony Music, and Oyster Magazine.

“I once made a denim jacket with the sleeves cut off and spelled DK on the back with safety pins. Embarrassingly, I never even listened to the Dead Kennedys.” Brooklyn-based photographer DAVID A. LAND regularly shoots for Conde Nast Traveler, Real Simple, The Nest and others.

“All time homemade triumph would have to be a 60’ x 12’ half pipe. Crew of one.” Photographer KEVIN ZACHER is from the desert. He works for Nylon, Esquire, Roxy, Quiksilver, Target, Coke, Saturn, Vans, Nixon, Interview.

“I’m useless in the kitchen, but I love arranging ﬂowers and wrapping presents— I once forced a hundred paper whites in my living room and kitchen, and made centerpieces for a party out of the ﬂowers, some gift-wrapped cylinders and grosgrain ribbon.” NEHA GANDHI has written for In Style, Harper’s Bazaar and Seventeen. She lives in New York City.

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“We had surfin’ to take care of everything. Long as there’s waves, why, you didn’t have to pay for those.”

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—Doc Ball talking about surfing during the Great Depression Photo by Doc Ball “After the storm” 1938

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The Time Of YOur Life, KepT CLOse TO YOur hearT. The spree pendanT.

nixonnow.com/spreependant

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foammagazine.com

| T H E o n e th i n g

DESIGNER ELENA COLEMAN IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE of that old “You can take the girl out of the country” truism, except in her case, it’s not the country that the LA native forsook: it’s the Pacific. An architect by training, Coleman launched TomTom Jewelry with a debut collection that spoke to her connection to the ocean. We’ve always loved the ladylike allure of a double strand necklace, and this particular take—a melange of chains, nautical charms, and grosgrain bows—is both charmingly old-fashioned and totally kooky, like a souvenir from the grooviest seaside stand ever. “Three Sheets to the Wind” necklace, $205 at tomtomtomtom.com By Rumaan Alam

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style news

foammagazine.com

Cleeo Collection Designer Lori Epner credits her parents for the balanced approach she takes to her recently-launched jewelry line. “My mother was a free spirit and artistic,” she explains, “And my father was an entrepreneur, do-it-yourself type of man.” Cleeo Collection jewelry is rife with contradicting aesthetics. Epner blends edgy, oxidized metals with vintage finds like shimmering rhinestones and glamorous brooches for a perfectly one-of-a-kind, neo-retro look. “I love the idea of mixing vintage with something new,” says Epner. “It’s like storytelling, but with accessories.” And these pieces are the perfect props. See cleeocollection.com

By Laura Neilson

Travel: Shady Dell For anyone who’s waxed romantic about trading in their belongings for a vintage Airstream and life on the road, the Shady Dell might just be the perfect getaway spot. Located in Bisbee, AZ, this kitschy destination offers travelers 14 vintage travel trailers from the 40s and 50s, all fully restored and retrofitted with memorabilia and Americana from days gone by. Every trailer is unique, like the Polynesian-themed 1947 Tiki Bus, or the classic 1957 Airfloat, harkening back to Las Vegas’ Rat Pack-era, and each has its own grassy front yard—complete with lawn chairs and pink flamingos. And forget about room service. For a serving of pancakes and nostalgia, squeeze into a booth at Dot’s Diner, which was once a Los Angeles roadside fixture. Time-traveling was never so easy. See theshadydell.com

Tits& Giggles For the past several years, Bristols 6 has offered us colorful “dressing solutions” in the form of Nippies, cheeky nipple covers in designs and patterns almost too good to hide. With everything from sequined stars and butterflies to leopard-print hearts, think of these babies as purposeful pasties. And now comes Nippies Natural, the brand’s newest innovation for keeping your blinkers in check. The reusable minicups made from thin flesh-colored matte silicone can be worn under a bra or solo to provide excellent coverage for sheer garments, or even a swimsuit. See bristols6.com

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Artist

Dianna Cohen Some might consider Dianna Cohen a “green” artist and designer, but there’s nothing monochromatic about her work. Through her colorful, patchy constructions of cut-up plastic bags and handles, the LA-based artist’s war on plastic has been an extremely gratifying one. By using pre-existing materials to create something entirely new, like her spectacular three-dimensional wall and ceiling sculptures, Cohen’s message to recycle and reuse is an extremely visible one— no lecture required. Her latest project features bags of the non-plastic variety. In collaboration with the design collective Citizen Love, Cohen is turning her artwork into textile patterns for tote bags and t-shirts. In Cohen’s world, it’s just another polychromatic way to go green. See diannacohen.com or citizenlove.com

Boutique: Bona Drag You don’t need to speak Polari, the esoteric language of London’s swinging 60s gay scene, to grasp this online boutique’s awesome aesthetic. Heather Rose Wojner keeps Bona Drag’s devoted shoppers sated with her small, carefully-curated collection of hard-to-find names like Scout, Sophomore, With Hearts in My Eyes, and lingerie by The Lake and Stars. As if that weren’t incentive enough, every purchase comes with a mixtape CD loaded up with tunes hand-picked by Wojner herself! Come September, expect to find the highly-anticipated Betsey Johnson for Opening Ceremony line (and a new soundtrack to match). See bonadrag.com

Oakley Surf Report

for iPhone and iPod Touch

We’re huge fans of any technology that brings us closer to Mother Nature, which is why we’re thrilled about Oakley’s Surf Report application for iPhone and iPod Touch. In a matter of seconds you can monitor the weather, check swell direction, and get a daily surf report for thousands of beaches worldwide. Surfline.com has long been our go-to source for surf report info. Now you can get all that useful data on the go, along with news, photos and athlete bios (courtesy of Oakley). It’s the best of both worlds, really. Even better, it’s free. See oakley.com/surfreport

Bona Drag - |'bona drag| Definition: “nice outfit” (slang)

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insider

foammagazine.com

Surfer Mitch Abshere makes the big move from fins to films

Some artists are driven by their muse, tortured by inspiration. For others, motivation is simpler. Discussing his move into surf filmmaking, Mitch Abshere sums it up easily. “I really wanted to own a snow cone machine. “I’m feeling with the profits from this film it will happen,” laughs the Oceanside-based artist, who is most known as the man behind Captain Fin, which he started with J. Acuna and C.J. Nelson back in 2007. Abshere’s latest film, You Scratched My Anchor, finds him building off his last celluloid venture (Tales from the Black Van) to create a unique movie that is equal parts 80s cheese, vintage kung-fu and classic Herbie Fletcher. While You Scratched My Anchor might be void of stand-up Kawasakis in Waimea, the film—shot mostly in super 8, 16mm and the occasional HD— features unmistakably stylish, and ultimately low-budget, footage of Alex Knost, Kassia Meador, Rat Boy, Scotty Stopnik, and even Mr. Fletcher himself. “This could be the best film ever made,” quips Abshere. “Better than Spaceballs, even!” On top of balancing his filmmaking career, Captain Fin, a wife and two kids (we think the snow cone machine is really for them), Abshere finds time to sneak in a collaboration with Vans and a limitededition frame with Encinitas-based RAEN Optics that will feature Captain’s signature black-and-green color palette (“Their glasses are insane!”). Despite his numerous projects, Abshere appears to have no plans of putting his surf-inspired cinema back on the shelf. “I get a way better tan, and my wife likes her man-tan.” By Adam Sherrett Photos by Kassia Meador

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GIRL CRUSH

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ISRAEL’S GAL GADOT IS OUR FAVORITE STARLET ON THE RISE

“LA REMINDS ME A LOT OF TEL AVIV—the weather is amazing, the food is good, I love the people, I love the language.” Gal Gadot has that sexy, raspy voice only women with striking features and silken hair can rock. “And there are so many Israeli people here. It feels like home.” But even if Gadot, whose résumé includes model, Miss Israel, and member of the Israel Defense Forces, wasn’t smitten with her new West Coast surroundings, she’d have to get used to them: she’s caught the attention of too many casting directors to quietly slink back to her homeland. “My first audition for Hollywood was for a Bond girl,” says the 24-year-old, reminiscing about her Quantum of Solace tryout. Soon enough, she’d landed a spot alongside Vin Diesel and Paul Walker in the fourth installment of The Fast and the Furious franchise, playing the tight-panted Gisele—a name that comes with plenty of hot-girl connotations—and the roles keep on coming her way. On the upcoming season of Entourage, she’ll join the ranks of Vinny Chase love interests, and next year, she’ll test her comedic timing with Tina Fey and Steve Carell in Date Night. What then? While it would seem audacious for most newcomers to cite Woody Allen as their dream director, something about Gadot and her charmed path says that if she waits it out for another, oh, year or so, the word muse just might be on everyone’s lips. By Erica Cerulo | Photos by Clarke Tolton Hair & Makeup by Michelle Mungcal

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ÂŠ Body Glove and the Hand Design are registered trademarks of Body Glove International, LLC photo : Dominic Gouin Body Glove Foam Magazine June/July Issue #29.indd 1 029_F30_Body Glove.indd 29

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role model

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An animal rights devotee trades the frenetic pace of the concrete jungle for Hawaiian paradise. By Neha Gandhi Photo by Susanne Pridoehi

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Dr. Hollis Ann Stewart once stole a dog. “I saw him locked in a car in the heat without water for hours. I called the authorities and the humane society, and they didn’t think it was urgent. So I just took him and found him another home!” Guerilla activism isn’t typically her style, but Stewart admits, “Basic animal abuse will get me every time.” Earlier this year, 70-hour works weeks at Animal Care and Control of New York were beginning to take their toll. “It was very stressful,” Stewart recalls. “I felt like I was doing good, honest work, but you see so much abuse, I was starting to have nightmares; it was just really emotionally draining.” Instead of laboring on in a life that wasn’t right for her, Stewart made a big change. Wanderlust had always been a driving force in her life, whether fulfilling her Jane Goodall fantasies in Uganda or doing research in the Peruvian rainforest, so she left her job, sold off her things, found an apartment, and was road tripping down to Waialua with her dogs just a month later. “I used to always be like, ‘I wish I could live here,’ and then one day I was just like, ‘Well, why can’t I live here?’”

Just like that, her entire life changed. Now she’s making YouTube videos about Hawaiian wildlife, picking up trash on the beach, printing up pamphlets to educate her neighbors, and standing up to big burly men and friends alike when she spots animal abuse. Life in paradise isn’t always easy. She’s still waiting to get her license to practice veterinary medicine in Hawaii. “I love the pace of life here,” Stewart says, “but things get done when they get done, which can be frustrating for the New Yorker in me.” Once the red tape is out of the way, she plans to get a spaying and neutering van there to deal with the stray cat problem, and then start tackling people’s attitudes. “People are trying to be greener here, but they don’t get that they need to take that extra step. I want to show them how.”

6/5/09 10:55:57 AM

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icon

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Artist Russell Crotty turns tragedy into beauty By Kate Williams | Photo by Jed Lind Artwork courtesy of Shoshana Wayne Gallery

In November of 2007, wildfires claimed the Malibu house that Russell Crotty and his wife, Laura Gruenther, had called home for the past 16 years. The house, on a cliff overlooking Latigo Point, had informed much of Crotty’s work—the artist is also an amateur astronomer, and he’d built an observatory on the property. “I lost a lot of early work and art, and my observatory and telescopes burned down. It was a pretty tough scene,” he says from California’s Lake County, where the couple’s vacation spot now serves as their full-time home. “When something like that happens, it’s pretty shocking.” In Crotty’s nearly three decades as a professional artist, the sky and the sea have been his two main subjects. When he moved to the lost house in Malibu,

he discovered the stars, and they so inspired him that he spent the ensuing 15 years making large scale astronomical maps and globes. When he lost his home base, Crotty lost access to the stars—but not the sea. He began to explore his love of surfing. “I reevaluated everything,” he says. “One of the biggest hurdles artists have to deal with is if you are known for a certain type of work, then some kind of a disaster happens and it changes your life and your location, and you’re wondering ‘What do I do?’” Crotty says. “And so I started focusing on surfing, because I had been doing that all along.” He took an artist’s residency on the Western coast of Ireland, and began mapping surf spots, to create giant books made with pages of architectural velum, so that as each page peels away, the maps become less actual and more abstract.

Another project is California Home Grounds, which he describes as his “personal surf magazine.” “I create spots and characters, and it’s sort of garnered from my experience and my utopian desires,” Crotty explains. “I look at it as one big drawing that will probably just continue until I can’t draw any more.” Crotty and Gruenther are hoping to move back south, to somewhere in Ventura County, but for now, he’s doing his best to find inspiration right where he is—which includes collecting sticks to draw with. “I like familiarity with the natural world, because then it makes me feel like I have a right to be working with it,” he says. “I would never have felt comfortable doing the astronomical work if I hadn’t built the observatory, and the same is true with the surfing work. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t surf.”

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DIY

foammagazine.com

to dye for

...

Cram your shirt (or whatever you’re dyeing) into your container. Crumple it up; the more you scrunch it, the better the pattern. Test it once to make sure it fits, then remove.

Pour one cup of dye into your container. Jam your shirt back into the container. Add a cup of plain water to douse the article. Pour on your second batch of dye and another cup of water.

Let it sit, for a few minutes or up to an hour. The longer you wait, the more the dyes will bleed into one another. We usually let the process go for fifteen minutes.

Photo by Joe Schmelzer

Mix the dye. We use about ¼ teaspoon of dye per cup; these dyes are potent. Mix at least two different color batches.

Make sure the entire article you’re dyeing is wet. Weigh it down with something—we use an empty glass—to keep the article totally submerged.

Dissolve soda ash in one cup of warm water. Add one teaspoon of soda ash for every cup of water and dye… plus one. (That is to say, if you’ve used two cups of dye and two cups of water, add five teaspoons of soda ash.)

7 One of our very favorite people— Una Kim, designer of the always cool line of kicks, Keep Company— shows us how to give a basic some boho flair

Add the soda ash solution Rinse your article; you might and let sit for at least one or want to wash once before up to 48 hours. wearing to get out any residual dye.

What you need Something to dye. Cotton works best; synthetic fibers don’t dye evenly.

A mask or an open window—the powders are toxic!

Something small—a jar, a bucket, old Tupperware—to scrunch your tee/dress/ pants into*.

Soda ash. Also easy to find online or at a local craft store.

Dye. We recommend Procion dyes: they’re potent, and easy to find online or locally.

Plastic cups. Protective gloves; rubber dishwashing gloves work well.

Water.

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We’re using a plastic juice jug with the top cut off. You want a small container—you need a tight fit.

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Right: The bathroom is tiled with seconds—tiles deemed defective for whatever reason—another clever way to both save money and repurpose something that otherwise might have ended up in a landfill. Below: Rennell, in her back garden.

DESIGNER AND TASTEMAKER ANGELINA RENNELL TRANSFORMED A CLASSIC CALIFORNIA SURF COTTAGE INTO AN EASYGOING, ECO-FRIENDLY RETREAT Life in Santa Cruz, California is just a little more laid-back. Maybe it’s something in the air, something that drifts in with the area’s legendary fog, but whatever it is, there’s no denying that this little corner of America is unlike most others. Here Angelina Rennell and her family have created a home that’s a stylish synthesis of the high life and the good life. Rennell launched the online boutique Beklina in 2006. “I began the site as an experiment,” Rennell recalls. “I built it myself, and stocked it with lines I wanted to wear.” The store does focus exclusively on green design, but for Rennell that’s got as much to do with quality as it does philosophy. “I’ve always had a bit of a hippie side,” she explains, “ But with eco fashion, what really caught my eye and interest was the quality of the fabric.” Similarly, inside the charming cottage she shares with husband David and daughters Carmella and Paloma, most of the green decorating choices are as much about elegance as they are eco-friendliness. The living room, dining area, and kitchen are a fresh, crisp white, but the couple used a non-toxic paint. The aesthetic effect is the same as with standard-issue latex, without any chemical byproducts. Skylights overhead allow in a generous dose of sun, with the added bonus of passive light and heat that both conserve energy and keep the utility bills down. A central tenet of the green movement is, of course, reuse; thus, vintage shoppers are doing their part for planet earth. “I have lots of old family furniture,” Rennell says, including the couch, several chairs, and an ottoman. “They’re really solid, and it’s rewarding having them around.” But they’re more than just well-made pieces; they give the clean rooms a sense of history and depth that’s a nice contrast to the natural energy of a home with two little girls. Rennell operates Beklina from what’s surely one of the tidiest garages in the Western world. Inside, inspiration boards overflow with sketches and samples, curiosities that reflect Rennell’s abiding interest in the natural world, drawings and notes from her daughters, and other odds and ends. In this climate, it’s practical to live a truly indoor/outdoor life, and so the garage door is all that separates the office from the front garden—especially as the family have wisely opted to use the driveway not as a parking space but rather as an outdoor living area. Out of doors, in the gardens both front, and back, David (who once upon a time owned a local nursery) has cultivated mostly local species. That’s key for a truly green garden; such plantings require almost no watering. That includes a wide bumper crop of fragrant flowers and edible goodies: oranges for juicing, lemons, a variety of herbs and mustard greens, regal artichokes. Northern California is by far one of the easiest places in the world to be a locavore. Inside and out, Rennell has achieved a chic and effortless atmosphere that perfectly encapsulates the Northern California ethos. It’s thoughtful but not calculated, tasteful but not overwhelming—a modern mix for the way real people live that’s impossible to reduce to a simple formula. “I think I’m mostly all gut,” Rennell says of her approach to design and life. “I just go with my eye and feelings.”

The unusual climate of Northern California is one of the few places where the notoriously fussy artichoke thrives. This ripe one is destined for dinner. Vintage furnishings are as sturdy as they are stylish. The skylight above offers a warm pool of sun perfect for afternoons curled up on the couch.

By Rumaan Alam | Photos by David Land

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Left: Indoor/outdoor living. Sublime. Below: Inside the office. “I like to keep lots of wood, beach finds, books, words and history around the house,” Rennell explains. “Just stuff that makes me feel good and is inspiring.”

above: The Rennell daughters (aged four and seven) are the home’s artists in residence. “I think kids’ art is raw—and the younger they are, the less clichés there are—happy, and honest. My hope is that the girls feel powerful living in a space created by them.” The girls’ work is on display throughout the house.

Rennell’s husband Dave’s work often takes him far afield into local forests. He regularly returns with gorgeous segments of wood, which are sprinkled decoratively throughout the house.

Above: The Rennells outfitted the kitchen with energy efficient appliances—saving money in the process. Originally built as a summer getaway, to winterize the home, the couple used nontoxic insulation made from surplus denim. Left: A sampling from the living room library demonstrates Rennell’s varied interests. Far Left: Notions mingle with nature on Rennell’s desk, reflecting her dual loves.

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THE LOOK

| BODKIN |

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FOR MUCH OF THE RELATIVELY BRIEF HISTORY of the American environmental movement fashion has not been a major concern. Recycling? Sure. Reusing? No problem. Shapeless hemp trousers? No thanks. In this day and age, style and substance have intersected, and right at that particular junction is where you’ll find Bodkin. The New York-based label takes its commitment to sustainable practice very seriously—organic fabrics, vegetable-based dyes—but the real reason the clothes have won such raves (and awards) is that they’re gorgeous. This season’s slinky catsuits and mod silhouettes recall swinging London without seeming fussily costumey, and the dresses in particular have an unstudied sexiness we love. As with anything, the genius is in the details: the perfectly placed button, the rich hue. And when those buttons are made of recycled tires, or that deep blue is the stain from elderberries and grapes, then you’re left feeling as good as you look. PHOTOGRAPHY BY: CAROLINA PALMGREN st ylist : C HR ISTI NE BAKER AT raybr ownpro.com | ha ir an d make u p : MI CHELL E MU NG CAL | MOD EL : Heat her Bu r to n at L A M od e l s

| STO R Y : R UM A A N A L A M

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L TO R: Cat Ears, stylists own; Bodkin tye dye catsuit, price upon request, bodkinbrooklyn.com ; Erickson Beamon bracelet, Beyond Seven, NYC; Urban Outfitters tulle hat, urbanoutfitters.com; Bodkin parka, $415, bodkinbrooklyn.com; Vintage suspenders; American Apparel tank, $17, store.americanapparel.net; Bodkin skirt, $277, Steven Alan, NYC; Vintage boots

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FA S H I O N N E W S

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ARTS&

CRAFTS

THE SARTORIALIST

If the word crochet makes you think of doilies from grandma’s sitting room, think again. Canadian designer Arielle DePinto uses the retro technique not on yarn but to weave silver and vermeil chains into pretty but hard-edged accessories. DePinto offers standard bracelets and necklaces, as well as diaphanous bib tops, for those brave enough to don them, and dark face masks, made mostly for show, that blur the line between art and fashion. “For my commercial line I strive for a certain wearability,” says DePinto. “In my masks I strive for character. For showpieces I try to make them as big as I can without making myself crazy.” See arielledepinto.com - Julie alvin

As kids, if a stranger ever approached us on the street and wanted to take our photo, the usual impulse would have been to scream and run for safety. But nowadays, with the fervent proliferation of photo blogs devoted to street style, the same question typically elicits an entirely different response: pout and pose. Scott Schuman, aka the Sartorialist, the keen-eyed, camera-toting "man on the street," is largely credited for the popularization and refinement of this online phenomenon (not to mention the revival of the word sartorial). This month you can find him on both browsers and tabletops, when the 500-page compilation of favorite images lands in stores. We caught up with Scott for a quick chat before he took to the street. Read his Q&A online at foammagazine. com - Laura neilson

WATCH ME Unearthen made a name for themselves with their instantly-iconic bullet necklaces (hunks of crystal set into empty casings), and designer Gia Baum is now launching a new collection of watches that allude to a bygone era when ladies didn't check the time on their Blackberry. The line features dainty vintage watches covered in Baum's now-signature chunks of quartz. "It's kind of intense to have time attached to you all the time," the designer says. "This is a way of easing that quartz is a healing, calming stone." Calming, perhaps, but also conspicuous; we love it alone, or stacked with piles of bright, skinny bangles. See openingceremony.us - NEha Ghandi

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Remember when fedoras were limited to guys, or Miami for that matter? Well we’re man enough to know that menswear inspired clothing is as long lasting as sun damage, and this new cropping of vests is giving us all some serious swagger. Fox’s new higher end capsule collection, Deluxe, offers up two distinct styles (pictured above). We love them worn over a loose vintage tee with shorts—boyish, but not too structured, sexy without the cologne. See foxdeluxe.com - elizabeth park

Kovin

Lauren

INTEREST

New Designer:

vested

It’s a daunting time to launch a solo collection, but one look at Lauren Kovin’s line and you’ll see she’s up for the challenge. Her bold aesthetic and sculptural silhouettes don’t exactly whisper to the sartorially meek. Following several stints in corporate design, Kovin struck out on her own with a debut spring/ summer collection of imaginatively draped pieces—intricately twisted, tied-up and deconstructed all at once—in a handful of bright hues. Her fall collection displays Kovin’s shapeshifting versatility. The palette is cooler and softer, the silhouettes and lines no less daring. A sweatshirt dress constructed with one hundred geometric panels is an artful blend of high-fashion and leisurewear. “Sometimes it’s hard to articulate my designs, but a friend called this line the ‘love child of Blade Runner and Hamlet,’ Kovin says. “I think that’s brilliant.” See laurenkovin.com - Laura neilson

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flotsam & jetsam

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1 of a kind

Valerie and Kristin, the awesome duo behind cult-y fashion blog BleachBlack.com , c u sto m i z e d these super-rad jeans for our denim story on page 62. The crafty twosome went to town cutting and shredding, adding fringe and studs, and dyeing and stonewashing each one-of-a-kind pair. Best feature of all: they could be yours! Go to FoamMagazine.com to learn more. 7

available at foammagazine.com

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vibe: glamour girls

What was sexy then isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in now. Forget the conventional wisdom - some things never go out of style; Channel Lauren Bacall or Vivien Leigh in long shorts and a cape or hat. Unleash your inner tomboy ala Veronica Lake or just do your best to make Bette Davis eyes.

1. Seychelle boots, $130, lfstores.com| 2. Tulle gloves, $17, tulle4us.com | 3. Flutter bracelet, $280, flutternyc.com | 4. Betsey Johnson swimsuit, top; $130 bottom; $98, Nordstrom | 5. Little Rooms necklace, $400, littlerooms.com | 6. Obey jacket, $120, shop.obeyclothing.com | 7. RVCA shirt, $48, rvca.com | 8. Ezekiel dress, $44, Jacks Surf Shop | 9. Angel sunglasses, $65, angeleyewear.com | 10. Brixton hat, $40, brixton.com | 11. Samantha Pleet cape, $352, Kaight, NYC | 12. Rachel Antonoff shorts, $195, Frances May Boutique, Portland

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FLOTSAM & JETSAM

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trend: plaid

Paul Bunyan made it wholesome. Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood sexed it up in merry ol’ England. And Neil Young grunged it out as a social statement. Plaid has always been a total style chameleon—it’s so easy to make it what you want it to be. Ripped, tight, simple boyfriend-style or tricked out with pins and leather... We’re totally mad for it.

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Insight, Billabong, Modern Amusement, RVCA, Imperial Motion, Rusty, Matix, BB Dakota, Indah

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Even in non-recession times, we like to get as much mileage out of our wardrobe as possible. Who cares if a jacket isn’t technically reversible - we think this style’s plaid lining is totally worth showing off. And yellow sunglasses are just a no-brainer; with them, it’s impossible not to look on the bright side.

1. Mike and Chris hat, $94, Queen Bee 2. Von Zipper sunglasses, $90, vonzipper.com 3. Matix jacket, $80, matixclothing.com/girls 4. Roxy top, $39.50, roxy.com 5. Trina Turk pants, $168, Trina Turk Boutique 6. 80%20 shoes, $150, urbanoutfitters.com 7. Stussy hat, $36, stussydirect.com 8. Quail sweater, $132, identitystreetwear.com 9. Current Elliott vest, $230, currentelliott.com 10. Quail skirt, $142, thetannery.com 11. Keds shoes, $35, Active Ride Shop 12. Fremont top, $154, fremontapparelco.com 13. Seven for

all Mankind bag, $158, 7forallmankind.com 14. Camper shoes, $310, Camper NYC 15. Nikita hoodie, $59, backcountry.com 16. Stussy dress, $63, stussydirect.com

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Photos by Joe Termini | Styling by Quinn Asteak | Hair & Makeup by Jen Myles for Smashbox Cosmetics at jenmyles.com Model Leanne Thrasher | Photo Assistant Jad Mgaziner | Thanks to Sue Isen 17. Keds shoes, $35, Active Ride shop 18. Miasai necklace, $240, miasai.com 19. Dirty Librarian bracelets, $80, dirtylibrarianchains.com 20. 291 t-shirt, $91, E Street 21. Life with Bird leggings, $175, American Rag 22. Aldo shoes, $40, aldoshoes.com 23. Tigerlily dress, $299, tigerlily-usa.com 24. Seven for All Mankind bag, $158, 7forallmankind.com 25. Hanii Y vest, $495 shopbop.com 26. Madewell belt, $40, madewell1937.com 27. Current Elliott Pants, $250, currentelliott.com 28. Madison Harding shoes, $198, madisonharding.com

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| last drop

SEXY MOTHER PUCKER Much as one of their corsets can elicit gasps, Dolce & Gabbana’s debut makeup line inspires awe. Unlike said corset, however, anyone can afford these glosses, shadow palettes, and lipsticks, though these gold-lacquered products still exude an air of high-fashion exclusivity. We’re completely and utterly transfixed by the lip gloss: it’s super shiny and not the least bit sticky (so straggly hairs won’t become a gooey casualty on a wind-blown evening). We’re especially partial to the Nude—it is subtly sexy, seasonless and can be worn alone or over your favorite color for an extra jolt of shimmery allure. In a word, we’d say: Perfetto! Dolce&Gabbana Ultra-Shine Lipgloss, $29, saks.com By Lori Bergamotto

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BEAUTY NEWS

foammagazine.com

By Lori Bergamotto

Josie Maran Cosmetics Bronzing Argan Oil; $52, sephora.com

SPOTLIGHT ON:

JOSIE MARAN COSMETICS We've always been suspicious of models-turned-whatever. Isn't it enough to be a universal symbol of beauty? Must you also make a record/star in a film/go into business? Most of those films are flops, most of those records duds, but bohemian supermodel Josie Maran is proving a surprisingly savvy businesswoman. Her eponymous line is not only good (it has a loved-by-the-millions-following), but it also has an overarching purpose: to make cosmetics eco-friendly. The ingredients are organic, the packaging biodegradable, and the formulas paraben free. The juggernaut of the brand is Argan oil—a does-it-all Moroccan balm you can use from head to toe to nourish dry skin and deliver essential vitamins. Because it’s been such a bestseller (not to mention one of the items that kicked off the Argan ingredient craze), the supermodel is launching the hotly anticipated Bronzing Argan Oil, a sexy-smelling lube that gives you a natural-looking sun-kissed appearance. Genius.

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WEED OUT

WE’RE OBSESSED:

CHRISTIAN SIRIANO FOR VICTORIA’S SECRET

How is it that dedicated oceandwellers, whose skin takes a veritable salt-water beating, emerge on the shores with glowy, damn-near-perfect complexions? The answer: Seaweed. As far back as the nineteenth century, thalassotherapy—the medical use of seaweed—was all the rage in French beach towns like Brittany. Detoxifying and revivifying, the leafy green seaweed restores balance in the skin and helps it maintain its suppleness. Nicky Kinnaird, founder of Space NK, resolved to capture those miracle powers for those of us who haven’t quite perfected our duck dive. Made from Brittany seaweed extract and packed with minerals, these soaks, creams, and washes are the recession-friendly way to get a French spa experience.

Our love for Project Runway runs deep. And our love for Season Four winner Christian Siriano runs deeper still. Keeping in step with his feminine yet edgy designs, he’s tried his hand at makeup, debuting a limitededition collection for Victoria’s Secret. Drawing inspiration from his fall designs, Siriano mimicked the satiny textures of his dresses with gorgeous gold-flecked eye shadows and silky, rich glosses. Our favorite combo? The Sahara nude shadow brushed all over the lid, a hint of the coppery Sandstorm just in the crease to make the eyes pop, and a healthy swipe of the Chic—a wine-stained gloss. The look is, frankly, fierce.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: SPA NK Thalassotherapy Seaweed Bath Crystals, $30; Seaweed Body Cream, $48; Seaweed Bath Soak, $35; Seaweed Body Polish, $32; Seaweed Body Wash, $30; See spacenk.com

L to R: Eye Shadows, $14 each; Lip Gloss shades, $14 each; BronzerHighlighter trio, $24; Face Brush, $32; Black Eyeliner, $12. For more info see victoriassecret.com

6/1/09 11:22:58 AM

Domo Arigato, On Trial: MASCARAS

Mr. Roboto

Press F9 for M&M’s. And C10 for… body lotion? U*Tique is an automated machine that dispenses everything from body washes to mink lashes. It made its debut this year at Studio Beautymix at Fred Segal, and has already attracted a cult following. Sleek and well-edited, with a Japanese-anime sensibility, this product jukebox boasts iconic beauty brands (Chantecaille, Lancome, and Bliss) along with innovative health merch (David Kirsch Wellness and E-Boost Energy Supplements). And it also dispenses couture chocolate from Vosges. Yum. Utique Shop, inside Studio Beautymix, at Fred Segal, 500 Broadway, at Fifth Street, Santa Monica 310 394 8509 or utiqueshop.com

BATTER UP Twiggy. RuPaul. Adam Lambert. All mascara junkies, each with an image their own: 60s mod, 90s drag, modern day glam rock. A defined lash makes your eyes look bigger, wakes up your whole face, and adds a sexy sophistication to an otherwise neutral look. Here are three of this season’s best options. 1. Christian Dior DiorShow Mascara, $28, Bloomingdales.com Every few years, a beauty product comes along and instantly becomes a classic. It’s rare and difficult to do, but DiorShow is one. Thick, lush and incredibly rich, a few coats and you’ll have jet black lashes that scream sexy. 2. Rimmel london Sexy Curves waterproof mascara, $7.50, at drugstores

We know the lash-curler resembles a Medieval torture device, but it does work. If you’re still not convinced, a few swipes of this particular lengthener not only creates out-to-there lashes, but it curls them in the bargain. 3. Maybelline Pulse Perfection by Define-A-Lash Vibrating Mascara, $15, at drugstores There’s something very Clockwork Orange about the application of this volumizing elixir. The wand—push button activated—vibrates as it delivers a black, smudgeproof formula. The effect: Impossibly long, perfectly coated lashes.

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TOUGH GIRLS TEND TO WANDER IN PACKS. BUT LIKE WOLVES, THEY HUNT ALONE. THE DESIGNERS BEHIND BLEACHBLACK.COM CREATED ONE-OF-A-KIND DENIM PIECES FOR US. ONCE YOU SPOT THEM, SIGN UP ON FOAMMAGAZINE.COM TO ENTER TO WIN. ONLY ONE EXISTS, SO HURRY UP. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JONATHAN LEDER STYLED BY MONIQUE BEAN HAIR: TAKEO SUZUKI | MAKE-UP: MARI HATTORI | PHOTO ASSISTANT: LINDSEY CASTILLO | MODELS: ISABELLA @ 1 MODEL MANAGEMENT; AMELIA @ FORD CHICAGO; JESSICA @ MARILYNS NY; ESPRIT @ EMPIRE; CARI @ EMPIRE; CASSANDRA @ EMPIRE

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(ISABELLA) RVCA shirt, $48, rvca.com; William Rast jacket, $837, williamrast. com; American Apparel jeans, $74 americanapparel.net (JESSICA) Opening Ceremony sweater, $220, Opening Ceremony; Quiksilver jeans, $98, womens. quiksilver.com; Dr. Marten boots, $115, dmusa-store.com

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this page: (Cari) Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony cardigan, $345, Opening Ceremony; Volcom jeans, $64, volcom.com (ESPRIT) Betsey Johnson for Opening Ceremony dress, $295, Opening Ceremony; Lace one piece, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own.

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THIS PAGE: (AMELIA) Billabong one-piece, $72, billabong.com; William Rast jacket, $598, williamrast.com; Corpus jeans, $228, Fred Segal Flair; Vintage belt, $38, screamingmimis.com; Frye boots, $208, thefryecompany.com (ESPRIT) RVCA blazer, $115, rvca.com; Vintage corset, $58 screamingmimis.com; Vintage shorts, $58, screamingmimis.com; lace one-piece, stylists own; Frye boots, $278, thefryecompany.com (CASSANDRA) Element jeans, $68, Huntington Surf and Sport; Vintage jacket; Zadig & Voltaire boots, zadig-et-voltaire.com FOLLOWING PAGE: (JESSICA) Volcom jeans customized for Foam by Bleach Black, foammagazine.com; Tigerlily shirt, $99, tigerlily-usa.com; Vintage leather jacket, $225, screamingmimis.com (AMELIA) Volcom jacket customized for Foam by Bleach Black, foammagazine.com; RVCA pants, $95, rvca.com; Vintage bodysuit

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THIS PAGE: (Esprit) Roxy limited edition jeans, $89.50, roxy.com; Vintage t-shirt; Vintage Moschino jacket (AMELIA) Volcom t-shirt customized by stylist; vintage jeans, $88, screamingmimis.com OPPOSITE PAGE: (ESPRIT) Billabong shirt, $39.50, billabong.com; Ksubi shorts, $190, Satine; vintage belt, $38, screamingmims.com; (JESSICA) Vintage t-shirt; Element jeans customized for Foam by Bleach Black, foammagazine.com; Converse shoes, $45, converse.com FOLLOWING PAGE: (CARI) Vintage bustier; Urban Outfitters tights, $12, urbanoutfitters.com; (ESPRIT) American Apparel bodysuit, $36, americanapparel.net

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THIS PAGE: (AMELIA) Stussy jacket, $100, stussydirect.com; American Apparel bodysuit, $40, americanapparel.net; Jeremy Scott for Adidas skirt, $85, Adidas Original Store; K-mart gold necklace, $3,049.99, kmart.com (CARI) Roxy top, $54.50, roxy.com; David Elfin pants, $300, www.davidelfin.com; We Love Colors socks, $3.50, welovecolors.com; Aldo shoes, aldoshoes.com (ESPRIT) Jeremy Scott bodysuit, $325, Opening Ceremony, NY; Gar-de skirt, $355, matthewwizzo.com; Frye boots, $198, thefryecompany.com; Vintage belt OPPOSITE PAGE: (ISABELLA) Erin Wasson x RVCA jacket, $300, rvca.com; Vintage Guess jeans; Vintage bustier (JESSICA) Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony sweater, $370, Opening Ceremony; Billabong jeans, $54, billabong.com

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THIS PAGE: (ISABELLA) Billabong bandeau, $42, billabong.com; vintage vest customized by Bleach Black; Ksubi shorts, $190, Satine; Vintage belt, $38, screamingmimis.com (AMELIA) Billabong bikini top, $42, billabong.com; American Apparel bodysuit, $26, americanapparel.net; Vintage denim shorts customized by Bleach Black; Von Zipper sunglasses, $85, vonzipper.com (ESPRIT) Volcom shorts customized for Foam by Bleach Black, foammagazine. com; Vintage bodysuit OPPOSITE PAGE: Ksubi shorts, $190, Satine; Vintage bandeau, $225, screamingmimis.com; Vintage belt, $38, screamingmimis. com; stylists own sunglasses.

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1975

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n ra Seve and o p p i Z l e an and mod n Sulliv ive landâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s e B n New Zeal a m r lens er nat posed fo ra Mirkin in h makeup. o r e z a y Z l t e olut stylis t way. with abs made tha d r s a a y w k c e a h b s a hater, Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be

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ABOVE: Ksubi T shirt, Ksubi, NYC; Vintage swimsuit, Fast & Loose, NZ; All jewelry stylists own RIGHT PAGE: Ruby Bodysuit, rubynz.com; Lonely Hearts lace knickers, lonelyheartsclub.co.nz; Vintage Dr. Martens from Fast & Loose, NZ

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Vintage Adidas jersey from Fast & Loose, NZ; Stolen Girlfriends Club tights, $140, stolengirlfriends.com

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ABOVE: Shakuhachi cape, $260, shakuhachi.net.au; Stolen Girlfriends club tights, $140, stolengirlfriends.com; Lonely Hearts shoes, email poa@myhart for more info. RIGHT PAGE: Kate Sylvester sweater, $695, Kate Sylvester stores; Vintage swimsuit from Fast & Loose, NZ

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TANNER PRAIRIE, JOE TENORE, AND CC SHEFFIELD GOT UP TO NO GOOD IN HOLLYWOOD. MADNESS ENSUED. Photography by Kevin Zacher S TYL IS T: JESSIE COH EN | H AIR: JASON STA N TO N | MA K EUP : H EIDI STA N TO N | PROP STYLIST: ERIC ARCHER | SPECIA L T H A N K S : N AT H A N O L S E N

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(CC) Billabong sweater, $69.50, billabong.com; Ksubi dress, $250, Ksubi store, NYC; American Apparel leggings, $34, americanapparel.net; Seychelle shoes, $130, seychellesfootwear.com; Michelle Lane neckalce, $160, Iko Iko, LA (TANNER) American Apparel pants, $74, americanapparel.net

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LEFT PAGE: Ezekiel shirt, $46, zappos.com; Tony Cohen pants, tonycohen.com; Charlotte Ronson vest, charlotteronson.com RIGHT PAGE: Akiko Ogawa dress, akikoogawa.com, Miss KK necklace, $78, misskk.com (TANNER) American Apparel pants, $74, americanapparel.net

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No. 6 Dress, $287, no6store.com; Branch bracelet, $165, branchjewelry.com; Seychelle shoes, $150, seychellesfootwear.com

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LEFT PAGE TOP: Sass & Bide top, $190, Revolve; Matix jeans, $64, matixclothing.com/girls; Sass & Bide scarf, $180, sassandbide.com; Nixon scarf as blindfold, $22, nixonnow.com; Erickson Beamon bracelets, $565, Beyond 7, NYC; Charlotte Ronson shoes, charlotteronson.com LEFT PAGE BOTTOM: Burton body thermal, $99.95, burton.com; Madley earrings, $75, madley.com

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LEFT PAGE: (CC) Reef Skirt, $44, reef.com; Gar-de shirt, $115, gar-de.com; Gar-de blazer, $240, thetannery.com; Mara Hoffman tight, $55, Bloomingdales; Charlotte Ronson shoes, charlotteronson.com; Von Zipper sunglasses, $70, vonzipper.com; Erickson Beamon ring, $157, Beyond 7, NYC; Boys in RVCA and Nixon. RIGHT PAGE: Billabong top, $26, billabong.com; Akiko Ogawa vest, akikoagawa.com; American Apparel cardigan, $44, americanapparel.net; Fox shorts, $44.50, fox-girl.com; Erickson Beamon necklace, $855, Beyond 7, NYC

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Leviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cut-off shorts, stylists own; Vintage baseball T; Betony Vernon bracelets, betonyvernon.com; Other jewelry, Leeleeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal; Oakley sunglasses, $120, oakley.com

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Leelee Sobieski has been

in the business for more than half of her life—and she’s still only getting started

By Marshall Heyman | Photos by Kenneth Cappello

Leelee Sobieski has always had a crush on Johnny Depp. Or at least since he starred as a teenage misfit in the John Waters’ movie Cry Baby, which came out in 1990, when she was 6. “It’s one of my secret obsessions,” Sobieski whispers conspiratorially, over lunch at a beachside dive in Malibu, not far from where she and her boyfriend, the fashion designer Adam Kimmel, rented a house this summer. In fact, Sobieski told Depp exactly that when she met him, years later, at 14. But when she encountered him again, recently—this time to actually play his girlfriend in this summer’s Public Enemies (with Depp as 1930s bank robber John Dillinger), Sobieski decided to keep her mouth shut. “I was composed,” she confesses, diving into a corn on the cob, trying to hide a blushing smile. “I tried to keep my cool. He’s super cool and super sweet, which is a pretty lethal combination.” What’s perhaps most amazing about Sobieski, who turned 26 in June, is not her composure against the exhilarating hotness that is Depp, but that she has been actually acting—and hanging out with movie stars—for nearly 15 years. In fact, Sobieski, who has a striking, angular face with porcelain features and an intelligence that can no longer be called precocious, started working at the tender age of 11, before breaking out, at 15, in the end-of-theworld blockbuster Deep Impact and the smaller, more intimate MerchantIvory production A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries, about the life of the author James Jones.

s t y li s t Eri n Hirs h at t he mag ne tag e ncy. com | A ssi sta n t I n g r i d A l l e n | ha i r a n d m a k eu p R o b i n b l ac k at f r a n k r e p s . co m | Ph oto g r a phe r s ass i s tant ad ri an t ie me ns | t h ank yo u to su ca sa h ote l i n v e n i c e b e ac h

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Vintage Morrisey T-shirt; Reformation necklaces, $80-$100, The Reformation, LA; Retrosuperfuture sunglasses, $123, Conveyor at Fred Segal. Leviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cut offs, stylists own; Converse shoes, $45, converse.com

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Since then she has appeared in dozens of features and television shows, most recently opposite Al Pacino in 88 Minutes, which Variety legendarily called “a gape inducing fiasco.” But, with Public Enemies and the upcoming Mad Cow, which she shot in Russia with Tom Stoppard’s son, Ed, Sobieski says she’s discovered a newfound appreciation for her talents. “I fell back in love with my job again,” Sobieski, who speaks deliberately and articulately, explains, before taking a sip of her lemonade. “I finally feel like I’m letting go and doing what I want to do. I’m rediscovering things.” Part of that rediscovery involves planning new

adventures. After filming Mad Cow, a movie about the dangers of large corporations that has a lot in common with 1989’s How to Get Ahead in Advertising, Sobieski started work on her first screenplay, which she hopes, one day, to direct. She prefers to keep as mum as possible about the details, but says the movie will be kind of , “Charlie Kaufman with a little Oliver Stone.” Ultimately, if she can make it happen, it’s “just going to be weird and probably no one’s going to want to see it, but, I think if you want to make something, there shouldn’t be anything like it. You shouldn’t be able to say it’s like this and that. Everything needs to be one of a kind. I want it to

be an original.” Sobieski also recently started another project that’s typically against the grain: a children’s book she’s writing with her friend Ozzie. “It’s about two little girls who are best friends and I can’t tell you any more,” she says, adding that she was influenced by Roald Dahl growing up, as well as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eloise and Madeline. But it may be a while before either of those projects ends up seeing completion. That’s because, Sobieski says, “I’m great at procrastinating.” Another problem? She recently fell in love, with Kimmel, who keeps an apartment just a few blocks away from hers in New York. “I love wearing his

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“i’m half-fearless and half-scaredy cat”

clothes, they’re so comfortable and soft,” she says of his fashion line. “Girls always steal their boyfriend’s clothes, and this is the way to do it.” On the one hand, being in love, says Sobieski, means she won’t go around wasting time thinking she’s lonely or she wants a boyfriend. On the other hand, “In the beginning of the love phase, you’re not as productive as you should be,” Sobieski admits, watching the waves crash on the shore. “And I don’t know if this love phase is ever going to end, it’s so good.” Living in Malibu has helped her recharge. “I think the ocean is really cleansing and relaxing and humanizing. You can never tackle the ocean. It’s boss. It’s good for the soul to hear the power of the surf, and the house that we’re in shakes every time at night when a big wave comes.” Sobieski says she would like to learn to surf— Kimmel is a surfer—but admits she “doesn’t know if I’m cool enough.” “I don’t know,” Sobieski goes on. “I’m like half-fearless and half-scaredy cat.” So, wait, Sobieski could tackle directing, but might be too afraid to get on a surfboard? “I am a little afraid to direct too,” she wavers. “But I know that directing would be the best way I could best articulate myself in all ways at once.” Still, when push comes to shove, Sobieski is really a major softie who just wants to share her artistic gifts with the world. “I like big hugs,” she says, beaming. “If you’re warm and cuddly, you can get away with anything with me. Cuddly people aren’t fakers.”

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Leviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cut offs, stylists own; Oakley sunglasses, $120, oakley.com; Vintage Valentino blazer; Stussy scarf, $35, stussydirect.com

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“NO ONE OWNS YOU, YOU’RE YOUR OWN PERSON AND NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT, EVEN IF IT’S YOUR BOYFRIEND, TO WRITE THAT ON YOU.”

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foammagazine.com

LOOK PAST THE FAMOUS SURNAME—PHOTOGRAPHER DEANNA TEMPLETON HAS HER OWN UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THINGS By Kate Williams

| CANVAS

DEANNA AND ED TEMPLETON’S RELATIONSHIP began as pure SoCal fairy tale. She was 18, he was 15, and along with some friends, both ditched school for a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert in LA. “They were skating all day, and he was hot and sweaty,” she recalls. “I bought him a 7-Up, and his friend came over and swiped it from him. He just looked up with these big green eyes, and I was like, ‘Done!’” On their third date, Ed asked Deanna if he was her boyfriend. She said yes, and they’ve been together ever since. In certain circles, Ed Templeton is something of a god. He’s earned that reputation—but so too has Deanna, herself a brilliant talent. These days there’s, no need to worry about cutting class; the duo can go where they like. Right now, that includes Barcelona, where Ed is filming for an Emerica skate video. They extended their stay in Europe after opening separate solos shows—hers in Düsseldorf; his in Antwerp. A week before their trip, Deanna fell while roller-skating with her seven year-old niece. She broke both bones in her arm, and required surgery. “I begged Ed to extend the trip because I really love shooting in Europe,” she says. But the pins the surgeons inserted took their toll. “The first month, it just sucked! I’m just now starting to get used to my fingers and take pictures again.”

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Deanna’s affair with photography began in high school, after running away from home for a night with her best friend. “I had no real reason, it was just to support her, and the next morning I went home.” As a welcome back present, her mom bought her a camera. Templeton proceeded to take snapshots here and there until a few years into her relationship with Ed, when he encouraged her to step it up and bought her a Canon AE-1. Since then, Deanna has shot almost constantly, starting with documenting the Ports O’Call market in San Pedro, a place she’d frequented as a kid. “It’s a fish market where a lot of people stroll around, listen to mariachis, and eat with their families,” she says. “About 10 years ago, everyone in my family had passed away except for my brother, and I went back and it felt like home. Everyone was so nice, and I started taking pictures of it every summer.” Though she hasn’t exhibited these photographs, she hopes to someday show them in the small gallery at Ports O’Call. Two series she has exhibited, though, emphasize the body. One is of nude swimmers, which she showed last summer at New Image Art Gallery in Los Angeles, and the other comprised her most recent and largest solo show, Scratch Your Name On My Arm, at NRW-Forum in Düsseldorf, Germany.

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foammagazine.com

| canvas

“Templeton doesn’t shy from calling herself a feminist, and admits that her views have been shaped by spending the last two decades in a male-dominated subculture.”

The naked swimming project was born after Deanna photographed Ed in their backyard pool. “I really liked what I got back. Depending on how much movement you cause in the water, you can get a lot of nice distortion,” she says. “I have double-faces bouncing off each other, and one of the photos of him looked like a pencil drawing.” After deciding the idea was something worth pursuing, the first people she shot were friends who volunteered to swim for her. “I wanted to find people who had no tattoos, because I wanted the skin to be a nice canvas for the light and water, with no distractions,” she says. The first shoot, Deanna was nervous. “I didn’t want to take advantage of people, and I didn’t want to make them feel uncomfortable,” she says. “It was my first interaction shooting nude, and I liked what I got back, but was kicking myself wishing I’d shot more.” The other series, which Deanna refers to as body autographs, came about more organically, as she noticed more and more people covering their skin with logos and pro’s autographs at skate demos and surf competitions near her home in Huntington Beach. “I always thought of an autograph as something you would get in a book, or Ed would sign next to his picture in a magazine,” she says. “I never thought

about getting it on your skin.” As Deanna began to focus on and photograph more people who had things written and sprayed on them, she couldn’t help but notice the difference in the way girls and guys approached having someone sign their body, and also in what they had written on them. “With the females, it’s a way of flirting, and with males, it’s showing off, it’s getting a different kind of attention,” she says. “And I can’t think if I’ve ever seen a woman doing the signing. It’s always a man signing a girl, or a man signing a boy.” Deanna tries to keep her approach as neutral as possible. Though having someone sign your body isn’t something she understands, she doesn’t want to judge her subjects. “There’s one photo on my blog of a girl who had a penis and ‘I like dick’ drawn on her back. It really shocked me. I was shooting her from the front, and her friends were like, ‘Oh, you should see what she has on her back,’” Deanna recalls. “When she turned around, I asked her if she knew, and she said yes and just kind of shrugged. For me, that’s the saddest photo in the whole series. I didn’t want to make her feel bad, but I wanted to tell her ‘No one owns you, you’re your own person and no one has the right, even if it’s your boyfriend, to write that on you.’ But she knew it was there, and she chose not to cover up.”

Templeton doesn’t shy from calling herself a feminist, and admits that her views have been shaped by spending the last two decades in a male-dominated subculture. “I was always heavily into Crass, which had feminist singers, but I never started to think about it until I started to see it unfold in my own life,” she explains. “A long time ago, Ed brought me to Europe, and a young girl came up to another professional skater and offered him a blow job in exchange for his tennis shoes. And even Ed was shocked, we were like, used tennis shoes? I would never...” “I shot a 15-year-old girl, and she was talking to me about how cool it must have been to travel with all these guys, and the way she was saying it, it was as if I was sleeping with all of them,” Deanna continues. “I was like: A) I’m married, and B) I hate to break it to you, but they’re not gods. They’re just regular guys, they’re no better than you,” she says. “Even today people will come up to me and say, ‘You’re so lucky to be married to Ed,’ and I’m like, yeah, I am lucky, but he’s also lucky to be married to me.”

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music

foammagazine.com

“We set out to do something beautiful and huge.”

The cool kids of the season By Cristina Black

The Trash Talker

Amanda Blank For a streetwise South Philly rapper, Amanda Blank sure picked a tendersounding name for her debut album, I Love You. “It’s an inside joke between me and this, uh, other person,” she explains. It takes about one minute and a Google portal to figure out that it’s a snide jab at her ex-beau, Josh Young of DJ duo Flosstradamus. “I’m trying really hard not to have a boyfriend right now,” says Blank, 26. She sure doesn’t have the free time: she’s been on the road with her pal Santi White (a.k.a. Santigold) for most of the spring and summer, busting out joints from I Love You, which tend towards the raunchy, the risqué and the downright dirty. But we won’t say she raps like a guy. “I love Beyoncé,” she says, “but I hate the song ‘If I Was a Boy,’ because it’s like, What the fuck? I do whatever the fuck I want, not to be like a boy, but because I’m an assertive, independent person.” This is just the kind of comment that makes us love Ms. Blank even more.

chrissy piper

shane mccavley

“I do whatever the f**k I want.”

The Electro Newcomers

Passion Pit

Imagine sitting in your college dorm room, tossing off a suite of songs on your laptop, just to give to your squeeze to say, Hey, sorry if I was a jerk. Now, think how it might feel if that little musical valentine made you an accidental indierock star at 21 and you had to hole up in a New York City recording studio and create a full-length follow-up on the spot while the blogosphere waited with bated breath. That’s pretty much what it was like to be Passion Pit mastermind Michael Angelakos all last winter. His Chunk of Change EP and its ridiculously contagious single “Sleepyhead” caused a massive stir last year, setting the Emerson College student’s music on a Vampire Weekend-like trajectory to untouchable cachet. “This past year found me in very difficult situations and I dealt with them accordingly,” he says by phone from his home in Boston. Probably as a matter of course, the resulting album, Manners, is aimed inward. “It’s very self-reflective and candid,” he adds. You’d never know by the revelatory, clubby sound of singles like “The Reeling” that it’s an album about existential angst, but listen closely through Angelakos’ falsetto, and the lyrics reveal a coming-of-age story of all the epic grandness in the world. For him, it’s an intrinsic triumph, commercial success be damned. “We set out to do something beautiful and huge,” he says confidently. “And to me, that’s how it sounds.”

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“We like to make songs people can dance to.”

“I’m generally a lazy person.”

The So-Cal Slackers

Wavves Talking to Nathan Williams on the phone is like asking your boss to up your pay: awkward. Asked what he would have done had he not gotten a break in the music world, he says, “Shot myself in the face.” Alrighty then. We’re no strangers to Williams’ sarcastic remarks: the 22-year-old skate-punk brat was a member of Foam favorite Fantastic Magic, a world-psych band we rapped with last year about the static-y, flute-laden stuff they were releasing on cassettes. When the group disbanded, we lost touch with Williams. It turns out he was holed up in the shed behind his parents’ San Diego house and reinventing himself as Wavves, a critically beloved maker of twisted, fuzzed-out punk anthems about the young adult stoner-boozer lifestyle. “I never thought that stuff would be interesting to write about, but that was just what I was doing,” he says of his debut album Wavvves (that’s right, three V’s this time.) The song “So Bored” could yet make Williams the voice of his generation, or at least a fashionably apathetic part of it. That is, if he finds the hustle to keep his star on the rise. “I’m generally a lazy person,” he confesses, as if we couldn’t hear the yawns he was letting out between questions.

The

Future Popster

Little Boots

According to Victoria Hesketh, most of the super-cool pop stars you admire are really just total geeks. “You don’t think these people are nerds because they’re doing something cool,” she says in her thick Northern English accent. “Like, if they were an engineer or an astronomer, you’d think they were really nerdy, but because they’re a DJ or a producer or a rock star, you think they’re cool. I’ve been geeking out on music since I was five years old. I’m a nerd dressed up in fake eyelashes.” It’s a bold admission, especially considering Hesketh’s music isn’t exactly the intellectual kind. Rather, she’s busting out all over the UK in lamé space-age party frocks, treating the airwaves with tracks like “Stuck on Repeat” and “New In Town,” which includes the time-honored statement “I’m gonna take you out tonight / I’m gonna show you a real good time.” Just don’t ask her to dance for you. “I can’t do it to save my life,” she says. “But I don’t really want to be that kind of pop star. I want to be the kind who plays instruments.” Is she coveting any particular musician’s career? “Oh yes,” she says without hesitation. “David Bowie’s!”

pamela littky

jonas bresnan

courtesy force field

“I’m a nerd dressed up in fake eyelashes.”

The Dance Rockers

Hockey

The release of Portland-based band Hockey’s debut album is imminent, but lead singer Ben Grubin refuses to worry about its reception. “It’s totally out of our hands at this point,” he sighs. For a long time, it was very much under their control. Grubin and his band mates have been honing the self-aware pop stunner for several years, bouncing between different studios, engineers and labels nailing down the know-how to make a hook-laden dance-rock record, the kind that reminds you of the best moments of the ‘80s. Their patience has paid off. Already a hit in the UK, the album, Mind Chaos, is full of wordy, expertly written songs like the explosive “Too Fake” and the slinky, groove-heavy “Work.” Grubin, 27, says he spent years studying the art of the really good song. “I know everything about Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen,” he says, “but we like to make songs people can dance to.” Now that he’s done that, the only thing left to do is watch the album blow up. It’s bound to be a mad ride, but there’s at least one thing Grubin is determined to control. “I cut my hair because people said I was trying to look like the guy in MGMT,” says the baby faced, headband-wearing singer. Now, is that such a bad thing?

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annabel mehran

Hit The Lip

Wax On

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foammagazine.com

Weezer, “Surf Wax America” (1994) Weezer kingpin Rivers Cuomo doesn’t surf. But that tiny detail never stopped Brian Wilson from writing beach brat anthems and it sure as hell didn’t keep Cuomo and band mate Patrick Wilson (no relation) from spitting out the most awesomely ridiculous surf-party scorcher of the mid-90s. It’s been a decade and a half since Weezer hit the waves (the ones on the radio, that is) with the Blue Album, packed with classics like “Buddy Holly” and “The Sweater Song.” In amongst those goof-off hits was the gem “Surf Wax America,” a tongue-in-cheek rave-up about ditching work and heading to the beach. “I’m goin’ surfin’ cuz I don’t like your face,” sang Cuomo and the boys. “I’m bailin’ out because I hate the race / Of rats that run round and round in a maze / I’m goin’ surfin’, I’m goin’ surfin’.” It’s a timeless message if we ever heard one.-CB

with Annie

Clark

(a.k.a. St. Vincent) The school choir reject reinvents herself as cinematic indie vixen. Your new album is called Actor. Were you thinking cinematically on this one? I wrote a lot of the music by watching films on mute and imagining what the scores would sound like. I was so fried from being on—it was a way to be working but also just be watching a movie. Laziness as work. It certainly didn’t come out lackluster, though. There are all kinds of interesting sounds. I took the idea of casting and applied it to the instrumentation. The clarinet has an identity. It represents whimsy. And then I would think, okay, the guitar can be gross, distorted. It can be the monster. The whole thing was done with films in mind.

From the Stephen King movie? Fabulous! No, you always look great. Actually, you are somewhat of an indierock sex symbol. There must be a lot of dorky guys with desperate crushes on you. It’s true, I’m a dorky sex symbol for dorky people. You sort of brought it on yourself with your first album cover, didn’t you? It’s a close-up picture of your face with the title, Marry Me, inscribed above it. Yeah, wasn’t that funny? But part of it is speaking to a sincere longing that people have in life and love. At the same time, it was totally ridiculous and self-effacing. This new album opens with these ethereal choir-like vocal runs. We know you were in Polyphonic Spree, but did you ever sing in a choir in school? Two years in a row I tried out for choir and I was rejected.

Your wardrobe is basically camera ready. What do you look for in clothes? I am really sad that Mayle closed down, because that line was everything I wanted in a fashion experience. But I’m trying to wear a lot more color because black is the Well, now you’ve default zone. showed them! Actually, wait, no. In junior high, I What’s wrong with black? was in the choir, but everyone was Well. I end up wearing it a lot in it. I was too scared to sing, so I because I’ve bought a couple of would just lip-sync the whole time. white dresses before and I just ruin them. This United Bamboo dress was one of my favorites I’ve ever owned and then I shredded my finger on a guitar string and bled all over it. I looked like Carrie.

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Malaysian YouTube sensation Zee Avi heads to Cali to break into the Brushfire boys’ club

Autumn De Wilde

By Cristina Black

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a to

Zee Avi is on the floor with both arms deep in a bag of new clothes. She rifles around for a minute, pulls out a muted grey Loomstate shawl, and holds it to her cheek. “See, when it’s organic, you can just feel the difference,” she says, smiling. The pint-sized singer-songwriter is in the middle of a whirlwind of New York City shows and press appearances for her debut album on Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records, heretofore home to an all-male roster of distinctive musicians including G. Love and Matt Costa. The label’s first female signee, Avi will soon be on her way to her new home in Long Beach, a 20-hour trip from where she grew up in Malaysia. But for now, she’s happily taking a minute to punch up her wardrobe in the back room of a sun drenched Soho loft. “I really do have a passion for fashion,” she says. “Just not the industry part.” She knows of what she speaks. A few years ago, Avi, now 23, was on a fast track to a career in the biz, studying at design school and taking on internships and retail jobs in London. But after returning to her hometown of Kuala Lumpur, her life took an unexpected turn. Discovered on YouTube by Raconteurs drummer Patrick Keeler, who passed her name on to his manager, Avi got a chance to parlay her longtime hobby, music, into a career.

Having played with family and friends since her early childhood on the island of Borneo, Avi had begun to write songs on the side, but it was just for fun. “It started like a diary almost,” she explains in her hint-of-British accent. “I would write songs about things that were happening to me and post them.” The videos that wound up online featured Avi with her face obscured, pouring her heart out in peppy little tunes accompanied by her own old-time jazzy acoustic guitar and ukulele, a formula that eventually won her a featured slot on YouTube’s homepage. “It was insane,” she recalls. “I mean, imagine the traffic you get if you go to youtube.com and, bam, there’s your video.” Many of those tunes still live on YouTube, but they’ve also became the foundation of Avi’s self-titled album, a spare, beach-and-brunch-friendly affair highlighted by her distinct alto. On the surface, the songs sound light and crisp, but Avi’s lyrics are deep and often dark, an ironic setup that adds intrigue. The song with perhaps the cutest melody, “Poppy,” is actually about a heroin-addicted lover, which Avi will only say is “semi-autobiographical.” She also covers the L.A. street violence anthem “First of the Gang” by doldrums king Morrissey, an obsession from her days as a mourning punkstress. “I had pink highlights, black nail polish, hated the world, that whole enchilada,” Avi admits. “It was one of my many phases, and I’m glad I went through them. I’m glad I met people who brought me through to this broad pool of influences.” Today, Avi is a ray of sunshine who favors florals and flowing garments by the likes of Tracy Feith and Gregory Parkinson, who provides the wardrobe for the video for her single “Bitter Heart.” In typical Avi style, the song pipes romantic frustration through a confection of jazzy guitar and bright trumpet. It’s the kind of mellow sound that, despite her dark undertones, puts her perfectly in line with the rest of the Brushfire roster. “I bet there are so many singer-songwriters who would love to be a part of this family,” Avi giggles. “I’m so lucky.”

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MELODIE MCDANIEL

ROVING MINISTER’S DAUGHTER DIANE BIRCH REJECTS THE CHURCH AND BARES HER SOUL

PAPA DON’T PREACH ITS TITLE MIGHT CALL TO MIND tent revivals and speaking in tongues, but Diane Birch insists that her soulful debut album, Bible Belt, isn’t meant to proselytize. “It’s just kind of hard for me not to see things in terms of angels and devils,” she says, referring to her background as a preacher’s daughter. Having rejected the Seventh-day Adventist ideology of her parents, the only thing this dark-banged beauty is religious about these days is playing sweet, sweet music. “The bible was the center of the household for me growing up, a symbol of strength, but I’m referring more to the music and the places it comes from. New Orleans, Motown, those traditions are gospel influenced.” Considering the fact that Birch was barely exposed to secular music until she was a teenager in Portland, Oregon—Dad’s job kept her overseas and out of mainstream earshot for most of her youth—she’s mastered her soulpop influences like a seasoned pro. A smoky-voiced wailer with a distinctive, vintage-sounding piano style, Birch unleashes her talent on original tunes that somehow sound like old faves from the 70s, including the slow, Carole King-style ballads “Magic View” and “Photograph,” and joyful, up-tempo numbers like the funky “Valentino.” “I just try to write songs that I would want to listen to,” she says. Lucky for her, hearing them is hallelujah for the rest of us too. -CB

SPIN OUT

THE SUMMER SESSION

SWEAT YOUR TEENY BIKINI OFF TO FOAM’S SEASONALLY AWESOME PLAYLIST

1. “Little Secrets” BY PASSION PIT

If you can sit down while this chunk of neodisco-pop magic spins, you might not be human.

2. “Too Fake” BY HOCKEY

Adorable Oregon foursome kicks out this year’s “Time to Pretend.”

3. “I Cut Like a Buffalo” BY THE DEAD WEATHER

That Jack White, he’s always exploring the darkest, weirdest depths of rock and roll. This slow-burning organ bumper from his latest incarnation is no exception.

4. “Kiss with a Fist” BY FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE

Domestic violence is pretty uncool…unless it’s wrapped in the hooks and howls of London’s newest indie princess.

5. “The Strangers” BY ST. VINCENT

From the choir-style vocal strains at its opening, you’d never expect this track to get so wonderfully sinister.

6. “Magic View” BY DIANE BIRCH

This gorgeous piano ballad about newfound love brings to mind Carole King’s ﬁnest 1970s moments.

7. “Beach Demon” BY WAVVES

A slacker’s wail rides atop mounds of jittery fuzz. Fun!

8. “Self-Taught Learner” BY LISSY TRULLIE

Puppy love, it never gets old—at least not as long as they’re writing songs like this.

Download these and other Foam-approved tracks right now at foammagazine.com!

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Photographer: Ryan Heywood | Sirens: Sisters Stephanie, Bonnie and Whitney Gilmore Wet Suit Seamstress: Jillian Shannon | Location: Bells Beach

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