FASHION BEAUTY CULTURE lifestyle
Abigail Breslin Jena Malone Ssion Dakota Johnson Paul Wesley Trust Spencer Sweeney Thomas Sadoski Scott Porter Chord Overstreet Joe Manganiello
ethan hawke
thespian culture REMIX 1
summer 2012
US $17.99 / UK £8.00 / Eu €12.00
INTERNATIoNAL EDITION
REMIX 2
python print blouse
29
joe f
$
joefresh.com facebook.com/joefresh
@joefresh
fresh fresh style. fresh price.
introducing
the penthouse studio 318 west 39th street nyc
4 , 2 0 0 s q f t p r i va t e p e n t h o u s e
22´ ceilings
45´x 25´ skylight
lounge & 18´ bar seating areas
3 , 2 0 0 s q f t ro o f t o p d e ck
24´x25´ cyc
m o t o r i z e d b l a cko u t s h a d e s
coffee bar with flatscreen tv
REMIX 6
212.564.4084
|
info@go-studios.com
|
www.go-studios.com
lounge and bar seating areas
coffee bar with flatscreen tv
the nor th bay
near the entrance to the roofdeck
p r i va t e b a t h ro o m w i t h s h ow e r
all lighting, grip &
f l ex i b l e h a i r & m a k e u p / p ro p / w a rd ro b e a r e a s
digital on-site REMIX 7
twilight
REMIX_GLOBAL
contents Designers Chris Benz, 18 Jason Wu, 24 New York Vintage, 28 Bijules, 32 Rad Hourani, 33 JNBY, 34
Ones To Watch Lea Peckre, 36 James Long, 38 White Mountaineering, 40
Illustration The Season’s Forecast, 42
Art Spencer Sweeney, 54 Olaf Breuning, 58 Joseph La Piana, 60 Michael Avedon, 64
Beauty Sweet Seduction, 72 B-Sides, 78 Guilty Pleasures, 80
Features Ethan Hawke, 90 Abigail Breslin, 100 Jena Malone, 106 Dakota Johnson, 110 Joe Manganiello, 114 Scott Porter, 122 Chord Overstreet, 126 Paul Wesley, 130 Thomas Sadoski, 134
Fashion The Other Day, 138 Zuzana, 148 Alyssa, 158 Matte Colour, 170 Loom, 180 Le Homme Sportif, 190 The Specialists, 202
Culture Trust, 208 Ssion, 212 Hunter Barnes, 216 Art Books, 218 Remix Loves, 220
REMIX 8
REMIX_GLOBAL
the letter
warm up. As the warm weather slowly works its way into full swing the REMIX team has meticulously assembled a power packed issue headlined by the multifaceted ‘actor’s actor’, Ethan Hawke. His return to the screen in The Woman In The Fifth is the first of a series of upcoming releases for him. Abigail Breslin has transformed from talented and quirky child actress to a beautiful young woman. She’ll be changing up her repertoire in her new film Ender’s Game. Dakota Johnson, daughter of Hollywood pedigree, and the versatile Jena Malone each carve their identities in unconventional ways on the silver screen. Then we have the gentle giant and thespian at heart Joe Manganiello, who surprises us with his vulnerability. Rounding up the male talent in this issue’s stable are Chord Overstreet , Scott Porter, Thomas Sadoski and Paul Wesley. As you will see, they are all a little more core substance than what you may have presumed. On the fashion front we have a new guard of up and coming talent who will be, if not already, influencing the way we dress and what we buy. The change in temperature also has us shedding our clothes to a more body conscious vernacular. You will see this reflected in the beautifully curated fashion features. The men’s section gives
REMIX 10
a nod to the XXX Olympiad happening across the pond. Sportsinspired pairings and denim options fit for a victory celebration. Our women’s fashion stories show that sexy does not need to be obvious, whether it’s a skinny jean or a well-cut dress. Sexy is all about who’s wearing it. For a little culture inspiration we showcase artists Spencer Sweeney, Olaf Bruenig and Joseph LaPiana, as well as a sketchbook section by photographer Michael Avedon, grandson of the icon that shares his surname. To top it off, musical innovators Trust and Ssion show us that music should always be out of the box. Make some heat, share the love, wear sunblock and create some memories these next few months. I promise it will be enough to last a life time. Thanks for your support. All the best. -Matthias Creative Director
REMIX_GLOBAL
Publisher Tim Phin Tim@Remix-Magazine.Com +1 (323) 275-1333 Creative Director Matthias De Gonzales at ILLUMINISTA matthias@remix-magazine.com Editor Tina Moore tina@remix-magazine.com Art Director Annabelle Rose annabelle@remix-magazine.com Fashion Director Emily Barnes emily@remix-magazine.com Associate Fashion Editor Chloe Hartstein chloe@remix-magazine.com Beauty Director Daniel Martin daniel@remix-magazine.com Associate Culture Editor Tyler Benz tyler@remix-magazine.com Bookings / Production Steve Pestana steve@remix-magazine.com USA Advertising Director Lauren Stagg lauren@remix-magazine.com + 1 (908) 892.5621t Europe & UK Sales Director Matan Uziel + (972) 52 6510012 matan.uziel@goldenheartcomms.com
Contributing Fashion Editors James Valeri Jason Rider Andrew Davis John Alden Ezra Woods Cassia Skurecki Annie Psaltires Natalie Howell Kris Zero Micah Johnson Contributing Photographers Annelise Phillips Kava Gorna Daniel King David Schulze Matthew Kristall Ben Rayner Geoff Barrenger Shawn Brackbill Karsten Staiger Lane Coder Kevin O’Brian Jason Pietra Kurt Iswarienko Emily Shur Columbine Goldsmith Doug Inglish Adam Fedderly Greg Broom Kristie Muller Amos Mac Contributing Writers Yale Breslin Tyler Benz Ariane Ankarcrona Michelle Harper Johnny Misheff Luke Brown Michael Schwartz Chloe Hartstein Contributing Illustrator Judit García-Talavera
REMIX 12
Special Thanks To: Andrea At 3.1 Phillip Lim, Amanda Mcmillan and Keaton Mcginty @ PR Consulting, Lisa Lawrence @ Aeffe, Michael Schwartz and Corinna Springer @ Nouveau PR, KCD, Austin Smedstad at Starworks, Nikki Spilka at Bismarck Phillips, Robyn Sills at Bottega Veneta, Trevor Tian at Prada, Cara Forte at Dolce&Gabbana, Sascha Menasce and Caroline Kistner at Hermes, Nikki Rothberg and Marc Troisi at Ralph Lauren, Alexandra Vasko at Bally, Eleni at Giant Artists, Jed Root & the Jed Root Agency, Heath & Courtney at CLM, Sarah & Kate @ Chris Boals, Amy @ AFG management, Janna @ WIB New York, Alex & Luke @ DAP publishing, Arthur Patterson@ Fisker Motors, John Kendzierski@ Black Frame PR, Austin Smedstad @ Starworks, Tyson @ Diesel Thank you to our interns Andrew Dochen & Freddy Rodriguez Contact us in New Zealand Tel: +64 9 376 2055 www.remix.co.nz Postal Address: P.O. Box 105 631 Auckland Central Auckland 1143 New Zealand Contact us in USA All Points Worldwide 8455 Beverly Blvd Ph Los Angeles Ca 90048 www.allpointsworldwide.com jhoanna@allpointsworldwide.com Global Distribution SH Circulation Ltd www.shcirculation.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 2392 787 970 Disclaimer: The views expressed in Remix magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers and editors. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any way without permission. © 2011 Remix Media Ltd
REMIX_GLOBAL
contributors ANDREW DAVIS Former pastry chef-turned-stylist Andrew Davis has been working in fashion for the past 15 years. After four years at Central St Martins he worked at The Face and then moved to Arena Homme plus in 2002 as Fashion Director. Andrew has styled fashion shows for Dolce & Gabbana, Dell’ acqua, cK Calvin Klein, Katie Eary and Armand Basi. He regularly consults on brands from Reebok, Nike, Liberty and Topman and has styled Keanu Reeves, Snoop Dogg, Lil Kim, Danielle Craig, Uma Thurman, and his current music clients include Mariah Carey, Tinie Tempah and T.E.E.D. Andrew resides in Whitechapel, London with two Japanese maple trees, a balloon whisk and an extensive Junior Gaultier Archive.
ANNELISE PHILLIPS Experience, light, shadow and emotions. These are the key elements to the photography and film of Annelise Phillips. At once evocative and sensual her images weave loose, light hearted narratives throughout. Annelise’s singular style has developed throughout her initial collaborations at the Royal College of Art to her world in the global advertising market, collecting many awards along the way. Her love of film has naturally led her into moving image. Having already worked with actors such as John Malkovitch for Sony, perfume advertising for Boucheron, a breast cancer film and recently has been filming and directing small fashion led films. Annelise contributes to V, The Last Magazine, Dazed and Confused, i-D, Dossier, Crystalized, Oakzine, Big Magazine, Lula, Independent, Telegraph, and Wonderland.
ARIANE ANKARCRONA Born and raised in London to Swedish-American parents, Ariane has spent most of her life traveling between Europe and America. Since graduating from Boston College with a Communication degree she now calls New York City home but will never get sick of people asking where her accent is from. She has a background in fashion journalism with stints at W magazine, WWD, and Nylon. This is her first time writing for REMIX.
BEN RAYNER Born in 1985, Ben Rayner grew up shooting bands in the underground London music scene since the age of 13. Ben studied at Goldsmiths College and shot for magazines such as Vice and Dazed and Confused from the age of 19. Since then he has gone on to work for clients such as Nike, Converse, Apple, Adidas, Lacwoste, Virgin, Sony Music, EMI, as well as strong editorial for I-D, Wonderland, Nylon, and Oyster. He is known for capturing the decisive moment in his images and has worked with a number of high profile celebrities and musicians such as Russell Brand, Blur, Florence and the Machine, Felicity Jones, and many more. Ben lives and works between London, New York and Los Angeles.
COLUMBINE GOLDSMITH Born in Los Angeles, California and started taking pictures after her father, a cinematographer, gave her an old Nikon FG-20 on a trip to Mexico. After graduating from Wesleyan University in Conneticut, she lived in Europe and then returned to the US to start assisting photographers such as Patrick Demarchelier, Norman Jean Roy, Sebastian Kim and many others. She now makes films and shoots portraits/fashion for clients such as Dazed, Dazed Digital, Nowness, Vanity Fair, Self Service, Dossier, W, Twin, Wonderland amongst others, while splitting her time between New York and Paris.
DAVID SCHULTZE After finishing high school in Melbourne, Australia, David earned a Bachelor of Arts (Photography), at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Upon completion David began traveling and photographing. Fate saw him take roots in NYC, quickly he began working for many of the top industry photographers including David Sims and Steven Meisel. David has contributed to Elle, Vogue Japan, Surface, V and V Man.
DEREK KETTELA In 2003, Derek relocated from Toronto to New York City and left behind an extremely successful career knee deep in powder photographing the world’s best snowboarders on mountain tops around the globe. Since shifting his focus to fashion he has built an impressive body of work in the ‘field’. He now photographs top models in exotic locations around the world. Derek’s past 12 months have added a lot of stamps to his passport - traveling to Zambia for the just released Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2012 edition, the Canary Islands for ELLE international with Daria Werbowy and Thailand for a project with Heidi Klum. His clients include Uniqlo, Diane Von Furstenberg, Jean Louis David, 3.1 Phillip Lim, J.Crew and Banana Republic. Derek’s photos have been published editorially in Wonderland, V, Vogue, The Last Magazine international editions of Glamour, Preen, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, as well as the British and Japanese editions of GQ. Derek is currently based in New York City but catch him while you can before he jets off to his next assignment!
DOUG INGLISH Doug Inglish is an american photographer and was born under the astrological sign Leo in Washington, D.C. He studied fine art at Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA. In the 1990s while Doug was showing his imagery to London gallerist Stuart Shave he was discovered and began working with top fashion magazines Dazed & Confused and Arena Homme +. Currently he is represented for fashion and celebrity work by Camilla Louther Management. He regularly contributes to GQ, Teen Vogue and InStyle Magazines. He is based in Los Angeles but travels the world for work. His favorite color is ultramarine. Doug Inglish shot actors Joe Manganiello and Chord Overstreet in this issue of REMIX.
HUNTER BARNES Hunter Barnes is a documentary photographer who focuses his artistic gaze on the faces of proud groups of people who are consistently misrepresented in the modern American narrative. His photographs flash us into moments and scenes most people will never get to experience first-hand during their lifetime. Hunter cherishes the friendships he builds with people who recognize his sincerity and allow him access to their private worlds. After establishing their trust over meaningful dialogue and shared experiences, he frames his subjects as they are and where they dwell.
JAMES VALERI Stylist James Valeri is Italian/English; born in London but grew up in Rome. He began working in fashion thanks to a chance meeting with Mario Testino at a Visionaire/YSL/Hedi Slimane party in Paris. He was studying PR and journalism at Central Saint Martins and London College of Fashion at the time. Testino introduced Valeri to Carine Roitfeld, who he then did a work placement with (how fortunate!) during which he realized that styling was what he loved. Valeri has been living in New York for the past six years and loving it.
REMIX_GLOBAL
contributors JASON PIETRA Photographer Jason Pietra says of his work in this issue, ‘This was a really great job to work on it allowed me the freedom to play around with the images and experiment with the capabilities of digital photography. I pretty much dimissed all conventional process that goes along with shooting digital and just played around with colour and exposure, kind of like cross processing film, I just focused on what I liked rather than what it should be like. I wanted to steer away from doing the usual fragrance image you see in editorial and just try something else.’ Pietra shoots various editorial for clients from Wired to Harpers Bazaar, as well as ad campaigns for Versace and Sephora. As well as commercial work, he concentrates on personal work and has had two solo shows both in London: Speculato in Vis in 2009 and States of Recollection in 2010. Pietra works between London and New York.
Robert Cordero Journalist and editor at jcreport.com and contributor at fashion of business, consultant and entrepreneur working at the intersection of the fashion, retail and digital worlds.
KEVIN O’BRIEN Northern California native Kevin O’Brien studied Comparative Literature (French & English) at the University of California at Santa Barbara before beginning his foray into photography in Paris. Under the premise of learning to speak French, Kevin worked at Studio Astre where he met and went to first assist Michael Thompson, relocating him to New York City. He currently resides in NYC with his wife and young son. Kevin’s fashion and beauty photography has been featured in the pages of Elle, Flair, InStyle, Details, Interview, and Lucky magazine. His advertising collaborations include J Crew, Madewell, GAP, Land’s End, Ralph Lauren, Laura Mercier, Elizabeth Arden and John Freida.
KURT ISWARIENKO Telling a good story is the driving force behind the atmospheric cinematic photography of Kurt Iswarienko. Trained as a lighting technician on Hollywood movie sets, and self-taught as a photographer, Kurt brings an observant and patient perspective to his evocative style of image making. He lives in Malibu California, and travels extensively on assignments for a variety of advertising and editorial clients.
MATTHEW KRISTALL Matthew Kristall is a New York based portrait and fashion photographer. His editorial work has appeared in T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Dazed & Confused, Teen Vogue, GQ Germany and VMan among others. He has created imagery for a wide range of brands including Casio, Original Penguin, VPL, Edun and Morgans Hotel Group. Matthew’s personal work has been exhibited at Stephen Weiss Gallery, The Chelsea Hotel and Ring Cube Gallery in Tokyo.
DAN KING Daniel King’s interest in photography started in his teens whilst living and studying in Sydney. Daniel moved to New York in 2004 to pursue his career and worked under Steven Klein and David Sims. Daniel has been taking pictures since 2009.
adam fedderly From the Atlantic to the Pacific and everywhere else Adam Fedderly always finds pleasure Photographing and enjoying life with family and friends. For more work please visit adamfedderly.com
REMIX 16
Emily Barnes A graduate of Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design in London. Emily's work embraces a love of film and photography which can be seen in her shoots for magazines such as Vogue, Vogue China, Vogue Russia, Vanity Fair, The Last Magazine, V magazine, Nowness and GQ. For this issue she directed the Womens fashion, art and style portfolio. Emily is the Fashion Director of Remix Intl.
JASON RIDER Born in Cairo, Egypt, Jason Rider is a New York-based stylist and writer. When he’s not fulfilling his duties as the men’s fashion editor of T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Rider contributes to publications including L’Officiel Hommes Italia, GQ Taiwan, and Mr. Porter. He claims to know more about ‘90s R&B and hip-hop than anyone else in the world.
TYLER BENZ Tyler is a writer and editor living and working in New York City. Born in Seattle in the late ‘80s, Tyler was saturated in outsider cultural media. After graduating from the University of Chicago with a BA in History, he moved to New York to further amplify his pursuit of creative direction, cultural journalism, and multimedia art and production.
Micheal Avedon Michael Avedon is currently a student at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Working primarily with black & white 35mm and medium format film, he has begun to develop his own photographic perspective over the past three years. The determination to expound his visual understanding of everything from surfing to art has allowed him to move forward with an exploratory approach, informed by the photographic legacy of his grandfather Richard Avedon.
Luke P. Brown Luke was born in Worcester, Massachusetts and grew up between the New England and California coasts amidst American suburbia. At age 7, his well intentioned parents invited a homeless, vegan, Bulgarian refugee; an ex-convict accused of arson; and a recovering heroin addict to live with the family during the L.A. Riots. His family and their guests survived, but Luke was left with a lifelong fascination with personal histories and the stories they reveal. Today, Luke works with artist and authors on book projects and writes freelance on the side. He is currently writing and producing a short film about a boy who finds love and compassion for a dying mosquito.
LANE CODER Coder was born and raised in New Canaan Connecticut. He attended Parsons School of Design in New York City where he studied fine art. He then moved to Paris, where he began studying photography at Parsons School of Design and art history at the American University of Paris. From 1999-2000 he attended the Rhode Island School of Design where he continued studying photography and art history. He continued his photography education at the Art Center College of Design in Pasedena California where he graduated with a BFA in Photography in 2003. He has worked for Vogue, Vogue Nippon, Men’s Vogue, The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, Interview Russia and Germany, V magazine, Surface, Soma, Spin, Anthropologie, Shipley & Halmos, Coca Cola and ad agencies such as Ogilvy & Mather, Saatchi & Saatchi, Select Ad Agency and BBH. His work has also appeared in Vogue Russia, GQ Germany, The daily Telegraph London, Vanity Fair Italy and Germany and Nylon.
REMIX 17
REMIX 18
r esea r ch REMIX 19
REMIX_RESEARCH
CONVERSATIONS/chris benz Writer Tyler Benz interviews his own brother, womenswear designer Chris Benz.
My earliest memory of Chris, womenswear designer and also my big brother, consists of me cutting my fingernails into sharp points and running them down his back like I was grooming a zen garden. The scars have healed (though I’m pretty sure they’re still mildly visible) and we’ve come along way since then. Getting the opportunity to interview him revealed why the style of one’s grandparents is of supreme influence. Where in the world is Chris today? I’ve literally just returned to New York from a two week canon ball run in Tokyo... meaning I’m two more weeks away from language fluency, and three solid weeks of insane jet lag. I am still reeling from visual overload. My brain is downloading and categorizing everything I saw for two weeks and making formulas. Tell me about the Barbie campaign. I don’t remember you having a Barbie or Ken or whatever growing up – I’m pretty sure it was only troll dolls for you. Maybe that can be your next endeavor. I can’t believe you don’t remember all of those Barbies I would torture in Ninny & Papa’s attic? Shaved heads and crayon makeup? I’ve been working with Mattel for over a year now on developing the Barbie I Can Be... President doll. She’s running for president and yes, she just announced her candidacy on April 5th, 2012. It’s the first Barbie that can stand on her own (literally) and all the while styled in a spirited CHRIS BENZ girl look. Obviously now the only thing I care about is developing a Ken doll... and, yes, I still brake for trolls, too. What’s the inspiration for the next line? Well, next up is Resort 2013. It’s always such a refreshing season for me to design because it’s all about travel, warm weather, holiday dress-up, and mega fashion fun. I’ve been thinking a lot about how women pack their carry-on, for instance. The idea of a temporary closet is sort of fascinating to me. It’s a chance to reinvent yourself completely and temporarily, same as ‘island time.’ How much has Seattle had an effect on your aesthetic vision on the years? Is it waning yet? The inimitable 20 year cycle fashion is coming down – are we going to see grungy Seattle influence soon? Have we already? Our childhood in Seattle as an influence on the way I design will never leave me, I’m sure, and I like that. The nineties in the Pacific Northwest were so aesthetically specific and so interesting in the way that all of the material culture surrounding that time proliferated, not just in fashion, from a sort of random cradle of civilization in terms of geography and what we considered American cultural hubs at that time. I will always gravitate towards styles somewhat undone, but classic, involving sporty elements and some sort of gross sparkle & shine. It’s almost intuitive to balance a sequin shirt with a threadbare cardigan, and likewise a loud printed pant with a navy blazer. High/low, hi ho... Not many people know you were class president at Bainbridge
REMIX 20
High School. I remember your posters being amazing – tell me about those. Of course, growing up in Seattle in the ‘90s meant I was headfirst into Photoshop and every new computer application, since it was basically the home base of computer technology at the time. I made these vintage-inspired campaign posters with either pin-up girls or mid-century political iconography and plastered them all over the school. Good times. Who were the best dressed kids at Bainbridge High School? I always thought the goth kids were amazing – especially given the context of Bainbridge’s ‘granola high WASP’ thing... Obviously I was fascinated with the blend of styles in high school. To this day I pretty much don’t care about anything that doesn’t have to do with high school – movies, gossip, trends – also since fashion is basically high school on a higher plateau I feel totally safe navigating myself day-to-day. There will always be a high WASP element to my aesthetic, in fact a huge trend in Tokyo right now is very ‘camp counselor’ - Teva’s, tie dyed socks, short swim trunks over leggings, Patagonia fleece, and vintage band tees. It’s all very BHS, and everything that I love. In high school though I was always a secret goth – fascinated with Marilyn Manson, Korn, and the kids that bowed down to that style. Such a good mix back to a Birkenstock and a Bay Hay & Feed hoodie, no? I still wear mine! You mention Ninny (our grandmother) a lot in interviews – using her closet as a foundational pillar to your design. Do you remember what she wore before I was born? Looking at old albums it seems like something in between A Guide for the Married Man (1967) and Little House on the Prairie. Refined but blue collar - how wrong am I in this estimation? What would your outlook be like without her sartorial influence? I definitely love the blend of our two opposing grandparents’ lifestyles – Ninny & Papa for the high WASP reservation and classic American Gothic (picket fences, navy blue, sailboats); and Gordy & Deedee for their highflying Hollywood Regency unabashedness (shag carpet, white tuxedos, martinis and TV dinners). I think the bulk of my work reflects the electricity between these two specific influences. A seersucker blazer versus a terrycloth romper; a tailored red trouser versus a ruffled chiffon negligée in shocking turquoise. Our grandparents’ style is really something that I’m constantly fascinated by. If I can even come close to that level of refinement in my lifetime, I’ll be satisfied. Who’s the best dressed in our family (ourselves excluded, of course). And why? Obviously, I would have to say Mom is a terrific dresser – always classic and understated but unafraid to go rogue with an emblazoned beaded belt or statement costume jewelry! Ralph Lauren on high alert!
REMIX_dress for less
Icons
Looks inspired by our pop culture icons with the current season’s denim collections
Below: True Religion shirt, Reed Krackoff metal top, Joe’s Jeans jeans, Walter Steiger shoes, Anndra Neen ring
FAY DUNAWAY
FRANCOISE HARDY
Above: Chadwick Bell blazer, Levis vest, Guess shirt, G-Star shorts, Walter Steiger shoes, Tous ring, Sergio Rossi clutch, Gucci sunglasses
Photographer Geoff Barrenger Fashion Editor Chloe Hartstein Models Agata & Josefine @ elite Hair Seiji @ the wall group Makeup Deanna Melluso Fashion Assistant Andrew Dochen t
REMIX 22
Below: Vera Wang dress, Eres bra, True Religion jeans, Dr. Martens shoes, Tous rings
BROOKE SHIELDS Above: Asos White vest, Vintage Calvin Klein top, Calvin Klein jeans, Reed Krackoff bag, Vera Wang shoes, Tous earrings
COURTNEY LOVE REMIX 23
REMIX_dress for less
Below: Jill Stuart blouse, Sonia Rykiel jacket, Earnest Sewn jeans, Alexandre Herchovitch shoes, Tous necklace, earings & rings, YSL sunglasses
DEBBIE HARRY Above: Levis jacket, G-Star skirt, Sandro shoes, Balenciaga sunglasses, Anndra Neen cuff, Tous bracelet, Natalie Frigo rings
LUCILLE BALL REMIX 24
Below: Levis jeans & jacket, Theyskens Theory shirt, G-Star tee, Dr. Martens belt, Tous bracelet, Anndra Neen ring, Sandro shoes
GOLDIE HAWN Above: Alexander Wang top, G-Star overalls, Gap shirt, Reed Krackoff shoes, Tous ring & necklace, Anndra Neen cuff, Balenciaga sunglasses
PATTI SMITH REMIX 25
REMIX 26
REMIX_DESIGNER PROFILE
DESIGNER/ JASON WU Fashion Editor Emily Barnes Photography Shawn Brackbill
When boys want dolls, it’s not unusual for that demand to elicit raised eyebrows from their parents. But not for New York-based fashion designer Jason Wu. Wu’s Taiwanese parents, as he puts it, were ‘non traditional,’ so his request for Barbie dolls was granted without much resistance. And when he received a sewing machine from his mother, he started making clothes for them. Wu, now 29, has managed to turn this childhood passion into a burgeoning fashion brand with 30 employees who oversee its beautifully crafted womenswear and one-year-old accessories collections. The CFDA-awarded and Mrs. Obama favorite talks to Remix about his interest in dolls, the tough early years of his brand and how he wants women to feel in his clothes. What roles did dolls play in your work? That was a testament to my parents’ foresight. I have an older bother and he played with Nintendo games, trucks and Transformers. But I was never really interested in that. So my parents bought me dolls because that’s what I had requested. I always had dolls instead of boys’ toys. When I got my first sewing machine, I didn’t have a lot of fabrics so I just started making clothes for my dolls. That’s what I had access to and that’s how it initially began. What was the first dress you made for your doll? It was a tight fitting dress and I glued the hems together.
You then took this childhood interest to a formalized study in fashion at Parsons in New York, but you left before graduating. Why? It wasn’t really planned out back then. I was there for three and half years and it wasn’t like I was there for a short amount of time. At a certain stage, you do need to take your experiences outside of school. It was important for me, then, to run my company and just figure things out. I’m not sure if I would do that now knowing what I know now of the industry. But I did and I learned so much about the industry from the ground up. What were these early years like on your own? It was hard. I started in my living room and I had limited professional industry experience in fashion. I interned, but I didn’t work for anyone else. There’s no handbook how to start a fashion business, so I just did it. It was only me in the beginning, but my friend Michelle joined after. We met when we were interns at Narciso Rodriguez and she was working at Bergdorf Goodman then. It was the two of us for a year and a half and then two more people joined in. Now I have 30 employees and I have been in business for six years. For the first two years it was all about learning and figuring out what I was doing. Many designers struggle to get their work out there in the
REMIX 27
REMIX_DESIGNER PROFILE
cont.
beginning. How did you manage to do that? To be honest, I don’t know. As crazy as it sounds, it was really exciting because I had always wanted to become a business person. There were a lot of frustrating times, but they were all new and fresh. I emailed people, I tried to get in doors, but a lot of them were closed before they were open. What was your first break? I had a few breaks. The first was when Bridget Foley, an editor of Women’s Wear Daily and W magazine at the time, came to the studio to see my collection. The next day I got a call back to fly to Miami the following week to shoot with Bruce Webber, Kate Moss and Daria Werbowy. I looked at the call sheet and I didn’t know who anyone was. That got me noticed in a whole other way and pretty soon after that, I was selected to be a finalist in the CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund. You’ve always said that you make your garments ‘inside out,’ a painstaking technique that speaks to your focus on quality. Tell us about this technique? I think in today’s world, it’s all about fast fashion. It’s about get it now, wear it now, and buy something new tomorrow. I’ve always been very interested in the craft side of fashion. I grew up admiring Charles James, Saint Laurent, Lacroix - these are the designers I looked up to and continue to do so. The reason I got into fashion wasn’t to create the trend of the day and was never interested in becoming the edgiest designer. I think in today’s world when everything is so disposable, it’s especially luxurious to have something you can hold
REMIX 28
on to and be relevant twenty years from now. It’s all about the details and how it’s made. You can make two dresses that look the same from the outside. But you can tell how well something is made with the lining, the boning, the structure, et cetera. To me, when you look inside, it’s a testament to how well something is made. You manufacture in New York. How does local production help with the design and development of your collections? I manufacture about 90 percent of my clothes in New York. First of all, I know who made it and where it’s made. It’s always within a two-block radius from my studio. A lot of people cant’ say that these days, especially in the American fashion market. There’s a level of craftsmanship that you don’t get other than ‘Made in Paris’ and ‘Made in Italy’. There’s a certain amount of care that goes into it. How do you want women to feel in your dresses? I want them to feel beautiful and I want them to feel powerful. I’ve been going to Washington the last few years and you do get a sense that women in the corporate world—especially in politics—feel they don’t have to dress in a masculine way to be respected. Mrs. Obama has been key in changing that perception—and wearing a dress can be just as powerful. You do see that changing across the workplace across America and across the world. The frumpy suit isn’t the norm anymore. Words by Robert Cordero. Grooming Wesley O’meara at the Wall Group.
THE FULL R.R.P. LESS G.S.T. FROM THE SAL E OF THIS LIPSTICK AND LIP CONDITIONER GOES TOWARDS HELPING WOMEN, MEN AND KIDS EVERYWHERE AFECTED BY HIV/AIDS WWW.MACCOSMETICS.COM/VG
REMIX 30
REMIX_DESIGNER PROFILE
DESIGNER/ NEW YORK VINTAGE Photography Karsten Staiger
Having spent a considerable amount of time browsing and getting inspired in the aisles of vintage mecca NY Vintage, we wanted to give you a glimpse into the world of its owner, Shannon Hoey, who has created a destination for all things beautiful and timeless for the entire fashion, movie and TV industry. From her peerless archive of designer duds, which inspire every top designer you know of, to the best one of a kind red carpet looks, to costuming top TV and movie dramas, to exclusive collaboration on the Bergdorf Goodman holiday windows, this woman is someone you should know. Vintage collector and brand consultant Michelle Harper speaks to Shannon about how she turned the art of fashion history into a business, and what inspires her to keep it going. You wear many hats; you’re a mom, for one, you own New York
Vintage, which is the most beautiful place to find incredible pieces, you’re a stylist, you know everybody in the business. What got you started? What set you on this path, because its quite a big path! It is, absolutely. My love of art got me started. I came upon these 1940s hats that were unbelievable, I wanted to display them… They had the most incredible sculptural quality, and it literally sparked my interest into fashion. It’s interesting because, as the business grew, as I’ve studied fashion, and I’ve held pieces by great couturiers in my hands, I’ve come to realize that a lot of my favorite designers, coincidentally, started in fashion in a very similar manner, they started off in millinery or architecture… Interesting how that all works out! But I got into it from an old trunk filled with some hats, and fell in love with it literally overnight.
REMIX 31
REMIX_DESIGNER PROFILE
cont.
And what year was that? It was probably about, maybe ’93, ’94, somewhere around there. And do you see yourself stopping anytime soon? No, I love it because I can be completely creative, there’s no restrictions. I get to work with people and be inspired by people and also inspire. It branches out into working with everybody in the fashion industry, from Annie Leibovitz and Steven Meisel to costume designers and designers, and working with celebrities as well, so it’s ever changing and ever challenging… For me, what it boils down to honestly is, it really is about fashion, art history, fashion history, not as an applied art form, but as a pure art form. And the fact that I have built the business that I’ve built, and have the following that I have, has just been the most rewarding thing that could possibly happen. That people have a shared vision, they believe in what it is that we’re offering, and to see that realized or interpreted or to be a catalyst for their vision is just… there’s nothing more rewarding than that. I need to see the art transform people, and to see it evolve into something that’s their own. You know what I mean? Just to see it live on. And that’s what all of this is. This is like an art form that is carrying on. It’s inspiring to me… it’s really strictly about that. Finding things that are devastatingly beautiful and paramount in their design and in their workmanship, and hoping that somebody else sees that too. Let’s talk a little bit about your overall vision of how you think the vintage market, and the players in it, have changed in the past years while you’ve been in the business - not only the buyers, the customers, but also, the dealers… Have you noticed any changes since you’ve started? I think people are referencing pieces from more recent collections now, whereas when I first got into the business, vintage was 30 years, generally speaking you’d go back to collect pieces, and now if there’s anything that’s really noticeable, I would say that there’s more of a reference to pieces as recent as ten years ago. But what I do is quite unlike what other dealers are doing or what’s happening on the vintage market, we’re really not decade specific, and…I’m so involved with my own venue and market and what’s happening that I can’t say that I’m really aware or paying attention to what everybody else is doing. I have requests from clients that are looking for specific things and I try to source them, but in terms of seeing anything particularly happen, you know, I don’t know, I just really stay in touch with my own creativity and I respond to it, and that is what I’ve always done and I think that’s what has brought me to this place and has worked for me, just staying in touch with what inspires me and you know there’s receptacles, I’m receiving just like everybody else is, you know, through the outside world certain transmissions that are in the air, just choosing what I’m going to respond to and what I’m not. I think it’s just a personal experience. Right… Do you feel like the prices have gone up in order to acquire vintage? I think that people have become much more ‘hip’ to the vintage vibe and also with technology and eBay and all these websites and Etsy, and I just somehow feel like everybody’s out there dealing vintage and the prices are just going through the roof! Is there a bigger customer base? What do you think has caused these prices to skyrocket? Oh my god. Exactly, what you just said, it’s e-commerce, and just that whole vehicle of being able to sell vintage pieces. And people are much more in tune to what the value of particular pieces are or what that desirability is, because of TV shows—Antiques Roadshow, and others educating people on the value of certain pieces. Let’s put it this way, maybe before you could have gotten a Delphos gown for a thousand dollars and now you’re going to pay six or eight depending on condition and where you buy it from. Top vintage pieces, designer
REMIX 32
pieces, couture pieces, you’re going to pay a premium for no matter who you’re buying it from, even privately. You know, when I buy from private collections I pay top dollar. It’s just a different landscape now. I think it’s harder, you know, harder at this level or at the level where you’re seeking out important designer pieces. Starting the business now would be pretty difficult. To try to amass this kind of collection now - I probably wouldn’t attempt it (laughs), you would have to have extremely deep pockets and a lifelong passion and… obsession. What is your feeling about trends? Do you pay a lot of attention to trends that are happening right now? You’ve said you go more from your heart, from what you react to, but do you feel like it’s important to pay attention to trends in terms of collecting or maybe acquiring or purchasing? That’s an interesting question. I think there’s really a fine line, for investment purposes. I always follow what is classic or historically significant, it really depends. We have a retail store, we have a rental archive and if I’m buying for the store I’ll take a risk perhaps on a particular garment, but I don’t really believe in trends. I believe in classic, beautiful garments that really retain their beauty throughout time. So no, I don’t think that’s what fashion is really about, I don’t really believe in following trends, in fast fashion, hyper-produced, hyper-fashion. It’s just too disposable, it doesn’t have the same hand, it’s mass market, mass produced, everything is moving as such a rapid pace... What’s interesting about being up here is that you have every era, you have the most beautiful pieces from the ’20s the ’30s etc. With your really antique pieces, you have this amazing collection of beaded pieces from the ’20s which are so fragile, I feel like you could just breathe on them and the beads would come off… How do you deal with that from a rental perspective? Well not all the ’20s pieces meet the criteria for rental, the beaded dresses are for design inspiration only, they’re not to be worn. You just hope that the people that are reproducing the fabric or studying the fabric are careful with it, for example we recently collaborated with the new Gatsby movie and their costume designer; we work extensively with Jon Dunn on Boardwalk Empire... With Boardwalk they actually wore a lot of the dresses, but they were wearable you know. But otherwise they basically go out for reproduction. How do you feel about contemporary designers say pulling a vintage piece for inspiration and then seeing pretty much the same garment on the runway. Well look, this is why I have never had any aspirations or desire to be a designer. Being a designer, what seems to me, is that so much of what you’re producing is dictated by what buyers want and what is going to sell. So for a lot of designers it’s dictated in that respect and they’re forced to put an entire collection together within a certain timeframe. I can understand why it’s done. And on the other hand I think that, as far as interpretation goes, and not about a particular garment being copied, I think that every master painter has copied another master painter, and I think that when I’m styling a shoot or doing editorial, I’m looking at inspiration and putting together my own ideas, from imagery, from art etc. It’s hard to dictate what is copying and what is referenced no? It’s a blurry line... Well not everything is done outright, but that’s their prerogative. I wouldn’t feel fulfilled personally doing that, but I’m not one to judge either, it’s a business and that’s why there are very few standouts, and when they stand out they really stand out, and those are the ones that I invest in, because it’s not a business to them, or not just a business, it’s about a creative process and it’s about fashion as an art form. Is it perhaps that they’re bringing something really new to the table? Yeah, they’re bringing something that could be inspired but it’s new
and it’s forward; something different. There has to be some springboard for your inspiration, but it is the new element that that particular designer brings in, something more that she or he owns - those are the ones who stand out. If they take a ’20s dress and put a twist on it, then it’s a continuation of the conversation, then it becomes collectable and interesting. As you said it’s a business. But you’re in the business of particularly unique and amazing pieces... I’m speaking of the unattainable, which is hard, the whole world is aware of vintage and trying to continue to acquire and to build on the collection is getting more and more difficult and competitive. But you have an incredible eye. In here you have an antique headdress from southeast Asia or Mongolia or England, an incredible costume piece probably from France from the ’20s,
you’ve got showgirl pieces, you’ve got runway pieces - the variety is mind-blowing. You can really come here and live out your dreams. But each piece holds its own. Well everything is displayed and has its own space as a work of art itself, because that’s exactly how I feel about the pieces. We just did a big spread with Katy Perry, we worked with Karl Templer on a shoot and it was all burlesque style from the 1960s and it was just great fun because it’s dreamy, it’s old Hollywood, a lot of glitz, and it’s all here waiting to be assembled and put together, and you’re collaborating and you just see the story unfold right before you! It’s amazing! Words by Michelle Harper.
REMIX 33
REMIX_DESIGNER PROFILE
DESIGNER/bijules
Jules Kim, the creator of Bijules, is constantly trying to push the boundaries and reinventing jewelry as we know it. Bending the conventions, she brings us strong yet delicate pieces that organically sit and rest on your fingers and ears. Her pieces accentuate the body and represent not only the designer’s personal point of view on jewelry and fashion but reflect the wearer’s personality and unique dress sense. Her nail ring made her famous amongst the fashion crowd and also made an impression amongst celebrities. Custom
REMIX 34
work has become an integral part of Bijules business, designing pieces for the likes of Rihanna and Beyonce. This past year has proven to be a huge success for Bijules, after her jewelry was selected to build the look and personality of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo character, Lisbeth Salander. Defying time and traditional forms of jewelry, Jules has proved that she is a designer to watch. Photos by Lane Coder
JCHOO_INT_ADV_070.indd 1 JCHOO_INT_ADV_070.indd 1
REMIX 35
REMIX_DESIGNER PROFILE
DESIGNER/rad hourani
Creating what he calls ‘the classics of tomorrow’ with seamless, postmodern lines, which unfold, fold, and deconstruct to reconstruct new forms of geometrical shapes, Rad Hourani is celebrating the fifth anniversary of his vision. The first luxe label to transcend the idea of unisex by presenting a singular point-of-view which can be applied to all aspects of our lives, not only defies self-imposed limitations, but has come to confront the 24hour cycle in which brands have become wasteful, and season-obsessed. The sense of mutation and state of constant flux created by Hourani’s ‘idea of a world that we could live and shape by ourselves,’ can be traced to the creases of his first collection presented in Paris in 2007, following through to New York in 2009. Since then two collections with one concept have been birthed. While continuing to communicate a global image that crosses all boundaries of artistic disciplines, as it does of gender, race, seasons, stereotypes, rules, religion, and age with the name sake line, Rad
REMIX 36
Hourani; functioning as a laboratory, experimenting with new shapes, and fabrics, the RAD by Rad Hourani collection concentrates on styles, and silhouettes of the same signature looks offered in different materials, and a more casual transformable fit. The anti-conformist language that we have come to call Rad Hourani goes beyond seasons, garments, trends, and engenders a contemporary model of a sustainable production cycle with season-less collections, which are instead referred to by numbers. Working as a self-educated and self-motivated artistic creator who is aware of the mutation of the world around him, Hourani shares his idea of timeless style, translated through his videos, photography, graphic work, and continued artistic collaborations. Transcending a certain convention found in fashion, Hourani unveils the veracities in the values of freedom. words by Michael Schwartz.
REMIX_DESIGNER PROFILE
DESIGNER/jnby
The constant driving force of JNBY is the desire to encourage individual interpretation of design as it relates to modern lifestyle. This internationally established brand founded in Hangzhou, China, is designed by a collective of eleven former art and design students. Coming together every season, they introduce a fresh and innovative direction with their modern and
multifunctional designs. The brand has more that 600 stores worldwide more than half being in China, with their American flagship store located in Soho in New York City. This playful collection in hues of black, gray and navy develops the concept of convertible clothing, where combining a few pieces makes for the perfect layered look.
REMIX 37
REMIX_fashion
ONES TO WATCH/lea peckre
Lea Peckre’s collection originated from the rather somber subject of cemeteries. It could appear religious and macabre, but in fact it seems like her interest was focused on the absurd beauty of the end of our existence and the place in which our bodies spend eternity, and the fact that it’s the only place in humanity on which time and technology has no grip or influence. Her graphic and feminine collection is extremely structured, echoing the shapes and volumes of cemetery graves and monuments; with
REMIX 38
an added romantic element of transparency, gauzy fabrics in soft natural tones, reflecting the environment of the cemetery. After graduating from La Cambre in Brussels and interning at various fashion houses such as Rochas, Givenchy, Maison Martin Margiela, Chloe and Jean Paul Gaultier, Lea Peckre won the prestigious Hyeres Festival award and has recently been appointed Creative Director of De Gris, a new accessory brand based out of Paris. Words by Chloe Hartstein
REMIX_fashion
ONES TO WATCH/james long
Bringing a refreshing new twist on animal print is British designer James Long. His funky metallic jungle looks were inspired by British surrealist artist Edward James and his concrete sculpture garden in Las Pozas, Mexico. He added just a punch of glam rock to his silhouettes by referencing the one and only Brian Eno. Graduating from the Royal College of Art with a Masters in Menswear and Accessories, James has always been guided by color, print and shapes, and inspired by the 1970s arts movement in New York City, and icons such as Patti Smith, Iggy Pop and Robert Mapplethorpe.
Long’s man for spring/summer wears a lean and clean silhouette, mixing strong leather pieces with knits and silks. Leaf prints and snake and leopard prints contrast the brushed metallic yarns and the strong color palette of golds, creams, pinks and greens. His signature knitwear, perfectly slouchy, is combined with tailored shorts and pants, and accessorized with an array of snakeskin backpacks, totes, weekend bags and clutches. It’s a chic and sophisticated 1970s throwback! Words by Chloe Hartstein.
REMIX 39
REMIX_fashion
ONES TO WATCH/white mountaineering
White Mountaineering designer Yosuke Aizawa brings us the coolest outerwear on the market. After assisting Junya Watanabe, Yosuke launched his own line in 2006, his concept being based around utility, technology, design and function. His spring/summer collection manages to effortlessly mix heritage fabrics like chambray and knitted Fair Isle with high tech performance garments and treatments, like Gore-Tex, Pertex and eVent. The workwear-inspired silhouettes are twisted and modernized with a play on volume and proportions, carefully layering jackets, shirts and wrap skirts, creating patchworks of denim, as well as introducing unusual cuts
REMIX 40
and fits. The wild west inspired collection is vast and ranges from denims to knits, t-shirts to outerwear, carefully juxtaposing fabrics and detailing like leather and suede piping and trims on denim garments, and combining fun prints like a flowery camouflage print jacket with a Fair Isle knitted trouser. Season after season, as the brand evolves, White Mountaineering definitely finds a way to reinvent and play with the codes and references of old and new technical gear, and guarantees you will fight the elements in great style. Words by Chloe Hartstein
ROC K. ROL L . REL AX.
1 2 0 0 A l t a L o m a R o a d , We s t H o l l y w o o d , C A 9 0 0 6 9 • 3 1 0 . 6 5 7 . 1 3 3 3 • S U N S E T M A R Q U I S . C O M
REMIXREMIX 41 41
REMIX_illustration
REMIX 42
REMIX 43
REMIX 44
REMIX 45
REMIX 46
REMIX 47
REMIX 48
REMIX 49
REMIX 50
Fashion Editor Emily Barnes REMIX 51
REMIX 52
REMIX_ART
spencer sweeney
Johnny Misheff has had the pleasure of knowing the widely respected artist and celebrated party man Spencer Sweeney for a few years now, and for the last year or so has been participating with him on a weekly party project called ‘Spencer’s GIFs’.
Every Friday night at Sweeney’s club Santos Party House, he and I, along with an amazing team of friends including Sean Hanratty, Grayson Revoir, Max McFerren and Akeem Smith, present an atmosphere of unadulterated fun, with a range of elements like wild performances, electrifying musical acts, lighting spectaculars and plenty of smoke machine action. It’s a cozy space, outfitted with Spencer’s own neon artworks, a couple of Peter Doig paintings, and regularly sees installations and collaborations with the likes of Urs Fischer, Kalup Linzy, Nate Lowman, members of Gang Gang Dance, Leo Fitzpatrik, Matthew Higgs and on and on and on. Spencer and I got together recently for a little chat about the perfect party. And some other stuff. I wanna just jump right in and talk about these amazing flyers you always paint for our party. They’re incredibly special. Makes me proud to be involved. You actually filled an entire room with them at your recent show at Gavin Brown’s Enterprise. What started you doing them? It has to do with the club being an additional extension or appendage of creative expression, you know? Yup. It’s all part of the deal. Yeah, yeah. I’ve always found it important to put a good portion of my creative energies into bringing about a forum for people to interact musically and socially… I was looking for a way to bring the visual elements and production of those energies and the club together. I thought, ‘What should I do, paintings of the club? Paintings of things I remember that happened at the club?’ And then the most immediate and
pragmatic solution seemed to be to make paintings advertising parties at the club, you know? Because to me, the things that go on there are just as lively and colorful as a great work of art you might see. The parties happen and then they’re over, they’re gone, and they live on in memories. But at their most vital point, when they’re really happening, the energy of everybody’s bodies, of the performers, everybody’s ideas, is in bloom. That’s one of my favorite moments in life, actually. When things just vibe out so incredibly hard, I couldn’t be happier. A friend from out of town recently told me he had this experience at one of our recent parties - I think it was the DIS Magazine Fashion Week thing. He was just completely free and unafraid, regardless of his not knowing anyone there. Yeah man, that’s really just the best feeling when that magic happens… there’s a musical element involved and then there’s the visual element of the room, of the people surrounding you, which is actually the really important thing… The perfect collaboration… …a combination of the smiles, and dress, and the movement, the different colors that make up the art, the palette. That’s a really beautiful thing. And then you’re like [whispers dramatically] ‘Oh god, this is really good.’ [Both laugh] It’s so great that you have this passion and can make it happen nightly with the club. So how did Santos Party House come about? Who was originally involved in its conception? Initially there were four partners - it was myself, Andrew WK, Larry Golden and Ron Castellano. Well actually, Larry had managed a bunch of clubs in the city, so
REMIX 53
REMIX_ARTIST
we started riding our bikes around looking for a spot. Then Larry met Ron, who’s an architect who had the means to do all kinds of build-out. Then I contacted Andrew about getting involved, and he was really enthusiastic. That’s how that team came together. Cool, cool. It’s been quite a trip since then. Some of the best parties I’ve ever been to have gone on down there. 718 Sessions on Sundays… Ahhhhh… [Both laugh] We first met at one of your parties here, in this very space, speaking of legendary parties… Let’s talk about those! Well there were the rent parties… Meaning you were raising money to pay your rent? I needed to. This was like when the art market was fucking just crapping out big time; it was around 2008 and 2009. Everyone just became afraid to spend anything, everything just came to a screeching halt, and then it was like, ‘Holy shit, god, nobody’s buying paintings, what are we gonna do?’ You were fucked. Oh I was fucked. Yeah. I had no idea what the fuck I was gonna do, you know, eviction notices on the door, got your studio rent… so yeah, so I started having rent parties, which actually have a pretty long history. They started doing them in Harlem around the ‘20s or ‘30s… And so you would have a party and everyone would come over and they would make a donation towards your rent, and hopefully it would help you out, you know? But before all that happened, when the art market was chugging along just fine, I started doing events here. The first event I did was Telfar’s fashion show. We just set up a runway right here, it was a fucking blast, it was a great, great time. I loved that party! I set up the space with things like that in mind when I moved in. I didn’t build any walls. I put in a murphy bed just so I could have the space available to be as versatile as possible. So we did Telfar’s fashion show and so many others. I’ve always been interested in supporting my friends’ work and helping to keep the most vital avenues of our culture here in the city healthy and active. What I can do to better that, I am there to do. I love that. I truly do. Fun with a purpose. This cultural element of my creative expression is just as important to me as what I put out as far as art objects go. Yeah. That’s pretty clear. Your DJing skills also play a big role in all of this. Sorry, but I gotta say it: you are a ferocious DJ! Well thank you. I mean it’s a great feeling to be able to contribute… I feel this funny tension when I’m DJing, a healthy tension where I realize I’m playing this huge role in shaping the atmosphere. The goal really is getting people moving and grooving and getting wild. Yeah, yeah. Sure. Well you do it really well. I enjoy your DJing a lot. So good. I like that you bring a sense of humor to it… makes it super fun. Thanks buddy! DJing can be great when you get up there and you’re in the swing and you just throw shit on and it pops and then you’re just on a roll and you keep going, that’s a great feeling. What I like to do when I’m DJing a lot, I like to go for half the day or all day, go out to record stores, you know, just research stuff, I spend a lot of time on it. That’s some serious dedication, bud. So I’m glad the market has picked up for you and that you’ve been busy… Let’s talk a little bit about what you’ve been working on? I’ve just been spending time in the studio, sitting down and letting what comes out come out. Working on a couple of gallery shows. I’m doing a show in Brussells. And Lizzi Bougatsos and I are collaborating on a book with my drawings and her titles. How would that work? Would she come up with the title and then you’d draw it? No! No we didn’t do that… that would be good though! Aw shit, we gotta try that… No, I had done all the drawings, and then we were hanging out and she had a look at them and I was like, ‘Do you wanna title these drawings, wouldn’t that be fun?’ We started having
REMIX 54
a lot of fun throwing it around… but that’s a good idea to draw stuff based on her titles… [Laughs] That’s a whole other book! Your last show at Gavin Brown was cool. There was a SAUNA. I did a show in Berlin last year and uh, I hurt my back really bad exploring this abandoned factory, and I was going to be there for eight weeks doing this show. Yowch. Not cool. Yeah, yeah well it was kind of fucked up and I had just finished this long string of shows in New York at Gavin’s so I was feeling really run down and I felt like I had to create some type of therapeutic element to this installation. So we built a sauna in the gallery… Smart move. Haha yeah. And when this last show at Gavin’s came around, Parinaz Mogadassi, who I work with a lot was like, ‘You have to do another sauna,’ and I was like, ‘I don’t know if I want to do another sauna,’ and she was like, ‘No you should really do it,’ and I was like, ‘OK I’ll do it,’ and so then we did it. Haha. Just like that. Love it. When we did it in Berlin, it had a real purpose, you know. This one did too, but it became more of an aesthetic endeavor. I heard there were some sexy times in the one at Gavin Brown (laughing)… or should we not talk about that? Uhh yeah… No no… I heard that too. That’s the thing; you’re opening it up to this god-knows-what type of activity. And it’s your art, but there are all these people involved. I don’t know; I don’t know if I liked that sexy time… like, I don’t know if I would have chosen that sexy time. You put your energy into producing something and then you put it out there, and there’s no telling what’s going to happen. Nope. How can you know? You can’t! So say you’re Clyfford Still and you did that painting and then the woman rubs her ass all over it… there’s no telling what’s going to happen. Right, that’s right, holy shit… [Tons of laughter] Really drunken lady… She went up to that painting and rubbed her ass all over it… [Hysterical laughing] Then she passed out and peed herself… [Laughter to the point of crying] She went in, and just did that… it might have been the Clyfford Still painting that brought it out of her… Triggered something… Like, ‘you know what… like, this painting is pissing me off’. Hey, I get that. I mean, it sucks for the owner of the piece I guess, but… It’s ok… I hope she didn’t damage it too badly. Depends how dirty her ass was. [Both laugh] OK, switching gears here. Back to partying. I don’t get the sense that you are doing these parties as a response to a lack of a good time in this town. It just honestly, genuinely comes from a desire in you to have a good time. But, let’s face it, there is a void-filling element here. There’s something that you want to see happen, that you don’t see around, and if it were around, then you wouldn’t have to put all your time and energy into it… Do you think nightlife has taken a dive? I don’t know? The creative energy of this group, of everybody, of a society, all of this stuff that’s constantly shifting and changing shape and moving… To talk to people about nightlife in the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, blah blah blah, sure it was a fucking great and vibrant thing, even in the ‘90s. And sure, you don’t see it like it used to be, but you never see anything like it used to be because nothing stays the same, everything is constantly changing, and it’s like it has no borders, it spreads out, it moves around… So basically I wouldn’t say that nightlife is in a worse place than it’s been, I would say that it’s different, and basically what you have to look for is what you really like, and you have to appreciate what’s there that you can appreciate and make the most out of that. I think it’s great when people do put their energies into creating some type of a
cultural movement. Like the Black Lips Orchestra, they did a fucking play every fucking week, you know? That’s just, that’s bonkers, yeah? Absofuckinglutely. But they just got up and did it, you know, they had enough people with the drive and the creative energy just to get up there week after fucking week, and did a full-on improv play. Shit like that is amazing. Also The Living Theater, all this stuff… it’s not even so much nightlife, it’s like creative life… Love that. Things are constantly changing, and you know, maybe Studio 54 was great. But maybe if you weren’t high on coke it kind of sucked? I don’t know! If you couldn’t get in then it definitely sucked… The Mud Club, maybe it was great, maybe a lot of times it was, you know, NOT… maybe it was pretentious? I don’t know. Right. I hear you. I think people often look at things in those terms, idealizing the past and all these other movements that have happened… ‘Why aren’t things as great as they used to be back then’, but you know, I have to say I think that’s probably a foolish way to be looking at things, because, really, it’s onward, you know, yesterday was yesterday. To feel that things aren’t quite as good as they were then, that’s kind of like a fool’s game. You’re not in the moment... Yeah, so, I don’t know, you just do the best you can to create some excitement. One interesting thing about our party is when we have that element of the live painting, I feel like it’s a creative act
and that sets off an energy in the room, you know? I think it does. [Spencer likes to bring in supplies and set up a painting area, right, smack in the middle of the club. There’s people painting, dancing and flipping out all at once. It’s amazing.] Oh man, I’ve seen it! Totally, absolutely. People get wild. On one of those crazy nights where there was a lot of painting going on, specifically on the stage, and you had randomly placed that ladder in the middle of the dance floor, and our friend [both laugh] uh… we won’t name her name, but you know, climbed up that ladder topless and just completely lost it… Yeah, yeah. Naked people, people just freaking out, it opens up that energy. OK so, lets do some more of that. (Laughs) I’d love that. We’ll do it next week for sure. Got some new supplies we can use! Oh, hey, maybe we can take this opportunity to throw in a shameless plug for the party: come paint, dance, drink, sing and spazz out with us on Friday nights at Santos Party House on Fridays from 11pm to 4am! WORDS BY JOHNNY MISHEFF
REMIX 55
REMIX_ARTIST
olaf breuning
Tyler Benz met Olaf Breuning at the Standard Miami - both of them visibly droopy-eyed for an eleven pm rendezvous. It’s Saturday, and the curtains are closing on another Art Basel...
The 24 hour clock is, by now, totally irrelevant. He's fiddling with a notebook of lewd, playful sketches – and an insert for the upcoming Purple magazine. Stepping into the world of fashion is new for Olaf, and it’s an arena in which he does not feel wholly comfortable. Fashion and art are at once occupying the same landscape but distinct regions; different media, in Breuning's world. And Breuning is no stranger to a variety of media. He’s carved out a reputation in the modern art world as a relentless renaissance man – photography, video, drawing, installations, and live performance. Breuning is in Miami for an exhibition featuring his art for Bally, a collaborative project with Creative Directors Michael Herz and Graeme Fidler of the iconic Swedish clothing company. It’s dangerous waters for a prominent modern artist to sign onto what is essentially an advertising campaign, but for Breuning (and Bally), the collaboration is curiously complementary. Still, for someone on the periphery of the fashion landscape Breuning shies away from the thought of entering it. Breuning and I talked about irony and humor in art, mixed media, New York, and how the worst thing about getting older is the hangovers.
Give me a little background on your relationship with Bally and BallyLove#2. Is it strange merging art and commerce, or does it feel right, (Warholian, perhaps)? How does it compare to the Carrie Exhibition? [Olaf dumped paint on models as part of his ‘Carrie’ installation in collaboration with designer Cynthia Rowley at MoMA’s PS1]. Today it’s all about shifting things together – music, fashion, film. For me as an artist I always say ‘I make no compromises with my own work’. I don’t feel like I make art for Bally and I don’t think Bally feels like I do art for them. Bally and I meet, we make a baby, after 9 months the baby comes out, and then if we like it we decide to have a second child. Never feel like when I do a collaboration that I’m not being true to myself. Syncretism itself is another medium, in a way... Exactly. It doesn’t really matter what medium though, as long as I can tell stories. For Bally I said, ‘Look guys I’m not a fashion designer, I would like to be, this is a collaboration and I will do my thing.’ I would never attempt fashion because I see people like Alexander McQueen. These guys are true artists of the most remarkable realm. It wouldn’t be my place, so that’s why I’m happy to do
these kinds of collaborations. You’ve said in the past that there is humor, not irony, in your work. I look at a lot of art today (internet art specifically), and even just pop culture in general, and only see irony as the primary form humor has taken. I know that’s been said but I really like irony. I guess I say too much in interviews. I have a small nihilistic touch, because I’m always aware of the tragedy of life. I want to drink a dark humor that’s uplifting at the same time. It’s about balance. You’re often mixed in with Internet Artists. What’s up with that? I think it’s interesting but it’s nothing new. Let’s put it like this: I always try to be timely and I’m an internet junky too, but I’m definitely not an artist who consciously tries to be in that group. Sorry, no offense to those artists, but the image of a USB stick adopted as fine art is like, so what? I think an artist should always make a transformation, but being so literal about living in an internet age sort of misses the point. People have often called you at ‘satirist’ of the art world. Is that an insult? A compliment? I see that word tossed around you a
lot – is it a cop out for journalists to call you a ‘satirist’? I’ve never really understood this tag, I surmise it has something to do with your diverse body of work. What’s your opinion of this reputation? Does your work have an element of satire to it? Sure I like to comment on a lot of things in the art world – whether or not it is satire is up to the viewer. I really want to just tell stories about life and cover as much ground as possible. I want to check this off, then check that off, then check the next thing off. What haven’t you checked off that list? I’ve never shaved a lion. In time, perhaps. I hope so! As an artist you want to speak about things as they come. I’m a 40 year old man and I change every year. I’m sure my stories when I’m older will be vastly different. At one point your youth is gone. Just give it the fuck up. Like, I have a terrible hangover ‘cause I’m not 20 like you and it’s terrible. Maybe I’ll start to paint. INTERVIEW BY TYLER BENZ.
REMIX 57
REMIX_artist
joseph la piana
Luke Brown meets New York-based artist Joseph La Piana at his studio to discuss poetry, sexting, and spatial disorientation.
So this is your workspace? This is. Some of the larger pieces I do elsewhere just because this has kind of become more of my thinking tank. So I do small pieces, and the archive of my work is all here. There is a really good combination of lots of different things here and the work sort of builds on itself. There is a relationship between my initial work, from 15 or 16 years ago, through to the present. When will your next show be? I’m working on a project with another artist, Federico Diaz. We were at the Venice Biennale last year together and we have a similar conceptual processes. He is having a show that opens at the Brooklyn Museum in September and then he and I are going to coordinate an exhibition around our own project. What do you guys have in mind? It’s a combination of his project that was at Venice, which was dealing with gravity and suspension, and my text project, which is the exploration of dialogue. It’s a really interactive and conceptual piece that we are developing software for. There are going to be two people in a glass chamber who are separated by, like, an ‘etch-a-sketch’.
REMIX 58
They are communicating by messages that are being sent by the public as an interface, but they can’t see each other. Tell us about your recent work and how you’ve involved text and poetry with sculpture. I think the text project, as it evolved at the Venice Biennale, really had to do with the exploration of Allen Ginsberg and Walt Whitman and the poetry that exists between them. So the sculpture is another extension of that dialogue. [Pointing to an artwork] I like to call that piece over there a ‘sexting’ piece; it’s really a harness of dialogue, of information that’s being transferred from one person to another. My realization that this could be documented came when texting really began and I thought, ‘Are people really going to be able to communicate and relate in a way that’s honest and sincere? Or, are they hiding behind this instrument?’ And I think people have more of a tendency to be open, because they’re not looking at someone face to face. And especially when you’re talking about something like sex or your emotions, or you’re talking about what you’re into sexually, I think you’re more prone to say what’s on your
LEFT: ARE YOU COMING OUT TO PLAY, 2010, Charcoal on craft paper, 8.5 x 11 inches, 21.6 x 28 cm ABOVE/BOTTOM: UNTITLED, 2004, Chromogenic print, 48 x 90 inches, 121.9 x 228.6 cm (GPB/ 020) ABOVE/MIDDLE: Movement Untitled Study, 2009, Ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10 inches, 20 x 25 ABOVE/TOP: NUMBER: Lab + Joseph La Piana, Spring 2012
mind. Because of the distance, you’re not going to be judged or criticized or whatever, so it’s another extension of that exploration. Of perception and the distance in forms of communication? Right. And the text show at the Venice Biennale really had to do with that exploration. Because you know Allen Ginsberg was fascinated with Walt Whitman. And Walt Whitman in many ways had lots to say, but even then there was this screening mechanism. To this day, we don’t really know what his sexuality was. So the text on the columns of the two towers installed in Venice for the Biennale, was that texting communication or was it more poetry-oriented? That was the poetry of Allen Ginsberg, Supermarket in California, and exploring the dialogue of Walt Whitman’s Crossing Brooklyn Ferry. The reason I chose those two poems is because there is a reference on both of their accounts in each one of the poems. It was just another exploration of how people communicate. People ask me if there is any reference to the twin towers, and for me it really had very little
to do with the towers other than these two posts communicating with each other. And then the conflict that occurs from not understanding one another represents the demise, or the breakdown, of any relationship. So there is a fragmented dialogue continuously running through your art? That’s a good way of putting it. My work, and the process of my work, is really all about fragmentation and breaking things down until they are unrecognizable and then building them back up. And genetically they’re still linked to that body of that work, yet they are part of something new. I’ve noticed a transformation from two-dimensional to threedimensional format in your work, and also the reverse. Can you talk more about that? Yeah, I think that is a good observation because a lot of my work starts with a one-dimensional plane, and even though a lot of my work - in the kinetic paintings that revolve around the study of gravity and force fields in storms and hurricanes – is one-dimensional, I like creating space. Spatial disorientation, I call it. This optical illusion where
REMIX 59
REMIX_artist
LEFT: TROUBLE, 2010, Charcoal on craft paper, 8.5 x 11 inches, 21.6 x 28 cm RIGHT: THE VENICE TEXT PROJECT, Venice Biennale, 2011, Wood Panel, Pigment Ink on UV Vinyl with Audio CD All images Courtesy of the artist and Robert Miller Gallery.
you’re not quite sure if those forms are static or stable on a one dimensional plane. But then taking it one step further, and then one step further again, I like bringing those forms to life through two and three dimensional objects. In terms of multi-dimensional work, how do you feel about the collaboration you did with the designer Luis Fernandez? When you think about the collaboration I did with Luis, he came to me and was fascinated by this body of work called ‘Refraction.’ For me, it was the first fashion collaboration that I had done, but I just felt like it was a good starting point – it was a small capsule collection that we designed together and that was based on my work. It was about taking this one-dimensional surface and bringing it to life through another medium. Has technology and the advancement of communication inspired or, at the very least, influenced your work? Well, it has allowed me to want to explore it. But I think I would say that I am very old school in my approach to my work. For me it’s about the material, it’s about the conceptual, the execution of the material and using it in a different way. It’s all about the psychology behind the way in which we communicate. It also seems like your work is a kind of scientific exploration. Yeah, actually the curator for the contemporary art from the Brooklyn
REMIX 60
Museum was here yesterday and she asked me that same question. It is scientific to a certain extent, but I arrive at things through these mathematical equations that are very rudimentary. So how did you come across the mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot and references to fractal geometry? I was just fascinated by this whole fractal theory, subfractals. There was a scholar in Boston who had spoken to a dear friend of mine, Charlie Bergman, (who was the Chairman of the board of the Pollock-Krasner Foundation at the time) and he said, ‘You know Jackson Pollock? There were some studies based on trying to validate paintings that were ‘fakes’, forgeries of his work, and when the scientific data was evaluated there was a fractal component to his work.’ So I came to Mandelbrot through having explored that study. There was a whole study of information that he sent me to look at, and when I was reading the scientific and mathematical association to what fractals are, it was exactly what I thought in my head already. But I wasn’t applying any scientific or mathematical sort of theory behind it. So once I did that, then I was fascinated. I thought, I can take any form and shape in my work and sort of create a refraction or fractals of that work. WORDS BY LUKE BROWN.
Advertising space for the Red Cross made possible via a charitable contribution from Pier 59 Studios
REMIX_ARt
MICHAEL AVEDON/
REMIX 62
REMIX sketchbook
REMIX 63
REMIX 64
REMIX 65
REMIX 66
REMIX 67
REMIX 68
b e au ty REMIX 69
n o i t c u d e sweet s PHOTOGRAPHer kevin o’brian Beauty Director Daniel Martin
Nails: Dior Vernis in Sienna. Skin: Kohgendo Moisture Spa Gel, Aqua Foundation & Moisture Concealer. Fashion: Alexander Wang tank, Acne leather jacket. REMIX 70
Eyes: Makeup Forever Waterproof Eyebrow Corrector & Aqua Cream Liner in Black. Fashion: Michi mesh bra worn backwards REMIX 71
Nails: Minx. Hair: Bumble & Bumble Sumo Tech & Thickening Spray. Fashion: Diesel blazer and shirt, Brooks Brothers bow tie
REMIX 72
Hair: Redken Velvet Gelatine 07 & Shine Flash 02 Glistening Mist Fashion: Michael Kors necklace
MODELS Amira & Christina Makowski (topless) @ new york models & Hartje Andresen & Nell Rebowe @ trump model mgmt makeup BY daniel martin stylist john alden hair yoichi tomizawa using bumble & bumble manicurist natasha ray makeup assistant jessica ortiz
Face: Yves Saint Laurent lipstick in Violet Singulier & Forever Youth Liberator Serum. Fashion: Lee Bustier REMIX 74
Nails: Deborah Lippmann in Yellow Brick Road. Face: Lancome Eye Brightening All-in-One 5 Shadow and Liner Palette in Vert Tendresse, Lancome No.377N Midnight Rose Lipstick, Lancome Teinte Idol Ultra 24H Foundation 140 Ivoire Fashion: 3.1 Phillip Lim top, Natalie Frigo bracelet
Lips: Lancôme L’Absolu NU Rouge Lipstick in Rouge Canaille photo assistANT Christian McDonald makeup assistANT Cyndle Strawhecker studio location splaslight soho special thanks to mary howard
REMIX 75
REMIX_BEAUTY
B-sides...
Left to right. 1. Jack Black Dry Erase Ultra Calming Face Cream For the guy with super sensitive skin, this moisturizer is for you. Fortified with ingredients such as ginger root, vitamin C and E, this cream helps reduce redness and irritation to the skin. With its non-greasy texture, it’s perfect for the guy who needs hydration without the feeling of it. 2. ZELENS Triple Action Advanced Eye Cream This incredible eye cream protects the delicate area around the eyes from puffiness, dark circles and fine lines. Also free of minerals and parabens! 3. REN Aftershave Balm One of the best aftershaves on the market. This not only calms the skin post shave but it also prevents ingrown hairs, reduces redness and can be used all over the face as a moisturizer. An all-in-one product for the guy who doesn’t want to fuss about their face.
REMIX 76
The best in grooming this season
4. Malin+Goetz Detox Face Mask This oxygenating foam mask lifts off dirt and oil on the skin in five minutes. Calms and balances skin tone while vitamins C, E and soy proteins address firmness and aging. 5. Anthony Inside Supplements LIBIDO With a combination of Resveratrol, horny goat weed, maca, tribulus terrestris and ashwaganda, these powerful herbs support sexual endurance, stamina, and energy for optimum sex drive. 6. Seaweed Bath and Co. Wildly Natural Seaweed Body Butter This incredible balm helps sooth severe dryness in problem spots all over the body.
REMIX 77
REMIX_BEAUTY
clive christian c
guilty pleasures a tribute to seven fresh and irresistible Fragrances PHOTOGRAPHer jason pietra Beauty Director daniel martin
REMIX 78
armani acqua di gio
REMIX 79
chanel n0.5
REMIX 80
Diptyque Eau Rose Maison Martin Margiela Untitled
byredo parfums seven veils Thierry Mugler Alien
Swarovski Aura
REMIX 84
fa et ur e REMIX 85
REMIX_people
ETHAN HAWKE Ethan Hawke does not consider himself brave – in fact, brave is the furthest word that he feels resonates when discussing his film choices. He’s an actor who, throughout his career, has managed to put the integrity of his cinematic choices before the far-fetched notion of ‘blockbuster success’ – something that’s never guided a solitary career choice he’s made. He rarely smiles on screen, and when he does, it’s a half-melancholy emotion that ignites even more complexity to the roles he chooses to take on. His latest film, ‘The Woman In The Fifth’, an adaptation of Douglas Kennedy’s Parisian novel, fits the bill of Hawke’s unconventional approach to cinema – a large screen experience that unfolds in a fashion deemed atypical by the everyday moviegoer. And why exactly was it was it one of his proudest accomplishments? Take the stage Mr. Hawke.
Interview by YALE BRESLIN Photographer kurt iswarienko Fashion Editor EMILY BARNES REMIX 86
Wearing COMPTOIR DES COTONNIERS cardigan, holding JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER cardigan
REMIX 87
REMIX 88
REMIX_people
‘It was really the success of ‘Dead Poets Society’ that determined a lot of my future because I thought it was going to be a film that nobody really paid attention to’
Previous page: Marc Jacobs jacket & shirt, Gilded Age jeans, Bally shoes This page: PRADA shirt, RAG & BONE pants, BALLY shoes
This may sound a little weird – but truth be told, I’m pretty sure I’ve slept in your office before. Hmmmm... Let me explain. When you lived in The Chelsea Hotel, one of New York City’s widely recognized creative residences – did you have both a residence and an office inside the property? I used to have an office inside the confines where I used to write. But when I got divorced, I moved into my office. It was one of those things where when things got bad during my marriage I would sleep in my office. But when the marriage was finally over, I got an apartment inside the hotel and I lived there for two years. So, it’s not really like I had an office and an apartment… Exactly. It was a few years ago and I was staying at The Chelsea Hotel and they told me when I checked in that I was going to be staying in ‘Ethan Hawke’s Office’. What do you make of all the changes surrounding the property these days? It’s going through much upheaval. I wouldn’t be surprised if they told you it was my office - they’ll tell you anything you want really. But
regarding the changes, I feel like it’s about time. I love that place but it really is for another era. I hope they do a good job. It needs a renovation that’s for sure. I love Stanley Bard (the owner), but my hope is that someone will get involved and do something with it before it completely falls apart. It must have a profound impact on you, as it’s that very location that marked your directorial debut. For some bizarre reason, I don’t really understand what’s happening with that place. When I first moved to New York, I think it was that building that drew me here – it was the first place I wanted to see when I arrived in this city. I made a short film when I was 22 that took place inside The Chelsea Hotel. And that’s how I met everyone involved with the property. A few years later, I had the notion of making an entire film inside. That was how Chelsea Walls came about. You’re originally from Austin, Texas. Do you have a close relationship with it? Recently, it’s become a huge hub of creativity with South By Southwest and The Austin Film Society… For me, my connection came from Before Sunrise with Richard Linklater. You know, Rick had a huge influence over
REMIX 89
me, and certainly over Austin. He brings me back there constantly, so I’ve been watching the city grow over time. It’s amazing to see what the place has become. As far as an arts hub and as far as the Southwest is concerned - that’s about it. From Austin, where did you move? Honestly, it’s not as simple as that. There isn’t really a clear narrative. My dad moved to Fort Worth and then my mom moved to Connecticut and Vermont and then I lived in Georgia for a long time and then we lived in Brooklyn for a while and then we moved to New Jersey, which is where I graduated high school. But you toyed with the idea of acting versus writing. Was there a moment when you realized that acting was going to guide your career? You kind of figure it out a couple of years after everyone who knows you figures out that that’s what you’re going to do. It was really the success of Dead Poets Society that determined a lot of my future because I thought it was going to be a film that nobody really paid attention to. By the time the film came out, I was enrolled as a writing major at NYU. But once it broke the way it did, I lacked the mental discipline
Opposite: Bally polo shirt, Rag & Bone pants, Bottega Veneta shoes, John Varvatos belt This page: Marc Jacobs jacket and shirt Gilded Age jeans, Bally shoes REMIX 91
REMIX 92
REMIX_people
‘I lacked the mental discipline like the Natalie Portman’s of the world – I could not stay in college when these amazing opportunities arose’
Denim & Supply jeans & shirt, Bottega veneta jacket, Pierre Hardy lace ups
like the Natalie Portman’s of the world – I could not stay in college when these amazing opportunities arose. I’m a huge Jack London fan and I was offered to go to Alaska to go shoot White Fang for six months and I thought, ‘Why the hell am I going to stay in college and blow off classes when I could get paid to play with the wolves?’ So I didn’t stay in school. And then I realized I was making a living as an actor. I always thought it would eventually run its course, but it hasn’t yet… From movies, you’ve dabbled in writing books. You’ve written two novels so far. What is that experience like for you? Because I find it a very daunting task… For me, I’m kind of lucky because I act to pay my rent so writing for me has continued that place that it had when I was a kid – and I view it as the purest land. I do this purely for creativity’s sake and I don’t need to really worry about it. My first novel was an amazing experience and my second book was a different story. The criticism, while justified, was rough. Everyone was questioning why an actor was writing a novel and many people said it was bullshit. So, to answer their criticisms, I wrote the
second book as quickly as I could. It means a lot to me but I always felt there was no need to rush myself like that. I’ve done a bunch of writing in the last few years and I feel no pressure. I’ll finish them as they happen. But the trouble with writing is that once you finish, it’s done forever. Exactly. And like you said, if you’re doing it as a hobby, it can be a more relaxing and enjoyable task. Totally. You know, I love acting, but acting is now officially my job. I do still love it and it is something that I try to do well – but it is something that I get paid to do. So I have to compromise on lots of things – I have to play ball with producers in order to get hired again next year. Stuff like that. But with writing, I get to do my own thing. It seems like most of the roles that you’ve taken on have been fairly unconventional but very thought provoking. When you are choosing a script what are key factors you look for? They change at different times in your life. I feel that, and I felt this way since Dead Poets Society came out, that if you make good quality work – you will be able to continue working.
REMIX 93
So I never tried to chase the false gods of making hit movies; that’s never been a criteria of mine at all. I try to work with good filmmakers because I think your chances of making good movies goes up exponentially. The list of people who started acting when they were 18 and are still doing it well at 75 is not that long. Anyone in particular? You know, it was heartening for me to watch Christopher Plummer win the Oscar this year – he’s been a hero of mine forever. There’s also Jeff Bridges who did The Last Picture Show as a kid and is still kicking ass and only getting better. These are the real stars for me. And even Mark Ruffalo – I’ve always loved his acting and I wanted to work with him. Every movie has its own kind of life and I’m always looking for what’s going to make the film special. Do you consider yourself brave with your movie choices? I have a certain amount of pride in not walking the beaten path. But brave? No. I got offered to do this nine-hour play by Tom Stoffard and I don’t know many people who would do that, but it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I got to spend nine months with people I
REMIX_people
PRADA shirt, RAG & BONE pants, BALLY shoes
‘I never tried to chase the false gods of making hit movies – that’s never been a criteria of mine at all’
admire greatly. There are certain things I’ve done that I’m very proud of, but as far as defining myself as brave? I’d have to say no. You know, Leonardo DiCaprio is one of my most absolute favorite actors of all time, but when critics have deemed him as a risk taker, I always have to laugh because I don’t think there’s an actor in the world that would turn down a Clint Eastwood film. When Leo did Total Eclipse – that was brave. Basketball Diaries? That was definitely a risk. I’m not criticizing Leo though – I’m looking at the world over celebrating things that are over thought. I watched your upcoming film ‘The Woman in the Fifth’ last night. It was a total mind fuck. What did you want the audience to take from that film? Well, you want the audience to take the same thing they might take from a really great E.A Poe poem; you’re not telling them to take anything. It falls more into a genre of cinema as self-expression than as an audience pleaser. It’s a very personal film to the man who made it and it functions much like a poem. Most people I know who watch it and finish it say, ‘What the fuck just happened?’ I bet you know what happened, you’re just not used to being told a story in that light. It was one of the only movies that I’ve seen in a really long time that made me really think and question the path of the
film. Which, to be honest, I find is a common theme in your film choices. Thank you. This film was definitely an interesting choice for me because it’s an old school art film. The director feels that we are all used to being told these stories that have these definitive narratives. He really wants his films to function like a poem or a painting – there isn’t a wrong answer. I kept asking myself, ‘Who is Mr. Monde?’ Who the fuck knows… or cares? That part is the subconscious of the film. We participate in crimes that we choose to look away from. I got to work with a really serious artist making this film. It is so exciting to be on a film set where somebody cares so much about what color green is in the back corner of the frame. He looked at every shot of this film as a very serious photographer would look at one of his stills. He wanted me to approach this very naturally. He didn’t want me to be acting weird, even though the film was weird. And, I hope I did some justice to the role. It’s rare that I get the chance to watch a movie and have questions, and get the chance to talk to the protagonist in the film the next morning. You’ve definitely presented me with a perspective that I wouldn’t have gathered. It would have taken a few times watching the film. This is one of my only films that I don’t think acts as a
conventional movie. Do I think it will be shown in film schools in 20 years? I definitely do. Hands down. I’d consider this a brave choice as far as gaining a unified audience reaction… People always want to solve a movie and know if they understood it right. My hope is that a few critics will help people know how to think about it. I have all the faith…
Groomer LISA RAQUEL Fashion Assistant Chloe Hartstein & ANDREW DOCHEN Production Steve Pestana @ state armored creative
REMIX 94
REMIX 95
REMIX_people
ABIGAIL BRESLIN On the first day of filming her upcoming movie ‘Ender’s Game’ in New Orleans, Yale Breslin (no relation) spent some time with the delightful actress Abigail Breslin, who has been in the spotlight since she was three years old.
Interview by Yale breslin Photographer derek kettela Fashion Editor EMILY BARNES
REMIX 98
REMIX_people
Opening: TEMPERLEY dress, KARA ROSS earings This page: ANNA SUI dress, KARA ROSS earrings & ring
She made her acting film debut alongside Mel Gibson in Signs, gained an Academy Award nomination for her role in the cult-loved Little Miss Sunshine and now, as she’s about to embark on phase two of her already established career, we caught up with Breslin and gained some insight into her life in the limelight. She shed some light on the differences between film and theater, why each new movie set feels like the first day of school, and why she isn’t afraid of me… yet. So we share the same last name Abigail. It’s fate that we’re speaking. Do you think we’re distantly related? Hmmm. Are you related to Jimmy Breslin at all? I’m not. I get it all the time though. Are you? I’m always asked if I’m related to Jimmy too. And I’m not. I’m also always asked if I’m related to you, and sadly, my answer is always no. I’m assuming you’re constantly asked if you’re related to me as well. (Laughs) Unfortunately not. Let’s change that! So where are you right now? I’m in New Orleans. I’m filming a movie called Ender’s Game. I can’t say too much, but it’s based on the book by Orson Scott Card and it’s kind of a really cool story that is very different than anything I’ve ever done before. I actually start filming today. But I’ve been
doing a lot of pre-production. We got here right in the middle of Mardi Gras and we had lots of beads thrown at us. Are you nervous to start filming? I mean, you are working with Harrison Ford and Sir Ben Kingsley. You know, you’re always nervous the first day of filming. It’s always scary walking into a new set with new people. But usually by day two or three you’re into the swing of things. It’s kind of like the first day of school all over again. So, you can take as long as you like with this interview. Did you always want to be an actress? I did. I did my first commercial when I was three and I did my first movie when I was five so I don’t think there was a huge moment when I was four years old where I thought to myself, ‘I’ve finally found my calling’. But, I’ve always loved doing what I do and I never felt like I wanted to stop. Do you remember anything about Signs – the first film you ever made, directed by M. Night Shyamalan? I don’t remember it because I was so young. But I do remember I played this game on set all the time with cars. You were five years old after all. And then how did Little Miss Sunshine come about? I actually auditioned for it and the movie didn’t get made for a little bit afterwards. I met the
directors again after the saw me on Jay Leno, and the rest is history. Did you have any idea it was going to be a big hit? Or was it more of your parents telling you? I don’t think anyone really knew how big it was going to be. I kind of just did it and had a great time making it. I was nine years old and had no idea what was going on. When you’re nine years old you kind of just forget about making things. But the film took you to Sundance. Do you remember that? To be honest, everyone was telling me, ‘You’re going to Sundance’… and I thought it was a cruise! I had no idea what it was. But after Sundance, I began to have a good idea of what was going on. You were also one of the youngest people to ever be nominated for an Academy Award. What do you remember about that experience? I was in my bed sleeping and my mom and brother came into my room at 7am screaming. I had to do a phone interview right after and then I fell back asleep. I’m home schooled so I never wake up that early – but it was definitely exciting to me. Where are you living now? Where do you consider home? New York. I live in the Lower East Side. The weather has been so crazy here
‘To be honest, everyone was telling me, ‘You’re going to Sundance’… and I thought it was a cruise!’
REMIX 99
REMIX_people
‘There were times I would start bleeding on stage from cutting my hand on a piece of glass – but you have to just power through. You have to stay in character and make it work.’
JILL STUART dress, KARA ROSS earings
recently. I’ve been in New York since December so I’ve been seeing all the weird weather changes. We have another connection Abigail. I went to school with Alison Pill – your co-star in the Broadway production of The Miracle Worker. Are you scared of me yet? (Laughs). Definitely not. It was my first theater experience though. And it was certainly scary. I auditioned and automatically thought it was for a movie…and then I was made aware it was on Broadway. It was the most nerve-racking experience of my life. The rehearsals are insane – you’re there every single day at all hours. It’s such a physical experience too. It’s very intense and theater is a completely different beast. It’s very hard and strenuous work. You really do become a little family with everyone you are working with. It’s different than a movie because you are thinking about the whole show and not just your scenes. You have to be completely aware and have each other’s
backs. What did you learn about yourself doing Broadway? I think it made me a little bit tougher. There were times I would start bleeding on stage from cutting my hand on a piece of glass – but you have to just power through. You have to stay in character and make it work. It’s all about focusing on what you are doing. I did a movie right afterwards and I would fall in a scene and continue going. The director would stop me to see if I was OK. It was a contrasting experience. I also know you’re in a band called CABB with your friend Cassidy Reiff – who shares the same last name as my brother-in-law. This is getting scary. How do you define your sound’s aesthetic? It’s really interesting because we have very different musical inspirations. It’s fun because Cassie is very into Katy Perry and house music and I’m more into stuff like Regina Spektor, Simon and
Garfunkel and The Vaccines. It’s kind of a weird combination but we’ve been having so much fun working on the album. And there’s a CABB song in the movie Perfect Sisters that I just finished. I can’t say the title yet but it’s a very heavy movie and a very sad song. Stay tuned. I just listened to your song ‘Well Wishes’. I really like it. What’s the song based upon? It’s about a guy who likes a girl who is definitely not good for him and doesn’t care about him – and he doesn’t even notice the girl who does care for him. It’s one of those. Do you feel like you drew upon personal experiences when putting together the album? There definitely are my personal experiences embossed throughout the lyrics. I don’t name names per se, but they will know exactly who they are once they hear the songs. I’m nervous for them ... Good. They should be.
Photo Assistant rocky luten & bogdan kwiatkowski Fashion Assistant Chloe Hartstein Makeup kim bower Hair ryan trygstad manicurist AGGIE ZARO
REMIX 101
REMIX_people
JENA MALONE Jena Malone is as versatile an actress as they come. Following on from last year’s female-action blockbuster Sucker Punch, Malone will star in a historical mini-series (Hatfields & McCoys), a literary biopic (Lonely Hunter), and three independent movies (For Ellen, In Our Nature, The Wait) - all in the next few months. This screen time is nothing new for Malone. She has been in front of the camera for the past 16 years, consistently choosing diverse and captivating roles that have saved her from being typecast like so many of her Hollywood peers. Ariane Ankarcrona spoke to this soft-spoken and reflective actress in the midst of her rollercoaster year of projects.
Interview by ARIANE ANKARCRONA Photographer EMILY SHUR Fashion Editor EZRA WOODS REMIX 102
REMIX 103
REMIX_people
‘I didn’t want to become a woman in L.A. There are no real examples of how to be a good woman here. It’s the weirdest time in a young woman’s life and L.A. is schizophrenic in its own identity, not exactly gentle to a young woman’s development.’ Previous: Jeremy Scott dress, Brian Atwood shoes, socks, Jena’s own Opposite: Scout top, Jessica Trent hat, Elyse Jacob necklace from Roseark.
Your role in Bastard Out of Carolina earned you an Independent Spirit Award nomination at age 12. That was a heavy role to begin your career with, not exactly the Disney Club. How did you know you wanted to act? My mom did community theater and that’s when I first realized. You think of her as just your mom, as yours, but she was transformed on stage and the audience loved her. I thought, ‘This makes my mom cool’, and then I said, ‘I think I want to do this’. The first audition I got I was 10 years old and I convinced my mom to move to L.A. So you’ve been living in L.A. since then? Actually when I was 18 I moved back to Lake Tahoe [where Malone spent some of her early childhood]. I didn’t want to become a woman in L.A. There are no real examples of how to be a good woman here. It’s the weirdest time in a young woman’s life and [L.A.] is schizophrenic in its own identity, not exactly gentle to a young woman’s development. But now you’re in back L.A. How do you like it this time around? I love it. People have
an interesting love hate relationship with L.A. I find it to be very rejuvenating for the creative spirit, there are just so many stories that are yet to be told here. You’re only 27 but you have already been working consistently for 16 years, that’s pretty amazing. It’s always a constant influx, in the middle it’s hard to feel what pinnacle you’re at. I’ve been working a long time and the less I settle. So far it has been luck, a little bit of skill, and dedication. Well you seem to be particularly lucky this year because you have a lot of new projects in the works. Any favorites? Carson [McCullers, who Malone plays in the biopic Lonely Hunter] is my love child. We haven’t started shooting so I’m in the pregnancy stage and all I’ve been doing is research. There are so many biographies to read and study but literally only three sound recordings so I’m being a journalist, an explorer, and resurrecting her facts into a live person… I’m getting down into the nitty gritty. It’s rigorous but it’s the part of a lifetime.
REMIX 104
Had you read a lot of McCullers work before you heard about the script? I read the role of Frankie [Member of the Wedding] when I was 18 at a Getty Center taped performance thing and remember thinking, ‘What is this script??’ [McCullers] isn’t as known as she should be, she’s the underdog but everyone is so excited about this project. What about the historical mini-series you shot opposite Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton, Hatfields & McCoys? I’m a bit of nerd; I love to play real people so I fell in love with my character Nancy [McCoy], she’s a Lady Macbeth character of the West. I don’t even recognize myself but I’m proud of it. In that age it was much more black and white, your blood or my blood. You have two musical endeavors, ‘The Shoe’ and ‘Jena Malone & The Bloodstains’. Are you still making music with them? I’ve been doing those on/off since I was 21. It’s a personal thing; I make [music] for myself. I started a record company with my mom and little sister, just a small mail order thing but I
have a lot of challenging, mouth-watering acting roles right now so I haven’t been doing much music. Do you have any other creative outlets? Before I got into music, I studied photography and now I’ve actually started taking photos again. It is so complementary to being an actor, a tool to keep your eyes focused. You can play with what’s real, what’s not real. I kind of have a show coming up but I’m nervous, I don’t know if [my photography] is any good yet. Let’s rewind a bit to your role as Jake Gyllenhaal’s girlfriend in 2001’s Donnie Darko. A lot of people regard it as the number one cult classic. The reaction blew me out of the water. [Jake and I] were both so young and just excited to work with the director, Richard Kelly. He really put out what it is like to be adolescent in the 2000s. That movie may outlive us all. Last year’s all-female action blockbuster, Sucker Punch, seemed like an odd role
choice for you. What drew you to it? I loved (the director) Zack Snyder, I think every young actress wants to do a big surrealistic movie with him. Everyone wanted to prove to themselves they could go there. I’d never in my life worked so hard on a film, I was training with Navy SEALs everyday three months before filming even started. I’m a little girl and I was deadlifting 230lbs by the end of it, insane… I was basically lifting a baby elephant. What else did you take away from the movie besides ripped muscles? Such an orgy of benefits from Sucker Punch; I honestly wanted more from acting when I left set. It brought out in me more of a respect for the method of acting, the physical action of acting and the technique of pushing your body. It’s funny, I walk away from a movie like Sucker Punch and I’m suddenly a ‘method’ actor, like, what the fuck? [Laughs] Around the same time Sucker Punch was released, I saw a pretty X-rated shoot of
your in S magazine. The biggest obstacle in every woman’s life is her sexuality. Me, myself, I love to shoot the nude body and I love nude photography by Sally Mann and Nan Goldin. [S magazine] was a really creative, fun shoot done by a friend. My only regret is that I was so frickin’ skinny, I had no baby fat left on me after shooting Sucker Punch. As a young actress in Hollywood, I’m surprised we haven’t seen you splashed across the tabloids. How do you avoid that kind of attention? In the past, I shied away from press in a film. The only way I would do a cover was without makeup on; I was so set in how I wanted to be perceived. It has given me much more anonymity from the crowd but the older I get I am more wise to business and see it as less of an evil. I also know I am still me in a $100,000 dress and I am me naked on my front porch.
Fashion Assistant AMANDA KOBRITZ Hair jay diola Make up BETHANY MC CARTY Production Steve Pestana @ state armored creative Shot at The Sunset Marquis LA
REMIX 105
REMIX_people
DAKOTA JOHNSON It’s about to be a big year for actress Dakota Johnson. After making her film debut in Crazy In Alabama, she skipped a decade and made her film resurrection in the highly acclaimed feature The Social Network. Now standing on her own, she’s about to embark on whirlwind of film premiers, press junkets, and magazine interviews (starting with this one). But beware – this sweetheart hates asparagus… and everything about it.
Interview by YALE BRESLIN Photographer columbine goldsmith Fashion Editor CASSIA SKURECKI
REMIX 106
REMIX 107
REMIX_people
Hey Dakota. How’s it going? You’ve been all over the place recently. Where are you now? I’m in L.A. in my apartment as we speak. Yeah, the last few years have been pretty hectic. Things have really busy… and then they won’t be for a few months… and then they will pick up again. It’s really confusing, but I love it. Did you always want to be an actress? Well, I studied visual arts in high school because the drama program wasn’t necessarily the best to be involved with. And I thought it was sort of a cop out for kids who didn’t want to do anything, so they would end up doing the improvisation class. But, the drama teacher was actually incredible it was just difficult to teach kids who didn’t necessarily give a fuck. So, I studied visual arts and I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do. I think when I was 17 I figured out that acting was the thing that makes me feel so alive and happy. I think you should feel very lucky that you are able to say you love what you do for a living and generate an income doing it. I think it’s very rare to be able to say that. I completely agree. A lot of times people don’t even know what they love when it
comes to work. I feel very fortunate to be in a place like this. I’ve been able to really work hard to get to work on amazing films. But it also makes me really sad that not everyone is able to do what they love. There was a ten year gap from your acting debut in Crazy in Alabama to your role in The Social Network. Did you audition for the film? I did. They wouldn’t release the script ahead of time to anyone. When they told me David Fincher was doing a movie about Facebook, my automatic reaction was, ‘What the fuck’. I wasn’t even about to entertain the idea because it sounded so lame. But then I read up on it and ended up auditioning a few times and I luckily got the role. It’s just completely different from what David has done in the past. Besides the film, the music generated a ton of well-received hype. What did you think about the film’s soundtrack? I’m actually the biggest Nine Inch Nails fan ever. I thought it was amazing. I was so stoked when I found who was doing the score. I’m still waiting to meet Trent Reznor. I’m one of his biggest fans. What do you think you would have to say to him? I don’t think I would freak out, but I
REMIX 108
don’t think I would have much to say. I mean, what do you really have to say to Trent Reznor. I’m sure I’d stumble around. What did you learn from your experience on The Social Network? To be honest, I learned a lot. First of all, David is one of the most amazing people in the world. I admire him so much as a director and a fellow filmmaker that working with him was an absolute dream. I think when you are doing something that you know you are so excited for and when you are really nervous about something you become ‘unaware’ of every moment of it. You can forget what happened at certain times and instances because you are so enthralled by the whole experience. And now, you have lots coming up. 21 Jump Street for starters. Are you excited? I really am. It’s a very funny movie and it’s a good time for a movie like this. And it’s not even really a remake, as they never made a film version of it. So we were able to create our own version and at the same time, shed some new light on the show. I think it will be great. From there, you have The Five Year Engagement, Goats, Theo, and then Gay
Opener: ZARA dress Left page: ZARA dress This page: THEYSKENS THEORY sweater, ELIZABETH & JAMES pants
Dude – all films that you’re starring in. So needless to say, you’ve been busy. It’s true. I’m really excited about The Five Year Engagement. It was written by Jason Siegel and he stars in it with Emily Blunt. He’s beyond funny and it’s basically about a couple that are engaged for five years and they go through all these ups and downs. I don’t want to give a lot of information away but I’ll tell you I play someone who is close to Jason’s character. You’ll have to see it to find out the rest. I definitely will and look forward to it. You’ve worked with heavyweights like Paul Dano, Vera Farmiga, David Duchovny, Mira Sorvino and Megan Mullally. Do you feel like you’ve been fortunate to have worked with any of your icons? Have any of them been mentors to you? Not really because when you get on a set and get down to work, you become colleagues with these people and become friends with them. Jason Siegel has been so inspirational
to me. He paved his way in the comedy world – a realm of real life humor. So working with him was a really funny experience. Emily (Blunt) is also an incredible actress and a wonderful friend. David (Duchovny) is also a really cool guy. You look up to these people but when it comes down to it, they just want to make real stories… which is reflected in their work. What do you do in your downtime when you aren’t working? I have a dog named Zeppelin who I like to think is a German Sheppard – but he’s not. He’s a schnauzer. So we hang out a lot. He has a cast on his arm right now that has The Lakers’ colors on it. I never really knew he was a sports fan. But apparently he is. I also play a little bit of piano. I mostly just read a lot too. What is something we don’t know about Dakota Johnson? Well, I hate asparagus. Why? I don’t like the way it looks. But it’s not necessarily about the taste; it’s everything else that goes along with asparagus.
Duly noted. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? To be honest, I’d like to have made films that affect people and maybe make a film that helps someone realize they want to do something they love. I want to move people with my work. I hope that in ten years I will have done that and I hope that I would have helped people laugh, cry, love me or hate me. I just want to have an influence in some capacity.
Hair GUY ROMEO Makeup SIAN RICHARDS Production Steve Pestana @ state armored creative SHOT AT THE SUNSET MARQUIS LA
REMIX 109
REMIX_people
Joe Manganiello Ten years ago Joe Manganiello arrived in Hollywood as an aspiring young actor. The ex-high school jock, muscled and standing well over six feet tall, immediately stood out amongst industry hopefuls. Besides lacking the waiflike, pretty boy look popular with his fellow actors, he was already a serious practitioner of his craft, freshly graduated from the esteemed Carnegie Mellon School of Drama. It’s taken Manganiello ten years to find the part of the modest yet heroic hot-blooded werewolf, Alcide Herveaux, who he currently plays on HBO’s series True Blood. By continually embracing his own identity and refusing to bow to physical stereotypes, the once fresh-faced plebeian is now a highly sought after actor and one of People Magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive. Luke Brown sits down with Joe Manganiello to talk about life after a decade in the industry and what separates the man from the beast.
Interview by LUKE P.BROWN Photographer DOUG INGLISH Fashion Editor ANNIE PSALTIRES REMIX 110
REMIX 111
REMIX 112
REMIX_people
‘I think there is a gross misconception that people can’t be intellectual and athletic, that jocks are stupid and mean and that’s how they are generally are depicted in films. And intellectuals can do no wrong, are sweet and nice.’
This page: ALTERNATIVE APPAREL t-shirt, J BRAND chinos So are you shooting in New York? No, I came for a party for the 2012 London Olympics. Oh, very cool. Are you an Olympian candidate? Olympian speed-walker (laughs). No, a friend who was invited to the party asked me to come. Athletics are a huge part of your life though, right? Yes, well especially with this role in True Blood. Which is extremely physical. You were a football captain, a volleyball captain, and a basketball captain in high school, that’s a lot of responsibility. (Laughs) Yeah it was. Do you feel that any of the physicality of being an athlete translated over into your acting work? Yes, in drama school I especially excelled at all the physical and movement aspects of acting. With that said, that’s only one aspect of the job. There’s also the emotional side and the spiritual side, but the energetic side goes along with the mystical. There is also a psychological side, which involves another kind of discipline. Being a member of sports teams and building up to the moment when you’re about to compete, to battle, it’s very performative? Team sports are a great way to learn how to coexist with other egos and learn how to get along with and work well with others. As far as the comparison goes, sports are also live, there’s an audience; you prepare for months at a
time for a single moment, and that’s also true in film and theater. Your role on True Blood, as well as your role in the film Magic Mike, both require a lot of nudity. Are you comfortable with that? I guess that’s why I work so hard in the gym. Try running through Central Park naked while reciting a Ralph Waldo Emerson poem… Did you do that for a role? No. But hell, if I wouldn’t get arrested for it I’d do it for fun! The point is, chances are you’re not going to be thinking about the poem. So the goal is that while you’re performing these scenes not to be thinking about ‘I’m naked in front of a bunch of people.’ I bust my ass in the gym so that when I get on set I’m only thinking about my work. Do you think there is an objectification of the body in popular culture? Well, I think there is a gross misconception that people can’t be intellectual and athletic, that jocks are stupid and mean and that’s how they are generally are depicted in films. And intellectuals can do no wrong, are sweet and nice. I like to think that there are different aspects to people’s personalities. Ancient Greek culture was heavily based in athletics and philosophy and they were the ones who introduced drama into Western culture – that’s definitely where all classical theater training begins. I really think that those perceptions by people stem from laziness and at the end of the day I’m just not like that, I want to develop every aspect of myself.
REMIX 113
You really have both bases covered. You went to Carnegie Melon? And you were in the in the drama program there? Yes I was. As far as my own objectification goes, I really honestly couldn’t care less. I’m a classically trained theater actor that people mistake for this dumb, mindless jock, I think it means I am doing my job. I’m playing a Southern construction worker/werewolf on True Blood! It’s my job to fool people. Regardless of how other people perceive you; do you think that you’ve gone down the right path? I think that idea is what convinced me from pursuing athletics in college and really made me realize that there is an artist in me. I knew I could make my own path and build my own thing. That’s what I love about acting, I get to combine this weird, eclectic group of traits and kind of create things out of it. Do you think the role you play on True Blood came about because you stuck to who you are and your individual goals as an actor? It’s this bizarre, weird, perfect world that came out of nowhere and I got this role at a time when I was being told I’m too big to be a believable lawyer, or too blue collar to play white collar, or too this or too that. Then, this role comes along that combines all these aspects into one and because of that, my manager is getting calls that say they are now looking for people like me. Three years ago, when I was starving, where the hell where all these people?
REMIX_people
‘I think there is this repressed animal side to our society and the show is very sexual, it deals with death and sex and fight or flight and love and loss, the most primal things of our nature as humans.’
It’s almost like you created your own market? Kind of, yeah. I had to go with what I thought was right for me. I got to L.A. in 2000 and we were coming out of the ‘90s where there was a lot of androgyny going on, it was chic for women to look like men and men to look like women. Guys were kind of androgynous boys and I was this young man and I didn’t fit in but tried to. It wasn’t until I said, ‘The hell with it, I’m going to grow my hair down to my back and grow this huge beard out and get big and just be me, be what I like, and look how I want to look,’ it wasn’t until I did that and just owned who I was and really and truly stood up straight that everything started happening. I find that the fantasy of acting and constructed reality is an experience that we all have in common. I have often thought that the key to working, or the key to working as an actor, is that you have to be somebody’s fantasy. You have to be that. For example, I look like a guy who drinks beer, drives a muscle car and knows how to work on it, and went to the prom with three girls or whatever. That’s how I look if I walk into a room. The truth is, I don’t drink, I don’t work on my car, I skipped my prom. I was completely over high school by prom so I went to see Blade Runner in a movie theater instead. The fact of the matter is when I got cast in True Blood I said, ‘You know what’s missing from the ensemble, is that big-ass bearded country dude who’s just hillbilly strong, who’s got this kind of moral compass to him. That rugged construction worker/harlequin romance kind of guy.’ And so you know you have to go out and do your best to construct that character. And it’s a complex character. He is a metaphor for man’s ballistic nature. I always
go back to Fight Club when I think about [this character]. We’re descended from hundreds of thousands of years of hunters and now we shop at the grocery store… there is a repression of that primal energy. This character is the classic Joseph Campbell reluctant hero to a T, which is wonderful to play – he doesn’t want any part of it, he doesn’t want to be a hero he wants to be left alone. He doesn’t want to use his ability, but is forced to and painted into corners where he has no choice but to let it out. At the end of season four, what you saw was the emergence of the beast, which is also connected to the hero. As his power grew, it became taxing on him psychologically because it’s scary to try and harness that kind of power. Power can be very daunting. Completely, and he wanted no part of it because he has seen the negative side of power. I think it’s his challenge to find the positive in it, or you hope somebody winds up in his path that helps him to see it. It’s an amazing idea to play around with, especially in this day and age. In the last 40 years there is the question that, as men, what do we do? What is our purpose? What is fulfilling? And that’s what I get to explore in this character. It seems as technology advances and science reaches further into the past, television is becoming attuned to that and beginning to explore our more archaic nature as humans. I think there are a couple of things going on. For one, I think it is a return to ancient Greek or Egyptian mythology. They had Gods that were humans, who fucked each other and killed each other, which is very human. The beauty of that system was that it allowed us humans to talk about ourselves and what the nature of being human was. I think there is this repressed animal side to our society and
REMIX 114
the show is very sexual, it deals with death and sex and fight or flight and love and loss, the most primal things of our nature as humans. It’s interesting all of these hybrid TV shows of characters that are part animal and part human. Do you think this is a way for the constructed, organized society to integrate its animalistic past? At its root it’s a deconstruction of the genre, in that we’re showing these creatures at home. There was a great scene between Hoyt and Jester last season where Hoyt comes home from a hard day’s work and says, ‘Why can’t you ever cook me a meal? I worked my ass off to pay for this place, why can’t you make me something?’ And she gets angry and says, ‘Do you understand I open that refrigerator and there is nothing but dead things in it?’ You realize what it must be like for her? And so literally you see a vampire in the kitchen, the way that Anton Chekhov first presented people in theater, in their kitchen, in the living room, and that was revolutionary. I think True Blood is doing a similar thing, which is why the show transcends the genre. It’s not a vampire/werewolf show, it’s this really great HBO show that happens to deal with man’s animal nature. Do you feel as though technology is aiding people in finding their own autonomy and finding a way to connect and do good in the world? It was Carl Jung who speculated that with the huge technological increase that he saw in the first half of the 20th century we would run into a lot of trouble towards the end if morality didn’t increase at a parallel speed. And I agree. I think it has exposed that people live their lives to a lot lower standard than we had assumed, or hoped, or fantasized. So technology today is actually pulling
REMIX 115
REMIX_people
us, as humans, farther apart from each other? I miss record stores. I miss bookstores. I miss going to a record section and if I wasn’t dressed appropriately, I shouldn’t be in the punk section. I miss meeting people there and talking. I’m a guy who will call you and leave you a message, I’m not a texter. I like interacting. I like meeting people and hanging out and long dinners. There is an amount of that that I think is getting lost. I’m worried that society has gotten lazy; everybody is looking for the magic pill. So it’s complacency maybe? Maybe. I like to use technology so that I can move faster. Technology is aiding a lot of human rights now, it has given people a new apparatus to communicate and maybe reach beyond their limitations. I think that’s absolutely true. There is a girl named Claire Winnan, she is a little girl with cystic fibrosis and she started her own charity organization to help families and children who are living with cystic fibrosis. She asked me to be a part of it and I wound up tweeting about it. All of my fans rallied behind it and started making t-shirts and wrist bands and selling them and getting me to sign things and then auctioning them off and giving all of the proceeds to Claire’s foundation. That, to me, is completely one hundred percent worth it. I did want to ask you about your role in Magic Mike. What are your thoughts on being in a film based on Channing Tatum’s life, which he stars in and is co-producing? Is he trying to go back now and reclaim his past? Yeah. I mean it’s fascinating. It’s a world that I think hasn’t been talked about much and I think there are a lot of misconceptions about it. And there certainly were for me going into the project. And I don’t think anything is going to be able to prepare anyone for what they are about to see in the movie. It’s a wild ride and I can honestly say I have never has so much fun in my entire life. You were also working side by side with Matt Bomer, who is a college buddy from Carnegie Melon, right? We went to drama school, we were in the same class and he used to come to my Mom’s house for Thanksgiving. He was actually my first call when I got the offer. I
called him and said, ‘Hey man, are you doing this movie?’ And he said, ‘Yeah I think so, are you?’ And I go, ‘Yeah I think so’. And so that was it. Does the film address some of the social issues, with dancing and nightlife and body politics? I think it does that indirectly. I see girls really struggle with being naked on set and with the stigma that is attached if they take their clothes off. What makes this movie so fun is that guys aren’t threatened, guys couldn’t care less. Guys aren’t threatened and because of that it becomes really, really fun and really, really funny. Well maybe guys aren’t threatened if they have done their time at the gym. [Laughs] Maybe. But you know, I interviewed male strippers that did this for decades. And you know there is just a different feeling. You know at a female strip club you are not allowed to touch the girls. In most strip clubs, let’s say. In male strip clubs, it’s like the performers want the girls to touch them. They’re having sex with the girls backstage. There are women who are going to get married who are performing oral sex on these dudes in the crowd. They’re having sex with people in the parking lot, they’re following them home. I mean it’s a free-for-all. It’s like an orgiastic male fantasy. I mean, these women went so nuts that they ripped McConaughey’s thong off at one point. Those were extras? They brought in about 200 women a day, they had them fill out all this paperwork that basically said ‘the animals in the zoo will bite’ and then they gave them a stack of $1 bills and said, ‘Go for it, ladies. The more enthusiastic, the more you get into it the better.’ And once the girls got into it… there are men who are going to divorce their wives once they see what they did as extras on the show. You, the other actors, all the extras, were all in a professional situation. Well, we were working [laughs]. But then as soon as the ‘dancing’ scenes got started, the animal instincts kicked in? Yeah, and that’s the thing, a lot of people were like, ‘Oh, did you go hang out at a lot of male strip clubs, did you need to go do all this research?’ Listen, anyone who has been in seventh grade knows how to strip. And we had amazing choreographers and they came up with these really
unbelievable routines. Each routine is 45 seconds to a minute of choreography, that just completely degrades into mauling whoever is sitting in that chair [laughs]. What was your favorite scene in the film? There is a scene involving Channing and Alex that I want to say is Buster Keaton funny and Matt Bomer does this doctor routine that is hilarious. Kevin Nash does a Tarzan routine that is amazing. Honestly, I really got the good cards out of the deck. I have some really amazing, amazing memorable stuff in this movie. There is a scene where I am painted head to toe in gold and there’s a fireman routine that I do that is hysterical. I also have another scene with, let’s just say an apparatus. How did you get your character name, Big Dick Richie? You’ll find out [laughs]. So, do you bare it all? You’ll find out. That question will be answered in the movie. It’s fucking hilarious though.
Previous page: Vintage jacket from CHUCK’S VINTAGE LA, ALTERNATIVE APPAREL t-shirt This page: ALTERNATIVE APPAREL t-shirt, J BRAND chinos
Digital Tech MAXFIELD HEGEDUS Photo Assistant JOE DALEY Groomer helen roberston @ alconeco.com/celestine agency
REMIX 116
REMIX 117
REMIX_people
scott porter When Scott Porter gets on the phone with REMIX he has just left rehearsals for ‘A Night at Sardi’s’, an annual musical revue raising money and awareness for Alzheimer’s. The benefit’s theme this year is ‘Showstoppers’ and with the jam packed filming schedule Porter has had this year we’d say he certainly fits the bill.
Interview by ARIANE ANKARCRONA Photographer ADAM FEDDERLY Fashion Editor NATALIE HOWELL
REMIX 118
REMIX 119
REMIX_people
You’re perhaps best known for playing Jason Street on the Emmy-winning football drama Friday Night Lights (which ended last year despite its cult following), but you’re now starring alongside Rachel Bilson on CW’s Hart of Dixie. How is the show going? I had been doing drama for so many years and this is a lighter comedic story. I didn’t want to get pigeonholed so it was perfect timing and I didn’t expect to have as much fun as I did. I was a little bit wary about doing a CW show because of the stigma attached to the network but I decided to look at the cast and ignore the network. Can we expect a second season? The show has wrapped for this season so now there’s a two month void; no actor knows if they’re safe for the next season and they can’t audition for anything. It’s a hilarious waiting game. How did you even get into acting to begin with? I did musical theater first; I beat boxed at theme parks before I ever started acting. Then I started singing and was on Broadway but Hollywood doesn’t care what you did before you got there, just about your last job. They’re like, ‘Aw that’s cute, you used to sing and dance’. Well you’ve since starred in some great TV shows. Do you prefer working on those instead of feature length films? I’m a homebody. The stability of a TV series is something I love but at the end of the day you just want to tell a good story, it doesn’t matter what medium. That must be true because you also have two feature-length movies coming out
this year, Ten Year and The To Do List. Both movies have great casts but The To Do List particularly sounds like a lot of fun. Tell us a bit about it. Well it used to be called The Hand Job and we’re fighting to get that name back [laughs]. It was written by Bill Hader’s wife, Maggie Carey, but was on the blacklist for a couple years. It’s basically a femaledriven raunchy comedy about a girl who has a summer school list of sexual things to accomplish (including a hand job) before she goes to college. It has a brilliant cast that I couldn’t in my dreams have come up with. Who do you play? I play Rusty Waters, a grunge rock lifeguard from the nineties. I can’t quite picture you as that but it sounds hilarious. I also hear that you are a big comic book fan. Oh yeah, I’m still a kid at heart, I play a ton of video games. I started reading Uncanny X-Men when I was seven years old and at that time we were the nerdy kids in the corner. We were supposed to shuffle our feet and panic when we talked to girls, that’s what people thought then. Now Comic Con has turned into Pop Culture Con; now everyone wants a piece of our geeky little world. You’ve already lent your voice to some video games and can be heard as Cyclops in the animated X-Men series, but what about those big budget comic book hero movies - who would you play? Being the big kid that I am, those roles are always at the forefront of my mind and I’m hoping at one point something breaks the right way. I was one of the final four actors for Captain America and tested
Groomer KYLEE HEATH Production Steve Pestana @ state armored creative Shot at The Sunset Marquis LA
REMIX 120
for a Justice League project but someday I would love to play Iron Fist or the Flash… I think I’m more like [Flash] in real life. Any special powers you wish you had? Super speed. There is something fun about knowing you can get your chores done in a blur and then spend time doing what you actually want to do. You’ve been working hard this year with two new movies and a full TV season under your belt (I’m starting to see the Flash resemblance). Do you have any down time planned? I tried to grow up too fast this year, I bought a house and got engaged in a two-week period in January and so far I haven’t had time for either. I’m not going to audition on purpose but I know I will panic; I never can truly take a break. I will probably break in two weeks when I wake up in a sweat.
Previous: TED BAKER t-shirt, G STAR jacket Opposite: G STAR knit cardigan, LNA t-shirt
REMIX 121
REMIX_people
chord OVERstreet Ariane Ankarcrona caught up with Chord Overstreet after a song-filled day of filming and was promptly schooled on Glee, guitars and the best place to get a sweet tea north of Nashville.
Interview by ARIANE ANKARCRONA Photographer DOUG INGLISH Fashion Editor ANNIE PSALTIRES
REMIX 122
REMIX 123
REMIX_people
When news broke at the end of last year that Chord Overstreet would not be returning to season three of the hit TV show Glee, a trending protest was born with #DontCutTheChord. Torn between a music career outside of the FOX series and his character, Sam Evans, Overstreet did what any clever young Hollywood star should do, he did both. Your father, Paul Overstreet, is a wellrespected country singer-songwriter and your brother has his own band, Hot Chelle Rae. What was it like growing up in such a musical household in Nashville, Tennessee? Fun. My brother and I would jam out, mess around in the studio… there was music everywhere. My dad was always writing, I started playing guitar around age 11 or 12 and then started writing with him when I was about 16. How is your guitar playing these days? I mean, I play. I’m good enough to write, record, and perform. My brother is an amazing guitarist, I’m definitely not as good as him but any chance to work on music, I take it. I’ve been in the studio a lot. Where do you get the inspiration for your music from? Stuff that has happened to me, stories I’ve been told by friends. For me, each song I write is an individual story with a beginning, middle and end. Anyone you really want to duet with?
Well I don’t want anyone else blowing up my spot and all the people I would want to perform with would totally do that [laughs]. You’re most famous for playing jocktransfer student, Sam Evans, on Glee. Were you anything like your character in high school? Yeah, oddly enough I was a goofball like Sam in high school, always cracking jokes. I was also literally playing baseball and football, 24/7. All I ever did was play sports. Which is funny because then you jumped into acting. How did that happen? My mom was always telling me I should try acting. I was working at it, one thing lead to another, and next thing I knew I was moving out to L.A. But before Glee you had a handful of smaller acting gigs that weren’t so successful. Did you ever get disheartened? It’s [acting] always been fun, it’s something I love to do. I never felt bad about it because I know it’s a hard business to break into. I got lucky enough to land a show that was blowing up right as I entered it… I really wasn’t expecting it. Is there a role you would really like to play one day or wish you had played? I don’t know what they [the roles] are yet as they probably haven’t been written. I don’t have a clue what’s in the future and the roles I wished I’d played
are so good, you cant re-do what’s been done. I love all Sean Penn’s stuff, Brad Pitt, and Robert Duvall is a favorite. You’re living in L.A. now but is there anything you miss about the South? I miss my family, my dog, spring fishing… you don’t get much of that around here. Oh, and sweet tea that’s the deal breaker. Chik-fil-A is the only place to get a decent sweet tea around here. How are you dealing with young Hollywood fame? It all goes along with the show, you get attention but everyone is in the same position, it’s not like I’m the only one.
‘My mom was always telling me I should try acting. I was working at it, one thing lead to another, and next thing I knew I was moving out to L.A.’
Digital Tech MAXFIELD HEGEDUS Photo Assistant JOE DALEY Groomer HELEN ROBERTSON @ ALCONECO.COM/CELESTINEAGENCY.COM
REMIX 124
Previous: LEVI’S jacket, DIESEL jeans, t-shirt stylist’s own Opposite: DRIES VAN NOTEN shirt
REMIX 125
REMIX_people
PAUL WESLEY While Twilight may have stole the limelight on the big screen, CW’s The Vampire Diaries has triumphed on television and is now in its third blood sucking season. REMIX hunted down the main star of the show, Paul Wesley, to talk about his upcoming projects and how he became a modern day (and much better looking) Dracula.
First off, did you ever imagine you’d become famous for playing a vampire? Honestly, not even remotely for a second. I used to play more stereotypical characters like jocks and tough guys. I never saw myself as a heroic creature of the night but as an actor that’s what you want to do, get outside of the box. Vampire fans are pretty hardcore, how do you deal with all the blood-sucking craziness? The first year was massively overwhelming, I found myself getting sucked in but now I’ve distanced myself from it a bit. It should be interesting in three or four years when the show is over, what happens to the fan base. Will they really still be talking about Vampire Diaries? They might be. Why do you think everything vampire related has suddenly become so popular? Well it’s always been popular. Think of Tom Cruise in Interview with the Vampire but now they’ve reenergized it with a young theme. Dark, mysterious, omnipotent men are now a cool, young thing. Are there any other type of roles you’d
like to take on? It’s all about the character and the director, it just turns into a shitshow without the good vision of a director. Which directors do you think have good vision? Kubrick, Bergman… but they’re all dead, it sucks. New guys, I like Aronofsky and Almodovar; I find [Almodovar] to be so brilliantly twisted, you always go on a ride with him. There are certain directors I want to ride with. Indie films I see that I am taken by, like I just saw We Need to Talk About Kevin, which is pure directing talent. How did you come to be an actor? I grew up in New Jersey and did some school theater but I lived 25 minutes outside Manhattan so always drifted there. I auditioned for some things and I immediately got a soap opera so I relocated and pretty much spent my adolescence [in Manhattan]. When I turned 18 I got more into serious acting. What do you think you’d be doing otherwise? I always thought I’d go to college and when I was kid I liked journalism investigative journalism. Writing is still a big part of who I am though. I’m very involved in film
making right now but behind the camera. I’m putting together a film with childhood friends and we’re forging our own production company. That sounds exciting, what kind of films do you want to produce? Dark comedies with a dramatic core, films that find irony in situations. You recently wrapped The Baytown Disco with Billy Bob Thornton. Tell me about the movie and your character. It’s an over the top drama comedy - super over the top and violent. I wanted to do something different from a teenage vampire character so I play an older guy, a detective who is married with a kid. I’m on the hunt for bad guys, one of the bad guys being Billy Bob’s character. What was it like shooting with him? Didn’t have a single scene with [Billy Bob], never even met him. Do you have a release date yet? No, no… no idea what is going to happen to it, don’t think anyone has even seen it yet. You hope something will happen with these types of movies but 99% you hear nothing more about them.
Interview by ARIANE ANKARCRONA Photographer columbine goldsmith Fashion Editor KRIS ZERO REMIX 126
Grooming SYDNEY ZIBRAK
This shirt helps t-shirt, Levi’s jeans, American Apparel sweatshirt, leather jacket Paul’s own
REMIX 127
REMIX_people
THOMAS SADOSKI Stage lights have been shining brightly on Tommy Sadoski for the past decade and a half but this year he’s leaving Broadway behind to star in Aaron Sorkin’s highly anticipated new HBO drama, The Newsroom.
You went to theater school in New York City and have spent most of your working life there but you’ve now switched coasts to film for HBO. How do you feel about L.A? L.A is L.A, they call it Hollyweird for a reason. It’s a strange place but you can’t knock the people, there are a lot of great people out here. What is it about New York? I’m a theater rat at heart and life in the theater in New York is the realization of a lifelong dream. Not going to lie, there’s a bit of separation anxiety. Although to be out [in L.A.] with the group of theater actors in this cast is great and we’re lucky because Aaron Sorkin has such love and respect for the theater. How was theater school for you? It was a trip, a completely different little world. I grew up in a small town in Texas so it was a bit freaky at first, so utterly outside my frame of reference but at the same time it made a lot of sense. My town was like a slightly ill-fitting shoe, I felt more at home humming and rolling around on the floor [in theater school]… which probably doesn’t paint me in the best light as a beneficial part of society [laughs]. What originally drew you to the stage? That is the question. I don’t know… how does anything ever happen? How are you a journalist? Storytelling has always been important to me. My
father started off reading to me very early, things like The Illiad and The Odyssey; there is something about huge epics that worm their way in there. I get to re-do a story every night on stage and replay every take on a TV show, it’s a perpetual quest. I wish there were days when I was passionate about something else, but I’m not. Is there any theater production that particularly inspired you to take to the stage? Like every actor: Hamlet. You have a whole host of awards for your various stage performances, what drew you away from them and onto the big screen? Opportunity. And they pay me for it even though I would’ve done it for free… don’t tell Aaron that. HBO has a tendency to catapult actors into the limelight, are you ready to be famous off Broadway? [Laughs] I have nothing to be concerned about. I’m a pretty regular guy with a weird last night from a small town in Texas, not the stuff that movie stars are made from. If success helps me continue in this profession then that’s awesome. I will have gotten everything I want out of life, which is a lot to ask of the universe. What was it like working with a big name like Aaron Sorkin? Were you nervous? Terrified. Totally. Aaron is an
incredible wordsmith; you take every word of his very seriously and it’s easy to be intimidated but Aaron himself is not actually intimidating. The plot of The Newsroom not so surprisingly revolves around the life and work of a fictional news team as they prepare for their daily broadcast. Do you think you could ever hack it in a newsroom in reality? No, I don’t do well with fact. There is a logical reality that takes place in reporting and I’m an actor who has existed in fantasy thus far. That much responsibility to inform a populous is terrifying and [the show] has given me respect for people who do it well, those who came before. Tell me a bit about your upcoming movie, 30 Beats, which also stars Paz de la Huerta. It’s written and directed by Alexis Lloyd and based on Schnitzler’s play, La Ronde from the 1900s. It’s a great look at intimacy, a cross-section of characters dealing with sexuality and sexual encounters. It probably won’t open at that many theaters but I’m proud of it. The movie is set in NYC during a heat wave. What is your character like? I’m assuming quite different from Don in The Newsroom? I play a speechwriter with an S & M fetish who falls in love with an operator of the hotel he’s staying in….
Interview by ARIANE ANKARCRONA Photographer adam fedderly Fashion Editor natalie howell Groomer KYLEE HEATH Steve Pestana @ state armored creative Shot at The Sunset Marquis LA
REMIX 128
MAISON ROUGE HOMME shirt & tie, TIE BAR tie clip
REMIX 129
F as o hi n
the other day
Photographer Annelise Phillips Fashion Editor Emily Barnes
Altuzarra dress, Jean Paul Gaultier vest REMIX 133
DOLCE & GABBANA top & skirt, phillip crangi bangles
PETER PILOTTO shirt & skirt
ISABEL MARANT jacket, diesel black gold pants, JENNI KAYNE shirt, DAVID YURMAN ring
CARVEN shirt
PREEN dress, BRIAN ATWOOD shoes, DAVID YURMAN necklace
MANDY COON jumpsuit Hair Seiji Makeup john mckay Model solange @ supreme Photo Assistants molly goldrick & victor gutierrez Fashion assistant Chloe Hartstein Production STEVE PESTANA @ state armored creative
ZUZANA Photographer kava gorna fashion editor emily barnes
Proenza Schouler top, Acne jacket, 3.1 Phillip Lim pants, LD Tuttle shoes
3.1 Phillip Lim vest, Eres underwear, TOUS and Natalie Frigo rings, Anndra Neen ring & cuff
REMIX 142
Diesel Jacket, Lyn Devon skirt, LD Tuttle shoes
Vintage shirt from Screaming MiMi's, Rag & Bone hat REMIX 143
Current Elliot jeans, R13 T-shirt, Calvin Klein shirt, Theyskens Theory cardigan, TOUS, Anndra Neen & Natalie Frigo rings
Full look, Marc Jacobs
Theyskens Theory shorts, Alexandre Herchcovitch top, Natalie Frigo & Anndra Neen rings REMIX 146
REMIX 147
Shot at Pier 59 New York
Hair Seiji Makeup Tamah Krinsky Model Zuzana@dna Photo Assistants Chris Grosser & Rafael Rios Fashion assistant Chloe Hartstein production Steve Pestana @ state armored creative
Vintage jacket model's own, earring from Love, Adorned Acne dress & jacket, Anndra Neen bangle
SANDRO pants, CUSHNIE ET OCHS shirt, MUS cardigan REMIX 148
PROENZA SCHOULER top & skirt
Alyssa Photographer daniel king fashion editor emily barnes
REMIX 149
MARC JACOBS sweater & skirt REMIX 150
ACNE dress, MUS cardigan REMIX 151
BCBG MAX AZRIA jumpsuit REMIX 152
JASON WU trenchcoat & t-shirt REMIX 153
NIKE shirt, ISABEL MARANT pants
REMIX 154
Hair conrad dornan Makeup ralph siciliano using mac set designer eli metcalf Model alyssa miller @ elite Photo Assistants jeremy smith & devin doyle Fashion assistant Chloe Hartstein Production Steve Pestana @ state armored creative
ALEXANDRE HERCHOVITCH dress
REMIX 155
MATTE COLOR Photographer DAVID SCHULZE fashion editor JAMES VALERI
Louis : RICHARD CHAI shorts, NICHOLAS K shortrs, VIBRAM 5FINGERS trainers. Pete: YIGAL AZROUEL t-shirt & shorts, BERNHARD WILLHELM tights, VIBRAM 5FINGERS trainers REMIX 156
REMIX 157
Louis: raf simons top, DRIES VAN NOTEN sweatpants. Seth: raf simons top, bernhard willhelm shorts (on top)
REMIX 158
REMIX 159
Jarrod: YIGAL AZROUEL shorts, JEREMY SCOTT by ADIDAS fannypack, VIBRAM 5FINGERS trainers. Brian: JEREMY SCOTT by ADIDAS top & shorts, VIBRAM 5FINGERS trainers.
REMIX 160
Seth: GIVENCHY shorts, BERNHARD WILLHELM trainers. Pete: GIVENCHY top, Y3 shorts, VIBRAM 5FINGERS trainers REMIX 161
Pete: Total look by RXL by RALPH LAUREN. Jarrod: Total look by RXL by RALPH LAUREN. REMIX 162
Pete: MARC JACOBS top & shorts, BERNHARD WILLHELMS leggings & trainers, DRIES VAN NOTEN belt.
photographers ASSTistant Ned Mulvihill, SAM ROCK & Barbera Talia fashion ASSistant ABDOUL DIALLO & ELLEN PANDE MAKE UP William Murphy @ JOE MANAGMNET HAIR Jordan M @ Bumble and bumble BRAIDS Guerlyne HAIR Assistant GRETTA PRELL CASTING CAITLIN PHILLIPS MODELS Pete Bolton @ VNY, Jarrod Scott @ Ford, Seth Kuhlmann @ Soul, Brian Shimansky @ Soul & Louis Mayhew @ Red models REMIX 163
LOOM Photographer MATtHEW KRISTALL fashion editor jason rider
mat kris
REMIX 164
thew stall
Levi’s shirt, Prada trousers & scarf, Cast of Vices necklace, Marc Jacobs shoes REMIX 165
Hermes jacket, Dries Van Noten trousers, Citizens of HumanitY denim shirt, David Yurman ring, stylist’s own scarf
G-Star jacket, Marc Jacobs shirt, Levi’s jeans, Piombo belt, Prada scarf, David Yurman necklace & ring
Hermes jacket, Citizens of Humanity shirt, Dries Van Noten trousers David Yurman ring, stylist’s own scarf
Prada check jacket, True Religion denim jacket, Cast of Vices pill necklace, David Yurman chain necklace, Fine & Dandy collar bar, stylist’s own scarf
Piombo denim jacket, Engineered Garments shirt, Hermes pajama trousers, Dries Van Noten shoes, Cast of Vices necklace, David Yurman ring
Giorgio Armani jacket, Piombo denim shirt, David Yurman necklace & ring Model Angus Low @ Next Models & Bogdan Tudorache @ new york models Photo Assistant Liudi Hara Fashion assistants Elena Hale & Pia Rahman Grooming Wesley O’Meara @ the wall group
Le Homme Sportif Photographer BEN RAYNER fashion editor ANDREW DAVIS
LANVIN shorts & jacket, Y-3 striped vest, MATTHEW MILLER blue cycling shorts, TOPMAN socks, LANVIN trainers REMIX 172
ADIDAS sweatshirt & cycling shorts, G-STAR shoes
BURBERRY SPORT t-shirt, BURBERRY BRIT blue swim shorts, MATTHEW MILLER yellow cycling shorts, PUMA for PRINGLE boots
Left: PRINGLE polo neck jumper, MARNI shorts, MATTHEW MILLER yellow cycling shorts, PUMA for PRINGLE boots
Left: NIKE running top, Y-3 swimming trunks, ADIDAS socks, NIKE trainers Right: ADIDAS jacket, MATTHEW MILLER shorts, TOPMAN socks, ADIDAS trainers
Left: DIOR HOMME jacket, PRINGLE top & shorts, ADIDAS sport socks, Y-3 trainers Right: CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION white waffle vest, ADIDAS shorts MATTHEW MILLER blue cycling shorts, NIKE trainers
Right: ADIDAS SLVR jacket, Y-3 shorts, ADIDAS socks, NIKE trainers
MODELS RAF & George @ models 1 GROOMER Lee Machin @ carens
all badges and medals on the clothing are transfers created by the stylist.
DKNY jacket, shorts & polo, ADIDAS socks, MIHARAYASUHIRO plimsoles
REMIX_FASHION
THE SPECIALISTS
Meet the fresh crop of menswear designers specializing in the pieces you’ll want this season
RUBY KOBO
SATURDAYS NYC Name: Josh Rosen, Morgan Collett and Colin Tunstall. Brand: Saturdays NYC. Specialize in: Surf gear for the city dweller Launched: 2009 Why should guys wear your boardshorts? It’s simple, because of the fit we created. It’s a little shorter than the surf industry standard but a nice classic cut. Biggest design inspiration? Artist Barnett Newman’s clean simple color blocking, and color pairings. What’s next? Our second and third stores. Tokyo opens this spring, and a West Village shop opens this summer Available at: Bloomingdale’s, Saturdays Surf, NYC and saturdaysnyc.com/store Website: saturdaysnyc.com
REMIX 180
Name: Yuvi Alpert. Brand: Ruby Kobo. Specializes in: Casual-lux jewelry Launched: 2009. Why should guys wear your jewelry? The layering of bracelets or necklaces is a new way for guys to express their creativity and unique style, and can add an edge when thrown over a t-shirt or a dressier look. Biggest design inspiration? My inspiration comes from living in New York, and from traveling. I get inspired running through the canyons of L.A., observing street-style in Paris, and walking through Nolita on a fall day. What’s next? Inspired by the Gold Bar, we did a 14K bar on a Japanese chord for fall. Available at: Bergdorf Goodman Men, Fred Segal, Colette, The Webster and parkandbond.com Website: rubykobo.com
Photographer GREG BROOM Fashion Editor MICAH JOHNSON Stylist JASON GLEDHILL
ARMANDO CABRAL Name: Armando Cabral Brand: Armando Cabral Specializes in: Italian-made luxury footwear Launched: 2009 Why should guys wear your shoes? Trends come and go, but my shoes have individualism and personality, making them easy for guys to incorporate into their personal style. Biggest design inspiration? Travel, leisure, work and play What’s next? US, European and Asian expansion Available at: Odin, Steven Alan, wrongweather.net Website: armando-cabral.com
GEORGE McCRACKEN BLACK TAB Name: George McCracken Brand: George McCracken Black Tab Specializes in: Japanese premium denim. Launched: 2011 Why should guys wear your jeans? Unadulterated by the phony authenticity of ‘distressing,’ all of my jeans are raw, and invite the wearer to create their own unique fade, through wear over time. They are all made in a small factory in Japan, of the best Japanese denim available, in limited runs of 60 pairs per color. Biggest design inspiration? The novel Pattern Recognition by William Gibson What’s next? Women’s Black Tab! Available at: Barney’s New York, barneys.com Website: georgemccracken.com
REMIX 181
REMIX 182
cul tu re REMIX 183
REMIX 184
REMIX_MUSIC
trust Interview by Tyler Benz Photographer KRISTIE MULLER Styling ROBERT ALFONS & KRISTIE MULLER
Toronto-based Trust are one of those bands that arrives on the scene fully formed - a clear sound and aesthetic that makes every other seemingly buzz-worthy band sound like total amateurs. Most journalists refer to Trust as some form of ‘synth-goth-electro-whatever,’ but the labels for the outfit are truly beside the point. Robert Alfons and Maya Postepski, also of the band Austra, compose the unwittingly shy duo that is making indie’s most tired old dog (synth pop) and single-handedly making it enjoyable again. But for all the candy-kissed synths and lumbering, dark-disco beats, the keystone of Trust is the brooding vocals of Alfons. Lodged somewhere in between the glossolalia of the Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Frasier and the narcotic malaise of Lou Reed, Alfons’ voice coils and falls into something at once completely familiar yet unrelentingly unique. I caught up with the Alfons, during his first run of shows since the lauded release of Trust’s the debut album, TRST. Since this interview, Trust’s popularity has swelled to astronomical heights, a rare instance of credit where credit sorely due. What’s up? How was the show last night?
The show last night was insane, they crammed people in there like sardines. It was a good vibe going on in there, like I'm sure everyone had threesomes after the show. When did you start making music? I've always been making music, like when I was very young. How has living in Toronto influenced you? What is it about that city that seems to breed such creativity? The city isn't glamorous, so people have to do things to make it interesting. It's a pretty ugly city. Do you feel as though location has a direct relationship to how your music sounds? Oh I'm sure. The next will be written next to a volcano, we'll see how it turns out. How do you feel about the comparisons people are making? And what about the labeling? (I’ve heard almost every combination of kraut-goth-skulk-punkdance-pop-blah-blah). It's all expected and
REMIX 185
so lazy. Whatever - it's our moment now to show that it isn't all those things. Trust is a cohesive, aesthetic concept as well as a band. What’s in the bank of influencers that led to the idea of Trust? (Not just music, but anything – literature, imagery, memories, etc)? Our meal that day I'm sure had the most influence on the music. What are your plans for the future? You’ve already started work on the second album right? Writing and touring. Playing shows is a high. You’re coming here to New York in about a week – what are you expecting, given that this will be your first appearance since TRST has spread? Trust certainly has a swelling popularity here. Man, we're excited to come do some headline gigs and play a nice chunk of the album. It's always exciting coming to New York, I start gazing again.
REMIX_MUSIC
ssion Interview by TYLER BENZ Photographer AMOS MAC Photographers assistant Robbie Acklen Styling/Hair/Makeup Cody Cricheloe
When bands attempt to create a sensational spectacle, the results are usually less than ideal. But SSION (pronounced ‘shun’), epitomizes everything that is right about a band that constructs an entire universe for its music to reside. Like a trans Italia disco with a punk aesthetic on a whole lotta acid, Cody Critchloe’s collective machine marries almost every subcultural genre from the last 40 years in a sparkling hodgepodge of lysergic treachery. Critcheloe’s has been at work for over a decade now, but the online release of the LP Bent last summer (the physical release is coming out this summer on Dovecote Records), it seems a larger populace is finally beginning to process the technicolor revelry of SSION – it’s about time. What is SSION exactly - a band? A collective? A performance troop? A cult? It's the name I use to describe everything I do. I used to say it was a band/performance troupe, but that's not really true. I think I tell people that sometimes because it's easier for them to wrap their heads around and I guess it ultimately depends on who I'm talking to. I think about it in a typical pop kind of way - I write songs,
collaborate with musicians and producers to make a record, then I develop these songs into music videos and a live show. I guess it's pretty straightforward, you know? I have a lot of friends in Kansas City who help out with the visual side of the project. I’m just now starting to work with people in NYC and other places, which is cool. I think it's giving it new life. I love the idea of merging those two worlds. Tell me about the inception of SSION and how you have evolved over the last 10 years? It started as a punk band in Kentucky, where I grew up. Just me and my three best girlfriends making the worst noise imaginable. Then I went to art school and everything just merged... my art/videos and music. It is what it is, I just keep doing it and it just sort of mutates depending on what I want to do and the resources I have available. It's really very pop right now, especially the music, which I have sort of a love/
REMIX 186
hate relationship with. When I first started making videos, they were the most insanely crude stop-motion videos, but they matched the music really well. I think the more people I started working with, the 'better' it got - maybe better isn't the right word? It just sort of evolved - there wasn't a plan. St. Louis is a city rich in musical history, but when I think of acid disco punk, it doesn't exactly come to mind. Still, it somehow (I'm not entirely sure how) makes perfect sense that SSION has roots there. How has St. Louis influenced your musical direction? SSION was formed in Kentucky. I went to art school in Kansas City, so it moved with me to Kansas City and that's where it 'came together' - I lived in KC for over 10 years. I don't think Kansas City really had anything to do with my musical direction. It wasn't like I was really involved in
the 'scene' - if anything I was always reacting against it... and I think that was what making pop music was about in the first place. There are a million punk bands in the Midwest, but how many decently tinged pop bands exist? It just seemed cooler/weirder... I was listening to a lot of Top 40 stuff anyway, so I feel like the music could have been made anywhere - maybe. The visual aesthetic that formed seems like it had more to do with KC. Now that I've left I can already see and feel a shift and it's awesome. I don't want this to come off negatively, but I really wanted to detach myself from certain things that people had come to associate with me or SSION... I think it's happening. In a good way. To me, the idea of SSION is captured in a line in ‘Blonde With U’: ‘doing poppers on the treadmill/goddamn I love LA.’ Have you ever actually done poppers on a treadmill? Sounds fun/ dangerous. Yes. In LA. It was weird and not really fun. I thought I was gonna have a heart attack for a split second. I was also way stoned. I tweeted about it. There were a lot of lyrics on Bent that were tweets first. You’ve played some pretty crazy venues over the last few years – from abandoned lofts to MoMA PS1. If you could play a show at any venue where would it be? Madison Square Garden! DUH! You made what is easily my favorite video of the year for ‘My
Love Grows in the Dark’. What were the influences behind it? How did you conceive it? When I go back to Kansas City I usually stay at my friend Jaimie Warren's house. She has four roommates and they live in this huge house. I asked her if I could rent out the first floor of the house for a week to shoot the video... That song is about a sex club, so my initial idea was to turn the first floor into a literal sex club but that seemed so boring, like, who gives a shit. So I just came up with other ways of making that happen. I just draw a lot and see what happens. I try not to think too hard about anything, just go off instinct. I know this must sound so cliché. I hate talking about this stuff... I just do it. I had a lot of influences for that video: Pierre and Gilles, Culture Club, Holy Mountain Wild at Heart, Andrew WK, Gwen Stefani, The Nanny, Tom Petty... Bent has been out for a while now; it was the soundtrack to my summer '11. Why do you think it’s having a renaissance now? Beause the videos are what give SSION life. It makes people understand the songs. It makes them bigger... and because I think the visual is equally important. Also the physical release is finally coming out this summer. There will be videos for every song. They will be coming out all year into the next until I've exhausted that record for myself. Then I’ll start all over again. Lastly, what's on deck next for SSION? Making stuff. Lots of it.
REMIX 187
REMIX_Books
NICK HAYMES:GABETM
ARTBOOK SELECTS Damiani $40.00 This one is sure to become a legend. The story in pictures of Gabe Nevins, the star of Gus Van Sant’s cult classic Paranoid Park from innocence to dark despair and back again.
RINEKE DIJKSTRA: A RETROSPECTIVE electrical banana: masters of psychedelic art Damiani $39.95 The trend for color and patterns in recent collections recalls the heyday of psychedelic art. Get to the source in this eye-opening survey of the movements early masters.
Guggenheim Museum Publications $55.00 A long overdue comprehensive monograph on this seminal art photographer.
NFRA: PHOTOGRAPHS BY RICHARD MOSSE Aperture/Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting $50.00 Photographs of war taken with infrared filters make for eerily beautiful landscapes that mask hidden horror.
REMIX 188
REMIX_FASHION
hunter barnes
Hunter Barnes is a documentary photographer who focuses his artistic gaze on the faces of proud groups of people who are consistently misrepresented in the modern American narrative. Hunter cherishes the friendships he builds with people who recognize his sincerity and allow him access to their private worlds. After establishing their trust over meaningful dialogue and shared experiences, he frames his subjects as they are and where they dwell. For this issue of REMIX, a selection of Hunter’s imagery from his upcoming book Serpent Handling to be published by Reel Art Press is presented. A show will also follow at Milk Gallery NYC this coming summer.
REMIX 189
REMIX_RESEARCH
REMIX LOVES / matthias de gonzales
LARRY SULTAN AND MIKE MANDEL
Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
LARRY SULTAN AND MIKE MANDEL
9 783865 607447
1. Jil Sander Python print cotton blend T shirt, this cool exotic reptilian print will bring just the right amount of bite to an either dressed down or dressed up warm weather look. 2. Givenchy off-white mirrored bird of paradise print is definitely not just another white t-shirt. 3. Acne Short Light weight cotton pique stretch short perfect for a warm day or a weekend get away 4. Silver Tree Vodka Silver Tree Vodka is a signed and numbered small batch vodka which is the highest rated American made vodka created by the Leopold brothers in Denver, CO. 5. Woolrich Woolen Mills Olive Cincinnati Jacket, the perfect smart jacket for all your hipster needs. 6. His Wallie gym sack with understated sleek matte black hard-wear is perfectly low key at the gym and stylish enough for an overnighter. A new take on the traditional back pack with an Alexander Wang twist. 7. Givenchy Ankle strap sandal in khaki vegetal leather with raw edge patches... if you could walk in these you’ll be ready for hike in the Sahara. 8. The Fisker Karma: an environmentally conscious sports vehicle which shows the future of driving can still posses the things that make us fall in love with cars and speed. 9. Larry Sultan & Mike Mandel Explore the banal to the hilariously outrageous of popular culture, with Sultan and Mandel’s twists on documentary and commercial photography.
REMIX 190
LARRY SULTAN AND MIKE MANDEL chronicles the collaborative artwork by Mike Mandel and Larry Sultan. Their prolific artistic collaboration began in 1973 when they were both graduate students at the San Francisco Art Institute, and continued for more than thirty years. Their bond as West Coast artists was further strengthened as together they confronted San Francisco’s post-Beat, postCafe Society art community that seemed alien to their southern California sensibilities. This book covers their early work through the 1980s, when they created nineteen projects together. Mandel and Sultan’s projects during this period took the forms of artists‘ books, How To Read Music In One Evening, 1974, and Evidence, 1977; a series of a dozen outdoor billboard artworks in the form of hand painted photographs, silkscreen posters, oil paintings and digitally printed posters, 1973–1983; a film, JPL, 1978; and an installation, Newsroom, 1983. Although they both pursued individual projects during this period they nurtured and developed an intense and focused artist collaboration. Their seminal work, Evidence has been widely recognized as a landmark photographic book.
Cover: Detail of Mock up for Oranges on Fire Billboard, Acrylic painting on paper by Mike Mandel and Susan Tait based on a photograph by Larry Sultan, 1975
REMIX LOVES / tina moore
EDITOR
1. Brian Atwood ‘Claudia’ suede embellished pumps: How could you not want these? So beautiful with that fiesta going on at the back! I need them in my life. 2. Elie Saab Le Parfum: Without a doubt the most beautiful ladies fragrance to be released in the last year. It’s the absolute epitome of female beauty in a scent. Any time I wear it, someone comments on it. 3. Karen Walker Jewellery sterling silver filigree cuff: More of my inner magpie coming out... I love the intricate detailing and the weird and wonderful characters carved into this piece. 4. Orchids: Proof that the best of beauty is to be found in nature. I love to grow orchids; not even my best attempts at neglect have killed them yet. They remain steadfastly stunning despite a lack of attention. Perfect. 5. Kimbra: A Kiwi songstress taking over the world. You may have heard her duet with Gotye, ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’. If you haven’t heard of her yet, get yourself to www.kimbramusic.com right away and check out her album Vows. 6. Queenstown, New Zealand: Actually, seriously, the most beautiful place in the world. The lake, the snow-capped mountains, the gorgeous buildings made of slate and stone, the wineries, the restaurants, the skiing and all the other adventures to be had... Glorious.
REMIX 191
REMIX_RESEARCH
REMIX LOVES / emily barnes
FASHION DIRECTOR
1. Reformation Dress: Stylish, chic, environmentally friendly, limited edition- with all the boxes ticked, this summer edition dress just got added to my must have list. 2. YSL shoe: I’ve been swaying away from heels for a season or two but these YSL Pumps are a serious game changer. 4. Chaumet ring: I am very particular with my jewelry choices, it has to have a personal element to it but this Chaumet ring just nixed all that! 4. Bottega Veneta Python bag: This natural spotted Python bag by Bottega Veneta wins ‘bag of summer’ hands down !
REMIX 192
REMIX LOVES / daniel martin
BEAUTY DIRECTOR
1.Voguing: Voguing and the House Ballroom Scene of New York City 1989-92 Photographs by Chantal Regnault: Paris is Buring is one of my all time favorite movies and this book captures some of the legends in that movie. Its a cherished documentation of a culture thats still thriving in New York City today. www.souljazzrecords.co.uk. 2. Jack Black Clear Complexion Solution Razor Bump & Acne: For anyone with sensitivity to shaving, this tonic is for you. I use it after I shave and it’s the best treatment to prevent ingrown hairs, razor burn and acne blemishes. www.getjackblack.com 3. Sisly Sisleyum for Men Anti-Age Global Revitalizer: This all-in-one product is great for guys who are concerned with aging, wrinkles and dehydration without the fuss. www.sisley-cosmetics.com. 4. Balenciaga M Clip Bag: Its the perfect alternative to a shoulder or messenger bag when you don’t need to carry a lot of stuff. www.balenciaga.com. 5. STIJL: Our fashion editor, Chloe Hartstein turned me on to this amazing store while visiting Brussels during Paris fashion week. Rick Owens, Ann Demeulemeester and Haider Ackermann are a few of the amazing designers they carry. Definitely one of the best edited stores I’ve ever been to. www.stijl.be. 6. The Hutton Hotel: On a recent trip to Nashville Tennessee, I fell in love with the comfort and hospitality of this great hotel. www.thehuttonhotel.com 7. ZELENS Radiance Luminous Facial Cleanser: I’m currently obsessed with this product! This cleans deep down without the feeling of a gel cleanser. It leaves my skin toned and never dry. www.zelens.com
REMIX_online
www.remix-magazine.com
REMIX 194
REMIX 195
REMIX 196