VANGARDIST Mag # 47 (english)

#47 / 09 / 2014

uniform

Playing hard to get! not everywhere and not for everyone – m a k e s ure you get t h e p r i n t s p e c i a l

to find your exclusive copy – check out

w w w . v a n g a r d i s t . c o m / P RINT

Imprint: Publisher and Management: VANGARDIST MEDIA GmbH Carlos Gómez & Julian Wiehl Editor-In-Chief: Julian Wiehl Production Manager: Carlos Gómez Copy Editor: Klemens Gindl Fashion Editor: Mirza Sprecakovic Music Editor: Juán Danilo Zamora Editorial Staff: Juán Danilo Zamora, Klemens Gindl, Mirza Sprecakovic, Evelyn Höllrigl, David Aminger, Joel Macher, Christoph Daniel Photo Editor: Carlos Gómez Online Assistance: María José Villamil Rodríguez Photography: Sam Scott Schiavo, Konstantin Reyer Correctors: Jay Bannmuller Translation: Lisa Voigt Correctors (English): Andrew Ütt Production and Styling: Mirza Sprecakovic Graphics and Layout: Magdalena Weyrer Illustration: Ruth Moosbrugger Video Editing / Video Operator: Cristóbal Hornito Sincere thanks to all who, through their tireless efforts, have helped to produce this edition of the VANGARDIST. VANGARDIST MEDIA GmbH Mariahilferstraße 49 Top 15 - 1060 Vienna

Editorial Dear VANGARDISTS! Welcome to our uniform issue.

The uniform defines those who wear it as members of a certain group. Its members’ individual traits are subsumed beneath a standardised façade that demands a certain respect from people around them – respect that would usually have to be earned first. Of course, this can be highly convenient, and also an ideal way to boost a floundering ego.

In the past, pop stars have been known to don military accessories to communicate strength and gather their army of fans behind them, but today’s progressive man is just as aware of the magic effect that banners and badges can have on your clothes. A little emblem here or a little shoulder pad there can help to command respect and instil awe in your admirers. Exactly which of our archaic instincts are sublimated by this fashion (sic) will of course be explained in this month’s issue.

Someone who deserves our respect no matter what she’s wearing is Melanie Scheriau, who, shortly before her baby break, agreed to present some elegant uniform looks for our cameras together with top model Papis Loveday.

Photo artist Mustafa Sabbagh uses uniforms and mystical figures to warn the world of the dangers of conformity. In an exclusive interview, he told us all about his belief in the divinity that lies in human imperfections.

Enjoy this exceptional uniform issue.

Julian Wiehl and his not-very-uniform VANGARDIST team P.S. If you always wished to hold a printed version in your hands you can now order our free Collector's Issue. https://vangardist-print-issue.myshopify.com

SHOOTINGS

topics

facade

radar

UNIFORM

facade

24

i married a communist 58

Trophy Hunters

Of shrunken heads, tartans and predatory shopping.

vangART

human and divine An interview with Mustafa Sabbagh

COVERY STOR

12

104

INDEX EDITORIAL facade

Editor's Choice

7 42

Style tip

vangART

fashion shows facade

Shopzone balance

Beauty

142 120 100

The Beauty Army facade

vangART

The Godfather of Ornament

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An interview with Walter Van Beirendonck

i secretly like to wear...

94

on tour

how to survive in kyoto on tout

Places

46 126

Fire Stations VangART

listen to this!

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Recommendations for good listeners fassade

Power times three An interview with Melanie Scheriau

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celebration

Upcoming What's on in ...?!

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never miss

s an issue! sign up for free >>

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radar

Trophy

Hunter O f s h r u n k e n h e a d s , ta r ta n s a n d p r e d at o ry s h o p p i n g .

Text: klemens gindl illustration: Magdalena Weyrer

The main difference between so-called civilised men and savages is that the former understands the concept of war: an orchestrated, de-individualised process that makes use of innate male characteristics like our predatory instinct, our urge to hunt and the need to be the most dominant member of our peer group, and incorporates them into an elaborate system of status symbols, social hierarchies and group chauvinism. In a military context, this is achieved through the outward display of group affiliation and individual “achievements”. To persuade us to comply, this sys-

tem appeals to our primal instincts, with accessories ranging from the uniform to an endless variety of badges, banners and other military paraphernalia. And it’s plain to see that this vainglorious mating dance, with its colourful banners and medals of honour, also has its counterparts in civilian fashion (the red star on Che Guevara’s coat basically fulfils The same purpose as the white one on your Converse trainers).

That said, our claim that male fashion victims are merely the logical “civilised” continuation of head hunters and elite soldiers might need some further explanation.

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O u t wa r d va l u e s Nowadays, even understated British fashion isn’t what it used to be. Take the Burberry trench coat, for instance.

First worn in the trenches of World War I, it soon made its way onto the streets of London, and from there to the rest of the world. The Burberry trench coat incorporates all the qualities of timeless good taste: it’s shapeless, inconspicuous, with a slight touch of hobo about it, not to mention impeccably made and outrageously expensive.

For a long time, the financial power of its wearer would only be revealed whenever the coat was worn open, thus allowing others a glimpse of its characteristic light brown checked lining – an act of blatancy that no true gentleman would ever commit. In recent years, though, the label has also started applying its famous tartan pattern to the underside of the collar, so that when it’s worn up in certain types of weather, everyone can see: “Here’s a man who can fork out three grand for a raincoat that doesn’t even keep him warm. He must be bound to the values and stance of a true gentleman.”

Which seems a bit of a contradiction, but whatever… We all know that displaying your value to the whole world is an ancient human desire, just as common in the civilised urban jungle as in the real one.

Urban clans It’s commonly accepted that overtly displaying certain fashion brands on your person reflects your commitment to a certain lifestyle. It is still surprising, though, quite how deeply this behaviour is rooted in our primal urge to hunt and battle each other.

And Burberry – to stick with our previous example – manages to bridge the evolutionary gap between our less civilised past and modern times like few other brands can. Its famous checked design, well-known in fashion districts worldwide, was originally derived from Scottish tartan, the characteristic weaving pattern that, when worn in the form of a kilt, traditionally signalled the wearer’s allegiance to a specific highland clan. Each Scottish

clan had its own tartan pattern (and many still do today), and permission to wear it on one’s kilt was synonymous with the wearer’s acceptance into the clan.

Clan membership strongly defined its members’ sense of identity which, in a way, is the same need urban fashionistas seek to fulfil today. Of course, there’s a difference between a tightlyknit Scottish clan and the Burberry clan that anyone with a spare few thousand can buy their way into… but nonetheless, the brand makes skilful use of these tribal relicts. By displaying your light brown tartan, you demonstrate you belong to a group of people who are economically and stylistically able to afford this special armour that only

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gleams on the inside and protects its wearers in their daily fight for survival in competitive modern-day society.

Which leads us to suspect that the garment’s military past – world war style on the outside, clan wars on the inside – could be more than just coincidence.

No p a i n , n o g a i n Basically, there are two things that entitle you to wear these insignia and gain access to its (more or less) exclusive group of owners: either it’s your birthright, or you pay your way in. The former seems awfully feudalistic for today’s rules of fashion consumption, so let’s have a look at the second option instead.

Our modern-day concept of earned money that allows you to buy clothes, whose branding in turn will define your identity and endow you with the power of its image, goes back to an urge maybe even more archaic than the urge to hunt: the urge to catch prey, or rather, to collect trophies and show them off to the world. Hunting is a primal human instinct and – in the man-

ner of all primal instincts – now most of us no longer need it for survival, it doesn’t warrant rational justification.

It’s simply a part of human nature, and needs to be satisfied once in a while.

As Freud taught us, instincts that are no longer acted out in their natural form are often sublimated, meaning we project these urges onto other objects of desire – which, in the case of your average urban modern-day male, usually means consumer objects. So even though the need to hunt for food has become obsolete, in its sublimated consumer-form it is still a highly useful instrument for social distinction.

We seem to gain some kind of mystical power from showing off our “swag”, and use it as a means of demonstrating our superiority to others. And no swag is more suited for this purpose than fashion and clothes.

Headhunters “Mystical power� might sound a bit exaggerated, but the principle at play here only marginally differs from more primitive practices like, say, those of the notorious headhunters in the Amazon who made the Spanish conquistadores fear for their lives. If you believe the gory popular folklore, these specialists in the killing of colonial rulers

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had a rather eccentric habit: cooking the heads of their dead enemies until the skin could be easily pulled off.

Said skin would then be stretched over a fist-sized object and hung up to dry.

When the process was complete, the fashionable headhunter would wear these shrunken heads on his belt, hoping to transfer the power and skill of his enemy onto himself – and to demonstrate to the ladies in the village who had the biggest… uh… heads.

In modern society, this concept can be easily transferred to fashion and especially, to brands. First, you have to find the desired object, which means you must be in the know about where to look for it. Once found, you need to gain possession of it, which is generally done by buying, trading, stealing or asking for it, with each of these options requiring a certain amount of skill, social prestige and/or audacity.

After successful conclusion of the for-

ay, the urban warrior can then return to his hamlet to show off his booty to his clansmen: “Look what I got, mate. It’s Prada, man!”

The mystical power of the “hunted down” product lies in the image of its brand, which serves as a symbol of identity to the person wearing it. Whether it’s Converse, Ray Ban or Burberry, all brands foster a specific corporate identity which we can adopt by wearing their garments or accessories.

Bad karma The blatant display of brands on one’s person can thus be seen as civilisation’s re-interpretation of two quite ancient needs: the need to belong to a specific group (clan) of people with a more-orless defined set of values and the need to demonstrate that one has fought

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for or earned the right to bear that uniform. It becomes quite clear how potent the mystical power that comes with wearing a brand can be when this brand undergoes a re-interpretation and suddenly looks like bad karma. The false rumours about Tommy Hilfiger’s alleged dubious public statements and the effect they had on his brand is one perfect example.

In the same way, brands can also be reinterpreted by consumers. For instance, the label co-founded by tennis legend Fred Perry was once a completely innocent sportswear brand. Eventually, though, it was co-opted by the right wing and the sports shirt and laurelwreath emblem became the preferred uniform of skinheads and neo-Nazis from Manchester to Buenos Aires.

C i v i l i s at i o n r u l e s As negative an example as this may be for the brand, it does highlight one crucially progressive element in all this modern-day sublimation, trophy-hunting and the search for symbols of allegiance: clothes and accessories can be combined, acquired and abandoned depending on what tickles our fancy, and brave consumers can alter the image of a brand simply by wearing it in the “wrong” context. Because, no matter whether you’ve earned the right to wear the kilt of the bravest highland clan or the toughest marine corps, the identity that comes with these uniforms is always fixed, immovable and dictated from above – and, although it might come with a certain social prestige, it often forces its members to do things that they don’t necessarily agree with.

With this in mind, it could be argued that cultural behaviour such as consuming fashion and showing off your trophies, while often dismissed as superficial, is in fact a more civilised expression of our ancient urge to battle, hunt and collect. These cultural developments allow us to steer our primal urges onto more socially acceptable tracks.

Whether this hypothesis is scientifically sustainable is another question. But, as a progressive men’s magazine, we are certainly in favour of ascribing such civilising power to our favourite topic: fashion.

# Did you k

DID YOU kNOW THAT IS ALSO ON

AND THAT OUR FAS PENCHANT FOR TA

know that…

THAT VANGARDIST INSTAGRAM

SHION EDITOR HAS A ATtOOS AND WIGS?

i married a communist Creative Director & Fashion Editor Mirza Sprecakovic, www.mirzasprecakovic.com | Photography Sam Scott S c h i avo, s a m s c ot ts c h i avo.c o m | H a i r & M a k e U p Julian Burlacu , julianburlacu.tumblr.com | Models Viktor M / Exit Model Management, exitmm.sk, Tibor , Mix Model Management / mixmodels.sk, Kristof , sam the agency | Fashion Assistant Kevin MorocutTi

shirt Valentino at AMICIS, Jeans Diesel, Leather belt vintage

shirt Givenchy at AMICIS, hat vintage

Left: scarf Diesel, hat vintage / Right: Pullover Diesel, Leather belt vintage

Jacket Madanti, glasses Gucci

pants Diesel, watch Hugo Boss, necklace Tommy Hilfiger

Shirt Givenchy at AMICIS, Briefs Calvin Klein

Jacket Madanti, Sweater Ute Ploier, Briefs Bjรถrn Borg, boots Moon Boot

shirt Diesel, Headpiece Marina Hoermanseder

Look Diesel, hat vintage

jump suit H&M STUDIO, cap vintage

shirt, Jacket & bag Diesel, Jeans Balmain at AMICIS

Parka Diesel, leg piece Marina Hoermanseder

S ee more g - of n maki photos

i married a communist makin g of

photography: Crist贸bal Hornito editing: Crist贸bal Hornito I n t e r p r e t E R / T r a c k : N e m p h i r e x / "A r a b i c N i g h t s "

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FACADE

Editor‘S Choice:

style

TIP

watch by Hermés

jacket by Franklin & Marshall

bag by Louis Vuitton

ring by Ele Misko

bracelet by Balenciaga at AMICIS

belt by K.O.I

sneakers by Patrick Mohr & Reebok

armlet by AND_i

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t-shirt by G-Star Raw

Swiss army knife by Victorinox

washbag by Farah Vintage

cap by Franklin & Marshall

sunglasses by ic! berlin

boots by Dr.Martens

stylE

TIP

bomber jacket by Farah Vintage Jeans by G-Star Raw

jacket by Tiger of Sweden shirt by Ben Sherman

46 on tour

Text & photos: David aminger

Before anything else, it needs to be said that Japan, meaning the country itself, its people, the food and everything else about it, is a truly great place. Those curious to pay the island a visit and experience its greatness for themselves should definitely block a few days on the itinerary to visit Kyoto, the country’s cultural capital that, in comparison to the megalopolis that is Tokyo, is manageable in terms of its size and overflowing with UNESCO world-heritage buildings. Its streets are laid out like a chessboard, and while in the city’s downtown area in the south you’ll mostly find gigantic glazed-glass skyscrapers, low, traditional buildings still prevail on the outskirts of town. Some of the country’s oldest structures can be found in Kyoto because the Americans spared it from heavy air-strikes in World War II out of respect for the city’s historically significant buildings, so for everyone who really wants to delve into the country’s rich culture and traditions, this place is a must-see.

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From fashion to costumes Japanese culture is quintessentially different from any European one. The Japanese spend most of their time at work, have very little free time and are always running from one appointment to the next. During lunch hour, you’ll see thousands of stressed office workers come rushing out of the tall office buildings, mobile phones always within easy reach, everyone wearing the same hair styles and similar looking fashion in slightly varying shades of grey. Once the weekend comes, the majority of people transform into the opposite of grey.

Clothes in all colours of the rainbow, crazy accessories and wigs are suddenly everywhere, and you’ll see everything from incredibly high-heeled platform shoes and whole-body costumes à la Pikachu and Naruto to plastic sushi as hair decor. Lolita girls don cotton-candy-pink frilly dresses or even goth corsages, while the boys mainly go for the James Dean look with gelled back hair, leather jackets and Chelsea boots. The kind of thing you’ll only see in Europe at carnival is a completely normal weekly occurrence here. Come Monday though,

it’s back to the work routine, and once more all the flashy characters disappear into an ocean of grey professionalism.

Even during the week, though, young Japanese men will find it completely normal to rummage around in enormous handbags to look for mobiles adorned with cute little charms and pendants. All this leads the foreign observer to the conclusion that the dividing line between male and female fashion in Japan is a lot more blurred than in our part of the world, and that most people here don’t seem to distinguish between a fashion style and a costume.

The fan as an extension to the arm In Japan, fans have always been viewed as a beautiful but predominantly functional accessory used by both sexes, so in Kyoto, just like everywhere else in the country, a man doesn’t have to be an eccentric fashion designer to casually pull out his fan and bring some coolness to his face.

Fans are not just used during the hot summer months, though; being regarded an extension of the arm that makes one’s gestures more expres-

flags in a temple

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Gion Matsuri

sive, fans have been an important prop employed in traditional dancing since ancient times. A functional accessory carried by most women here is the umbrella, perfect to provide shade when it’s hot and keep you dry from possible rain. While Europeans expose their bodies to UV rays for hours on end to obtain the desired summer tan, ladies in Kyoto wear thin cuff-like sleeves over their lower arms to protect the elegant pallor of their skin, and although that might look a bit funny, no one can deny that, dermatologically speaking, the Japanese definitely follow the healthier beauty ideal here.

Back to their roots The time for almost everyone in Kyoto to put on traditional garb is definitely the Gion Matsury festival, which is celebrated throughout all of July. For the entire month, the city leaves the 21st century behind and transports everyone back to 869, the year when Gion Matsury was first celebrated. In Kyoto, everyone loves and participates in the festival. For its entire duration, all of downtown Kyoto is closed for cars and transformed into an enormous pedestrian zone. In addition to

the impressive parades that include giant floats being pulled through the streets, you’ll see thousands of people, both young and old, in traditional yukatas, summer kimonos which are not only amazingly comfy but also make for very light wear, and thus, are the ideal garment for hot temperatures. Yukatas for men and women look very similar, only that the female version has more and lighter colours; popular patterns include everything stereotypical of Japan, such as crane birds, water lilies, cherry blossoms and so on. One surprising fact is that white socks in combination with flipflops which, when publicly donned anywhere in Europe would probably be a reason for some ridicule, are a normal, accepted part of everyone’s outfit here. Gion Matsuri is not just a street festival though, as the city’s countless temples also offer lots of interesting things, from traditional theatre shows to markets, selling an unimaginable variety of delicious food.

Flute music fills the streets, hundreds of Japanese lanterns bathe the temples in a beautiful light, and the overall mood is exuberant though always remaining respectful and appreciative of the old traditions. What you need

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to do if you want to blend right in is buy a yukata from one of the countless vendors, learn how to tie an obi, and walk through town in the typical wooden flip-flops called getas—and drink lots of sake of course!

Somewhere between tradition and modern times Tradition in Kyoto isn’t only found in its centuries-old festivals and ceremonies; it is also still evident in lots of traditional places all over town. Even though major parts of the city are now dominated by tall modern buildings,

Gion Matsuri

advertisements, digital billboards and tons of traffic, amidst all this urban jungle you’ll still come across quiet hidden gardens and a great number of temples erected for the worship of the Shinto gods or in memory of some former king. In the neighbourhood of Gion, you might even spot a Geisha fleeing into the nearest tea house from tourists armed with cameras. Some of these “keepers of the traditional arts,” even though they’re still trained behind closed doors and following their strict ancient customs, are very social-media-active and will-

ing to share their experiences with the outside world. Whereas a traditional tea ceremony can easily take between four and six hours, the Starbuck’s round the corner sells hundreds of beverages every hour to westernised Japanese youth. This clash between tradition and modern trends and customs can be detected everywhere in the country’s big cities, creating a truly unique mix between the past and the present in society and daily life. In Kyoto, though, the stylish traditional Japan that most visitors want to experience is still very much alive.

Shosei-en-Garten

Idyllic gardens and megalomaniacal leaders As long as you’re staying anywhere halfway central, most of the main sights in Kyoto can be easily reached on foot. While most of the temples are free to get in, the traditional Japanese gardens charge a small entrance fee. Especially Shosei-en Garden near the stadium is an absolute must-see, as the tranquillity and harmony you’ll experience here is definitely unique.

While strolling past tea houses and over small bridges, you can watch koi and turtles that will boldly approach

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you as soon as you stand near the water’s edge. And it’s not just smitten tourists around the gardens; Kyotans also love to come here for extended time-outs from their hectic city to find their inner calm.

The golden Kinkakuji pavilion is visible proof that some of the Japanese shoguns had tendencies à la Louis XIV. Surrounded by a beautiful garden, the structure was built by a cer-

tain Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, who wanted to erect a monument in his own honour that would literally dazzle people whenever the sun came out, which he achieved by covering its entire first two storeys with gold leaf.

When you’re done feasting your eyes on all this ancient splendour, it might be time for a little excursion to Kyoto’s north-western periphery, a beautiful place where you can walk along

Golden Pavillon

well-maintained paths through the bamboo forest that covers the hills encompassing the city.

Urban jungle – literally Both tourists and locals especially appreciate the shady bamboo forest during the hot summer months, when the air in Kyoto feels like it's trapped under a bell jar, the thermometer

rarely drops below 30 degrees Celsius, and humidity equals that in the tropics (if you’re one of those people who don’t enjoy humidity and profuse sweating anywhere else but at the sauna, you should probably visit the city in spring or autumn instead).

Under these conditions, heat-sensitive inhabitants of more moderate climate zones might certainly be prone to feeble moans of “I’m a European,

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get me out of here.” The Japanese are used to this type of weather though, and you’ll be impressed by all the people rushing around in their heavy business attire all twinkle-toed while you, even with the help of endless amounts of water, are struggling to simply stay on your feet. If it gets too hot to bear though, you can always take refuge in a pleasantly airconditioned restaurant where you’ll get free tea and water with your meal.

Feel free to slurp Food in Kyoto, as in all of Japan, is delicious beyond description, and you’ll never want to eat European sushi ever again after you’ve sunk your teeth into some Japanese butterfish.

Sushi isn’t the only remarkable food: the sauces, soups, noodles, omu-rice, ramen, tempura, endless tofu variations and not to forget the lotus roots, will provide your taste buds with unforgettable flavour experiences. And the best thing: In Japan you’re allowed to slurp, and no one will look at you funny if you eat noisily.

Love, peace and harmony According to the stereotype, unfriendly people don’t exist in Japan,

and Kyoto – where everyone is exceptionally friendly and helpful – seems to be the best proof of this.

When detecting that desperation in your eyes that comes from not being able to read street names and the resulting complete lack of orientation, people in the street might even stop and offer their help. The overall politeness is so pronounced that even bus drivers, when you get off their bus, will thank you for choosing to drive with them. Even though all this might seem a bit strange at first for a European, you’ll quickly get used to and appreciate it, become just as friendly and walk around as if you had a cake filled with sweet, sweet loving for breakfast every morning. Arigatou gozaimasu (meaning "thank you very much") is a handy expression employable at all times, but remember the "u" at the end of both words is silent.

It’s precisely this friendliness and respect that create a public level of harmony in Japan unfamiliar to most Europeans but that we could certainly do with a bit more of back home—which is why the culture shock doesn’t usually hit you in Japan, but only after you return home.

C r e a t i v e D i r e c t o r & F a s h i o n Ed i t o r M i r z a S p r e c a k o v i c www.mirzasprecakovic.com Photography Konstantin Reyer konstantinreyer.com Hair & Make Up Shlomit Migay shlomitmigay.com Models Melanie Scheriau & Papis Loveday Fa s h i o n A s s i s ta n t K e v i n M o r o c u t t i location Artwerkstudios F o t o : J a c k e t P a t t r i c B o y l e a t T i b e r i u s , a c c e ss o r i e s S t y l i s t ’ s o w n i n c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h ANT M : B o y s & G i r l s

h e : c oat A lwa P e t r o n i at L i e b l i n g s p l at z , L e at h e r pa n t s T i b e r i u s , S h o e s D r . M a r t e n s , g a l l o o n & H a t v i n t a g e / s h e : d r e s s M a r t h a F o r e m n i a k , e a r r i n g s A n a K a a n , H e a dp i e c e v i n t a g e

s h i r t U t e P l o i e r , S h o r t s Pat t r i c B oy l e at T i b e r i u s , n e c k l ac e a s a b e lt S t y l i s t ’ s o w n

h e : c o a t A l w a P e t r o n i a t L i e b l i n g s p l a t z , v e lv e t s h o r t s T i b e r i u s , b o o t s D r . M a r t e n s , B o d y c h a i n & b e l t v i n t a g e / s h e : S h i r t M a r t h a F o r e m n i a k , H a t L u c i e n n e Em i l y L 端 c k e , e a r r i n g s v i n t a g e C h a n e l

h e : J a c k e t Pat t r i c B oy l e at T i b e r i u s , A c c e s s o r i e s S t y l i s t ’ s o w n she: blouse Tiberius, earrings Stylist’s own

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e mor See ofingmak tos pho

making of

photography: Crist贸bal Hornito editing: Crist贸bal Hornito I n t e r p r e t ER / T r a c k : LE S ARTRE / " CINE M A "

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FACADE

Power times 3 – at h o m e a n d o n Au s t r i a n T V

Text: Mirza Sprecakovic & Evelyn Höllrigl / photos: Cristóbal Hornito

For the second time, model, mother and TV presenter Melanie Scheriau will be the face of Austria’s Next Topmodel on PULS 4. With her sophisticated manner and charismatic modesty, she’s living proof that the fashion industry can be more than just fast living and superficial appearances.

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Looking for new talent

There’s no denying that mums-to-be have a certain glow about them; an aura they seem to radiate whenever they enter a room. And Melanie Scheriau is no exception. Her shirt is pressed slightly outwards by her growing belly, her hair is shiny and her skin glows. No doubt about it: Melanie exudes happiness with every fibre of her being.

And the model-mum has good reason to be happy. She’s young and successful, yet down-to-earth and likeable.

Although she’s been in the business for 17 years, modelling for the likes of Armani, Trussardi and Alexander McQueen, and visited innumerable exciting cities around the world, she has a stable, calm home life to return to. For the past ten years, she and her husband Seth Harris have been settled in New York, and now, to top it all off, baby number one is on the way.

Professionally, Melanie has reached a new stage in her career. At 34, she no longer feels the need to walk down the runways of the world with a bunch of 16-year old models, so when she was offered the challenge of becoming a TV presenter she took it. In retrospect, it seems like an obvious choice because she’s certainly got the talent for it. And now, she’s hosting Austria’s New Top Model and presenting her newcomers to the nation for the second time. This year is going to be especially exciting because, for the first time on European television, the show will be casting male models as well as female ones, which is bound to breathe new life into the casting format. In addition, this time Melanie will be assisted by not one, but two top international names: Papis Loveday and Michael Urban.

This Carinthian-born girl clearly enjoys her new job as a TV host. She likes to talk and is never afraid of speaking her mind. Melanie knows what she wants, and she wants it all. As well as

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interview////////

her modelling career, her family and her job in television, she also cares about her academic studies. And even though she already holds a bachelor’s degree in Literature, she’s now taking new courses at New York University.

There’s simply no stopping her!

We spoke to Melanie on the fashion shoot for our collector’s issue (also available in print), her last before she takes a break for the baby – and we can officially confirm that she’s not just a natural beauty, but also a fundamentally nice person.

Vangardist: Melanie, you’re a model, a TV presenter, a wife… and soon you’ll be a mother. Which of these roles fulfils you the most and why?

Melanie: Each of these tasks is completely different from the others, and that’s why I can flourish in each of them in a different way. I’ve been in the fashion business since I was 17, so for me it’s sort of my home. The presenting, on the other hand, was uncharted wa-

ters for me, it was all fresh, new and exciting.

Being a mum will also be very exciting.

We have absolutely no clue what it will be like. Will the baby be well-behaved?

Will it cry all night? Don’t forget, I’m also a housewife. I lived out of a suitcase for a long time, until I met my husband 13 years ago. He was the reason I moved to New York and settled down.

Before that, I was a fashion nomad: a few months in Paris, a couple of days in London, a quick trip to Milan...

Last November, we decided to buy a house, and now I’m practicing my gardening skills. Believe me, at the beginning, I definitely didn’t have a green thumb, I even managed to kill my cacti. But now my garden is green and healthy.

Vangardist: What was your initial reaction when they asked you to host Austria’s Next Top Model?

Melanie: I got the offer, then I was asked to come to Vienna so they could

see how I acted on camera. Naturally, at first I had my doubts and wondered whether I was really ready to try my luck in TV. But when I started presenting, I realised that I really enjoyed it.

I’m quite talkative and constantly make myself heard. And since I’m generally someone who likes to push themselves and try out new things, I decided to accept the offer. I just love experiencing new things. For example, at the moment I’m also taking courses at NYU in Economics, Marketing and Intermediate Italian. I always need to be doing a hundred different things at the same time to be happy. Otherwise I feel under-challenged.

Vangardist: So what are your expectations for this season of Austria’s Next Top Model?

Melanie: The great thing about this new season is that we’re the first European ‘Top Model’ format to have boys and girls compete against each other.

No one knows how they’ll get along

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in this new 9:9 constellation. People have been asking us for some time when boys would finally appear on the show because they found it unfair to exclude them because of their gender.

So we reacted to this and re-thought the format. This way it’ll stay new and exciting for us, the jury, but also for the viewers.

Vangardist: What about mentoring male models, is it different to mentoring girls?

Melanie: Yes and no, because at the end of the day it’s the same job, except that boys have a different posing style and wear different clothes. And for the girls there’s usually a lot more work involved in every modelling job, because of the time that goes into hair and make-up and the whole styling.

Vangardist: You give the candidates a lot of tips on how to improve their performance. What would you tell a model they should never do?

Melanie: One absolute no-no is to be

in a bad mood when you’re on set. Just try to put your problems aside and pull off the shoot as professionally as you can. Afterwards you can go home, curl up in bed and cry.

Another definite no-go is coming to a shoot unprepared, like with unwashed hair. And never wear make-up to the set, that’s what the make-up artists are for.

boys are a bit more daring.

Vangardist: Our issue this month is about uniforms. What’s your general take on them?

Melanie: I think they’re really cool, and I love playing around with this theme.

Uniforms are a regularly recurring fashion, and especially at the moment they’re really in vogue. I’m glad I don’t Vangardist: How do you think the Austri- have to put on a uniform every day, an model newcomers are perceived inter- though. I’m more of a jeans-and-t-shirt type of girl. nationally?

Melanie: Don’t forget that Austria is quite small compared to countries like Vangardist: Nowadays, jeans and a white Germany, the US or Brazil that have al- t-shirt can also be seen as a kind of uniready produced a number of success- form, don’t you think? ful models. At the moment, though, Melanie: You could definitely say that. we’re doing relatively well. We have a Whether it’s a uniform or not, it’s always lot of good models like Iris Strubeg- kind of in the eye of the beholder. ger or Nadine Leopold. And especially when it comes to male models we’re Vangardist: Would you say the fashion way up there, just think of Patrick Kaf- industry supplies us with a new type of ka – which is obviously not to say that uniform every season by dictating certain Austria doesn’t have lots of beautiful trends that tell the consumers what the women as well! I think it’s just that our new must-have items are? It’s strange, be-

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cause we’re all so keen on individuality, but at the same time we want to know each season: “Is it okay to wear this now?”

Melanie: I definitely think that the fashion industry suggests a new type of uniform each season. It also depends on each person, though. Some people like to look to the fashion industry for guidance and follow a new trend every six months. Personally I have to admit that I hate shopping. I buy everything online. I have clothes delivered to my home where I can take my time trying them on. And I just send back what I don’t like or doesn’t fit.

Vangardist: Each decade has its own revival. Which one could you happily do without?

Melanie: The only thing that really doesn’t suit me are those sixties Aline dresses. I just don’t have the right body shape for them.

Vangardist: What’s your first thought when you open your eyes in the morning?

Melanie: Now that I’m pregnant or in general? (laughs). Because now it’s: “Where’s my breakfast?” All I think about at the moment is food! Before the pregnancy my first thought was: “I hope the coffee’s ready!”

Vangardist: And your last thought before you fall asleep at night?

Melanie: I always go back over my day and think about what I could’ve done better and what needs to be done for the next day.

Vangardist: Melanie, thanks for the nice chat!

_________________________________ Austria’s Next Top Model – Boys & Girls starts on September 11th, and airs every Thursday at 8:15 p.m. on PULS 4.

harlem style forthe

american establishment This year’s winner of the Peek & Cloppenburg Designer for Tomorrow Award is Matteo Lamandini.

His collection, with its re-interpretation of the rebellious zoot suit made popular in the 1930s, even succeeded in convincing the award’s patron Tommy Hilfiger, who usually favours classic American cool.

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here once they served as the uniform of Al Capone and his mobsters, they’ve now made a resurgence thanks to style icon Johnny Depp: suits with padded shoulders, tapered from

the knee and mostly worn with long coats with wide sleeves. This was the famous zoot suit, worn by Harlem’s jazz scene in the early 1930s. Topped off with a stylish fedora, the look quickly conquered America. However, due to its increasing popularity in mob circles,

it soon became associated with the “bad boys”.

Some decades later, young men wore their impeccably cut zoot suits as a form of rebellion against the upper classes, and were falsely labelled as extravagant and snobbish as a result.

Lamandini’s collection picks up on these themes of rebellion and feeling misunderstood by society, adopting the zoot suit’s classic smart cut to create a unique interpretation of formal menswear.

His bold combinations of tartan and

houndstooth patterns result in a surprisingly modern look. In his contemporary version, accessories like the dramatic fedora and serious-looking tie have been replaced with caps and bow ties: ‘30s jazz musician meets Scottish clansman, meets modern street style –

a clash of the clans, so to speak.

For the next twelve months, this successful newcomer will receive funding to expand his own label, and in Tommy Hilfiger, the godfather of all-American style, he’s probably found the perfect mentor for the task. Next year we’ll be

able to buy the fruits of his labour – his very own capsule collection – at Peek & Cloppenburg. We can’t wait to see which one of the old classics he’ll bring back this time! www.designer-for-tomorrow.com

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FASSADE

The godfather of ornament

TEXT: Evelyn HĂśllriegl & Mr. M.

Colours and patterns that you’d usually only see after an overdose of magic mushrooms and designs that appear too clunky and heavy, yet fit like a glove: the creations of fashion designer Walter Van Beirendonck are masterpieces. This Flemish designer plays in the big leagues of international fashion, and his designs are so sophisticated and rich in detail that even museums are lining up to exhibit them. So far, the Louvre, the V&A, the Met and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago have shown his work.

VANGARDIST met the fashion legend for an interview.

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Belgium's finest Like many others, Walter Van Beirendonck’s career started at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. After his graduation in 1980, Van Beirendonck and his famous colleagues Dirk Van Saene, Dries Van Noten, Ann

Demeulemeester, Marina Yee and Dirk Bikkembergsand formed the famous Antwerp Six, and caused a stir on the international fashion scene. The group’s avant-garde creations from this period helped revolutionise fashion and turned the spotlight onto Belgian creativity.

31 years down the road, Van Beirendonck is as creative as ever, and is able to look back on a career with many highlights. In 1997, for example, he designed the stage outfits for U2’s Popmart tour, and in 2000 he was asked to present his collection at the Rathausplatz in Vienna during the Life Ball.

Be ards. rings. le ather.

Life has been good to Walter Van Beirendonck, perhaps in part because he’s always refused to conform, choosing instead to fight and persevere for what he wanted. With his unusual outfits, long beard and big shiny rings, he has

become a famous figure even apart from his fashion.

Today, the designer is regarded as an icon. For eight years, he’s been the director of the fashion department at his alma mater, where he helps to nurture new talent. Last year, his new book Dream the World Awake came out, presenting his most innovative and extravagant creations captured by big names in fashion photography like Nick Knight, Jürgen Teller and David Bailey.

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Symbolic Ornaments n his latest collection, the models wear floral-pattern kimonos, karate belts and jackets. As usual, ornaments are a central theme – this time it´s the adapted drawings of Scooter Laforge that appear in the collection as embroidered sharks, ducks, kittens, blossoms and assault rifles. Attached to the jackets are strange, round pieces of fabric which get bigger and bigger as the show goes on – like an armoured breast plate. But what are they meant to protect you from? In a world where Big Brother is omnipresent, we must seek to defend our identities as if they were private property. Only Walter Van Beirendonck could express such a dark message in such a cheerful way.

I

A man with a message The invasion of privacy widely bemoaned in contemporary society seems to be one of the designer´s key themes.

By creating designs that contrast tropically bright colours with more sombre tones, he illustrated the dilemma we face in today’s media and technologysaturated society: on the one hand he loves technology, innovation and all the communication options they bring, but on the other, he’s wary and critical of the constant media presence in our lives.

For his autumn/winter collection, he brought the theme of racism onto the catwalk by presenting models with feather headdresses daubed with “stop racism” in English and Russian, sending out a message that all aspects of all cultures deserve our respect. To further highlight his message, he only used young, inexperienced models to illustrate the idea that change and innovation should be in the hands of the young.

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people today have no patience. They don’t understand that success requires patience. So that’s what I always preach: Be patient, it’s the only way for you to grow and mature.

V: How do you define talent?

Van Beirendonck: It’s the way someone expresses themselves. As jury members, we try to see and feel what the young designers are trying to communicate, and discover their specific talent to then watch it grow.

We met the libertine designer at the fashion show of Antwerp’s Artesis Plantijn University College, where he is on the jury this year, and talked to him about what talent means to him, the power of blue eyes and why beards are no longer the epitome of manliness.

VANGARDIST: You’ve been teaching at the Royal Academy in Antwerp for many years. What advice do you usually give to young, talented people?

Van Beirendonck: Yes, I’ve been teaching for ages and have had the chance to discover quite a lot of new talent.

One thing I’ve noticed is that young

V: Isn’t it hard, having to judge a person?

Van Beirendonck: Yes, sometimes you don’t know whether you’ve turned down the wrong person, but when you sit there and deliberate, you can usually trust your gut to tell you what you like – so that’s what I usually do, I let my gut guide me.

V: Do you sometimes make decisions based on superficial factors?

Van Beirendonck: Oh, blue eyes get me every time! No, seriously, I try not to prejudge; sometimes beautiful designs can require little talent. In this contest, we also make sure that we talk to all the candidates and give them a chance to explain their work.

V: You’ve been in this business for over two decades and have seen a lot. What are the biggest changes you’ve witnessed?

Van Beirendonck: All the changes in communications. It’s incredible how they have influenced the fashion world.

When I was at college, fashion followed six-month cycles: first it was shown in Paris, then, after four months, it would appear in the fashion magazines and after six months in the fashion shows.

The possibilities of fast, almost instant,

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communication have dramatically altered these cycles – or even revolutionised them. Digital photography has also played a huge part in this.

V: Your designs have even been exhibited in museums. Are there any dreams you haven’t fulfilled yet?

Van Beirendonck: There are always more dreams and goals to be fulfilled, but I’m just happy that my work gets shown. The interest of museums has increased in recent years, which I’m very happy about. Next year, 15 looks I created will be exhibited in L.A. These are the perks of the job.

V: You’ve been wearing a beard for years. What do you think of the new beard hype?

Van Beirendonck: I started to grow a beard in 1993, so quite some time ago, and for the past 20 years beards were not really regarded as fashionable. I’ve often felt like an outsider in the crazy fashion world, but that’s the look I wanted, like a biker or rocker with a long beard, big rings and leather. I wanted to conquer the industry as myself. Now there’s this whole beard hype going on, but I guess it’ll be over pretty soon.

V: Is the beard a symbol of manliness?

Van Beirendonck: I guess it is, at least to some extent. But it’s interesting to see how the general attitude towards beards has changed. In the past, it V: How do you perceive the world we used to be the epitome of manliness, whereas nowadays it’s more of a fashlive in?

Van Beirendonck: I suppose I have a ion accessory that can be worn across positive but also critical view of it. This genders. is a hard time for the fashion industry, but I’m trying to see the positive aspects – which, by the way, is also true for everyone around me.

V: What’s your biggest passion at the moment?

Van Beirendonck: It’s still my work. I’m already looking forward to the response to my new collection. My work is the most important thing in my life.

So, anyone who thinks fashion doesn’t foster and communicate deep thoughts has probably never heard of Walter Van Beirendonck. Thanks to people like him, men’s fashion is constantly changing and can even become art and communicate a message. We‘d like to thank Walter Van Beirendonck for taking the time to talk to us, and wish him even more success in the future.

We’d also like to thank www.flandern.at for making this interview happen.

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fassade

I secretly to

like wear‌ PHotos: 1. Bernhard Musil 2. Almin Zrno, 3. Julian Leidig 4. Marie Staggat 5. Joachim Baldauf, 6. Vratko Barcik 7. DfT Award Show, 8. Rick Day editor: mirza Specakovic

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1. Marina Hoermanseder / Designer Some really glittery vintage stuff.

One looks like a golden sequined butterfly.

I love those pieces. I feel like a singer from the 80s, but I still wouldn't dare wear them on the street, even though I live in Berlin. www.marina-hoermanseder.com

2 2. Vladan Gavric / Blogger I have a secret obsession with fleece onesies, even though I’m aware that they’re really childish. www.lonely-robot-in-a-wasteland.blogspot.com

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3. Jason Romeyko / International Creative Director Saatchi & Saatchi I like to match the color of my underwear with my socks. It gets kind of fun when the socks are a bright green or light pink www.saatchi.com

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4. Michael Michalsky / Designer Ultra white tennis socks, even if they are considered a fashion sin, but for me they are the only socks that go with all my sneakers.

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www.michalsky.com

5. Patrick Mohr / Designer I secretly enjoy wearing my black calfleather skirt with triangle salmon-leather strings. To me, this provides a powerful feeling of freedom, unifying me as a human being. Not as a man or woman, but a real and pure human entity.

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www.patrick-mohr.com

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6. Filip Jankovic / Dancer A very tight bikini for men. I like how it shapes my ass and my dick, especially when I take selfies. instagram.com/filipdancer

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7. Matteo Lamandini / Designer I secretly like to wear an underwear t-shirt because it's like a second skin and it makes me feel more self-confident. www.designer-for-tomorrow.de

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8. Jonathan Agassi / Porn actor Well, stockings. I think men in stockings are so sexy and unexpected. Don't you think? www.jonathanagassi.com

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9. Linda Van Waesberge / Stylist

At home, I really like to wear thick woollen socks and an apron, not fashionable at all but soooo cosy! www.lindavanwaesberge.be

10 10. Marcos Valenzuela / Designer Pyjamas — the entire day. These days, I'm rarely ever home so, whenever I have the luxury I stay in my comfy pyjamas all day, because it’s good for the soul and feels like a warm embrace.

They somehow feel both honest and secure. www.tiberius.at

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BALANCE

Beauty the beauty army

by JuĂĄn d. Zamora

There is a war out there, and our skin is the battlefield. Aging, dryness and irritations are our worst enemies and every day they fight to defeat our good looks. But don’t worry, we have a powerful ally: Fashion houses around the world are creating revolutionary products to protect and improve our appearance. Join this army and get ready to win the battle.

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For centuries, we have sought the secret of eternal youth and it is now the inspiration behind this product, a lightweight emulsion that works at its first use, leaving the skin soft and smooth. After a continuous use, your face will look firmer and mattified. Active ingredient ß-Zinc helps to avoid shine and reduce pores. Meant for the mature gentleman who wants to age gracefully.

Issey Miyake L’Eau D’Issey Pour Homme Aftershave Balm

If you want to look fresh in the morning and avoid that terrible “I just woke up” look, let us introduce you to your new best friend. This roll-on is perfect to erase the signs of fatigue and tiredness, leaving a smooth glow around your eye contour area. Keep it in your nightstand drawer – you never know when you'll need it.

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Giorgio Armani Beauty Eye Master For Men

The eye contour area is one of the most sensitive parts of the body and a big part of how we look depends on its condition.

Armani brings a solution to care for this specific area, giving us a mix of exotic ingredients such as volcanic minerals and caffeine to give your appearance a boost.

Avoid wrinkles and dark circles around your eyes with this formula, and erase the signs of aging and fatigue.

Yves Saint Laurent Wake-Up Eyecare

If you want to look fresh in the morning and avoid that terrible “I just woke up” look, let us introduce you to your new best friend. This roll-on is perfect to erase the signs of fatigue and tiredness, leaving a smooth glow around your eye contour area. Keep it in your nightstand drawer – you never know when you'll need it.

Tom Ford Beauty Skin Revitalizing Concentrate

One of the most famous brands in the world now has a complete line of skincare for men. This is the highlight of the collection: a solution to regenerate your skin cells naturally. Its active ingredients include essential oils and the exclusive Tom Ford Skin Calming and Infusing Complexes which make this product a "must have" in your grooming kit. Say goodbye to irritations and feel renewed with this tonic.

Givenchy Man Intense Anti-Wrinkle Force

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h u m a n AND

d i v i n e

Interview with p ho t o g r a p h e r M u s ta fa Sabbagh TEXT: juĂĄn d. Zamora Photos: Mustafa Sabbagh

Intriguing images that tell a thousand stories. Eerie and mysterious silhouettes that are part of living pictures. Dramatic uniforms, the trademark of a dark army.

Behind them, a man who uses his lens to restore humanity’s lost divinity. This is Mustafa Sabbagh, a Jordanian photographer who is pushing the boundaries of art.

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A down-to-earth gentleman There are certain images that stay in our minds forever. Some of them even change the way we think.

The first time we saw Mustafa Sabbagh’s work, we were impressed by his use of light and shadow, and by the meticulous way he arranges every last detail.

At the same time, we also felt disturbed; the kind of feeling you get when you know there is something hidden – something slightly scary but also very fascinating. The mind behind these images belongs to a gentleman with a down-to-earth attitude, an unconventional thinker and a master of blending concepts. The opulence of the military garments, some of them reminscent of the Renaissance era, on bodies that are far from perfect; art and fashion, uniforms and veils, the human and the divine… they all come together in a way we’ve never seen before.

Pure beauty is a defect We talked to Sabbagh about his work, his influences, his past and his future and the meaning he gives to terms like beauty, fashion, holiness and humanity and discovered an artist with a brilliant mind and a fascination for human nature. He has a unique perspective on imperfections, and through his lens they acquire a whole new meaning. In my eyes, what makes beauty so beautiful is the naked truth. The wrinkle, the line, the sunburn, the scar, but also a dramatic vibe that verges on kinkiness

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and nonsense – they’re all important elements of my pictures. At first glance, you mainly perceive the flaws, because they are what’s most visible in my pictures; but there is a second element: a dark, dramatic atmosphere that is more felt than seen.

In a world where perfection is the ultimate goal, to be achieved at all costs – be it through Photoshop, Botox or an Instagram filter – showcasing imperfections and giving them a divine dimension is a mission that only some would accept. When looking at Sabbagh’s pictures, though, one can’t deny that, in spite of the human flaws it reveals, every shot has a mystical aura. By means of explaining his philosophy, the artist quotes Wittgenstein’s famous phrase: “If something is good, it is also divine" and adds: My deep creed is love for the human being, which I consider good at birth; but the only way I know to sanctify a human being, to make him divine in the eyes of others as he is in mine, is to use photography.

Th e b e g i n n i n g We all have our childhood dreams of being an astronaut and reaching the stars, or helping people by being a doctor. When we asked Sabbagh about this, we discovered his inner child and the secret of his fascination with images. When I was six, in Jordan, I found a Polaroid camera in a drawer at my aunt’s house. The pleasure experienced in the act of shooting was the most intense I ever felt... I’m still that delighted child when I shoot. Once you have

experienced pure pleasure, you make every effort to find it again.

It was like Alice opening a door and finding Wonderland: the beginning of a journey that gave Sabbagh the opportunity to explore his deepest emotions and create his own reality.

Fo r m a t i v e Lo n d o n y e a r s Another high point in his unique career was working with Richard Avedon, one of the most important photographers of all time, who made his mark on history with stylish, refined and provocative images. I worked as an assistant to Avedon for about two years, while I was in London, and I treasure that period with the same devoted love that you reserve for your deepest passions and secrets. I think we share the

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same love for human beings rather than for abstract ideas, and like Avedon, I want to embrace my subjects through light and share his belief that "Anything is art, if you do it at the level of art".

Nowadays, his creative process comes entirely from his own point of view. It is a cathartic act, an act of freedom that results in a flawless shot. My way of seeing resides in prolonged planning, culminating in the acme of the shot, because aligning myself with my subconscious and capturing it through my work is the most sublime experience.

Co s m o p o l i t a n n o m a d , d r e a m architect Sabbagh’s fascinating perspective comes from a rule that should be universal: breaking boundaries is easy when you don’t know what they are. He recognizes his roots, but goes far beyond them, creating a global vision that applies to all of us. I was born in Jordan, but I deeply believe that the information I accumulated in my childhood was no different to that of the children who lived in New York, Berlin or Sicily, by the simple fact that we watched the same cartoons, indulged the same dreams, read the same books... I would never give up my nomadic attitude; it makes me feel at home wherever I am and frees me of being tied to only one circumstantial heritage. The ability to move from one continent to another confirms my idea that the world is just

one big room, the same for the New Yorker as it is for the Viennese, the Jordanian or the Italian.

Sabbagh’s pictures are full of dualisms, one of them being that he uses his traditional roots to create something untraditional. Another fusion of concepts can be found in the places where his images are shown. Art and space coalesce in his exhibitions, creating an environment where there is no escape from the power of the image. Often, I have found myself dealing with different types of space: there were museums which did not allow the invasiveness of nails hanging on their walls – because of their noble building materials, or in order not to interfere with the structure’s history – so I installed my works in

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suspension, or on site-specific cubes placed on the floor. I have dealt with large white walls, on which I hung just one picture as a punctum, or a myriad of small cameos in seemingly random order.

He speaks with authority on this topic, and with good reason; after all, he gained most of his knowledge and inspiration while studying in Italy, the motherland of architectural theory. Now, he focuses on photography and supports it with his other passion: structures. Every man inhabits his clothing and his skin, just as he inhabits his own house and the space he occupies. The influence of architecture on my work lies in its constructive dialogue with the artistic element; for this reason, I make sure that it becomes another instrument of my photography.

Th e c o n c e p t u n m a s k e d When you see Sabbagh work, it is clear that there is a concept, a style, something that makes an artist unique and makes him or her be respected. The “simplicity” of the image is the first thing to capture your attention, but don’t be fooled. Look closer and you’ll find a million references that impart much more information than the bigger picture. We wanted to solve the puzzle and quizzed him on a few interesting details in some of this pictures. First of all, we asked him about his main themes, divinity and humanity: I portray Virgins, Madonnas, Christs, but also Bacchantes and Satyrs, in order to genuinely proclaim

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that what I mostly consider divine is nothing more than human.

This concept is echoed in the way he portrays imperfections as a part of perfection: I usually work by contrast, glorifying imperfection and desecrating perfection.

The use of uniforms and military garments makes the characters in Sabbagh’s images look like a dark army with an important mission – to warn us. The very word “uniform” carries a sense conformity and standardization. Uniforms are related to standards, and to the way those standards affect us. For example, when I look at certain totalitarian regimes that take possession of positive means for the most negative purposes, that for me is the perfect example of mass-domestication; and by mixing discordant elements I want to make use of their logic and subvert it – to create a warning.

Lace and latex are part of the duality Sabbagh uses in his images. But why is he using this subtle reference to bondage and kinkiness? What else is going on? Socially demonized as a metaphor for perversion, a latex mask, in my pictures, is a way to criticize the more dangerous masks that are related to resignation and acceptance. So just as a uniform can undermine uniformity, a mask can undermine the act of masking, you simply have to subvert the logic.

Sabbagh’s Madonnas have a very particular acces-

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sory: a cigarette. But what does it mean in the artist’s world? A cigarette is the epitome of vice, something that has been present in humanity throughout history, all over the world. Vice is slavery, sadism and masochism; it’s clear that we humans – and I’m no exception – are slaves to the perversions that we sadomasochistically create for ourselves.

It is fascinating how every mind is a world unto itself, and the way Sabbagh perceives his own reality makes every concept a profound interpretation of the way he interacts with his environment: Beauty is truth; Nature is the kingdom of truth; Art is its language; Fashion – when it expresses an individual, unique taste, not an homogenous one – represents its style.

Th e f u t u r e Sabbagh will be a guest artist at Ostrale’014 in Dresden until September 28th, and then some of his work will be displayed at Nirvana - Strange forms of Pleasure, at MUDAC, in Lausanne, Switzerland in October. In the meantime, he is excited to be working on his forthcoming book, taking meticulous care of every last detail until the final product satisfies his vision.

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fire ns statio

The

Places

126 on tour

by JoĂŤl Macher

Brandweerkazerne Leerpark Dordrecht, Netherlands Photos: Š Christian Richters

www.renevanzuuk.nl

Š Christian Richters

The Brandweerkazerne forms part of a Dutch research park and, beyond housing a fire station, serves as a 12-metre-high noise barrier between the nearby

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motorway and the research facilities behind it. The building complex is made up of three ground units containing garages and workshops to which two firstfloor units that house offices and common rooms connect perpendicularly. By

Š Christian Richters

employing materials like perforated aluminium, polycarbonate and green glass, the architects have given the building a clean, industrial look.

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Estación de Bomberos Ave Fénix Mexico City, Mexico Photos © Jaime Navarro, Fito Pardo

www.at103.net / www.bgp.com.mx

This Mexico City fire station built in 2006 is rich in symbolism as it was built at the site of a burned down building. Today, the chrome structure rises out of past

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ashes like a phoenix and almost seems to levitate above the ground. In addition to a fire station, its interior also houses consultation and training centres, which required the creation of spatially distinct areas. The spacious, light-flooded in-

ner courtyard serves as a link between the two types of purposed space and at certain times you can even see firemen sliding down poles.

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Vitra Firehouse Weil am Rhein, Germany Photos: Š Christian Richters

www.zaha-hadid.com

© Christian Richters

After a devastating fire crippled the furniture company’s design campus in 1981, it was agreed that the company needed its own fire station. Keeping in line with Vitra's design philosophy, it was decided that the new building mustn’t look just

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like any other. A big investment like this called for something quite extraordinary, and the commissioning of soon-to-be star architect Zaha Hadid proved to be the right choice. The special aesthetic appeal of her debut, completed in 1993, is

© Christian Richters

due to the structure’s sleek, dynamic shape and protruding roof that balances on a row of narrow pointed beams. The structure’s subtly curving and slanting concrete walls make it appear "frozen in motion" and create a sense of instability.

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PICASSO BABY

Jay-Z _Chanel, Paris Fashion Week Spring Summer 2014

If anyone knows how to flaunt his superstar status, it's Jay Z. This song is a reminder of how the artist is not only a music mogul and Beyonce’s husband, but a public figure who came from the streets and is now partying with Riccardo Tisci and rapping about Tom Ford. But for Jay Z, being part of the fashion world is not enough. Art is his new target, and with Marina Abramović as ‘the godmother of performance art’ as support and a fascination for Jeff Koons, he is getting ready for yet another conquering. go to amazon

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LIFTED

Naughty Boy feat. Emily SandĂŠ _Tom Ford, London Fashion Week Spring Summer 2014 Mr. Ford knows how to set trends and break rules all while looking perfectly sharp. What is the ultimate soundtrack for a glamorous show? Vibrant violins and the sweet voice of Miss SandĂŠ mix to give us a strong track that sounds like a battle hymn. Electronic beats meet instrumentals in a tune that has the power to make you feel strong. Even if you are in your lowest days, this song will lift you. We can promise you that, and Tom Ford concurs. go to amazon

LOSE YOURSELF TO DANCE

Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams _Diane von Fürstenberg, NY Fashion Week Spring Summer 2014

REFLEKTOR

Arcade Fire The army of models walking down the catwalk at the Diane von Furstenberg _Gucci und Giorgio Armani, show had that fresh and fun attitude that Milan Fashion Week Spring Summer 2014 we love. The designer chose the perfect summer song to give life to her designs This song is destined to be a battle anthem. on the runway. From the acclaimed Ran- With the enigmatic voice of David Bowie dom Access Memories by Daft Punk, as a backing vocalist and a mix of rebel "Lose Yourself to Dance" is an invitation sounds and vintage beats, this tune is the to the dance floor – a retro, funky, disco Canadian band's biggest hit. Mysterious melody that's perfect to start the party. and glamorous, this track was the proof Despite the fact that the song wasn’t as that, when two of the most famous popular as the duo's previous single, "Get fashion houses choose your song as the Lucky," it is still a timeless hit that we're soundtrack to their runway shows, you ready to hear and dance to at any time. must be doing something right. go to amazon go to amazon

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Givenchy

Photos b y S hoji F ujii

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Henrik Vibsko

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Photos by O li vi er C la i sse

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Icosphere

Ph o to s Get t y Im age s

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Juli Z

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Boris Bi

idjan Saberi

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Louis Vuitton

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Nicome Talaver

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CELEBRATION

UP Coming

! ? . . in n o s What'

//BERLIN //Vienna

GATE

/ September 13 Gasometer Guglgasse 8 1110 Vienna It's gonna be big!!! With GATE starts a new event series of superlatives in Vienna's Gasometer. GATE has taken nothing less than the aeronautics as an example, using the slogan "Taking Off and Hovering Thereof". The top international DJ Phil Romano as main act is already a guarantee of excessive partying. In addition, the Gogos ES Collection, flamethrowers, CO2 Jets, confetti, 24 video projectors, and over 100 moving heads provide a supernatural show. This party wont be repeated soon. So buy your ticket, buckle up and get going. It's boarding time! visit on facebook.com

GLOBAL KISS-IN GALA / September 6 The Liberate Berlin Kleine PräsidentenstraĂ&#x;e 4 10178 Berlin Since the adoption of the law, which prohibits the so-called "homosexual propaganda" in Russia, new LGBT groups have been formed to resist against this law at all corners of the Western world, and in many different ways. Among others, we have seen them meeting infront of the Russian consulate, demonstratively kissing each other.

In the meanwhile, Global Kiss-Ins were coordinated in a central location and have already been held in 58 cities. Now comes the Global Kiss-In Award, with which the most particular use against discrimination of LGBT people will be awarded. The kick-off for Kiss-In Award will take place in Berlin during a gala on September 6. visit on facebook.com

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//ZuRICH

//NEW YORK

/ September 19 National Museum of Zurich Museumstrasse2 8021 Zurich

/ September 3 to 14 BOSI Contemporary 48 Orchard Street New York City 10002

Men have used ties for the past two centuries as the most outrangeus phallic symbol around the neck of all times, always with lots of creativity concerning color, shape, pattern and "guiding points to the reproductive organ." Also today is the tie a popular accessory. No piece of fabric makes out of party tiger a project manager so fast, or an athlete to the guest of honor at a gala dinner. Zurich's National Museum dedicates a whole exhibition to the tie and its history, starting on September 19. www.nationalmuseum.ch

Gingers are, as the name-giving roots, something very special. Some love them hot, others can't really do something with them. Formerly, they were witches, today they are precious rarities. Thomas Knights photo series RED HOT has created a lot of attention in the men's world and already beaten its waves beyond. His aim was to break the stereotype of redheads by showing it as a strong, masculine and heroic one - as the opposite of the weak Milchbubi, marked by his red hair for his entire life. www.redhot100.com

TIES

RED HOT : NEW YORK

//LONG BEACH

// VANCOUVER

/ September 12 to 14 Art Theatre of Long Beach 2025 E. Fourth Street Long Beach, CA 90814

/ September 6 to 15 Vancouver BC Harbour, English Bay Anchorage Vancouver, BC

Big and small cities around the globe love to enjoy film festivals. From Sundance's modest Park City up to the pompous festival in Cannes: there are festivals to all sorts of genres, film styles or tendencies.

Hence, it's quite amazing that the oldest film festival of such a large and famous city like Long Beach is a queer one.

It is the best way that the Q in Q Films can be explained. The colorful variety of film-making is also lively celebrated this year. And this time even more slightly celebrates its anniversary. www.qfilmslongbeach.com

A cruise to Alaska is almost as cheesy as one in the Caribbean or around various Greek islands. But cheesy is no reason for not doing something. Otherwise, there would be no Christmas. From Vancouver goes north through the Gulf of Alaska to the coldest U.S. cities such as Anchorage. In leather outfit and with a cocktail in hands, one can take a look at whales, explore the coasts of Alaska and even a chat with Libby Riddles, the first winner of the infamous Iditarod, the toughest dog sled race in the world. Hoist the sails! visit on facebook.com

Q FILMS

NORTHERN LIGHTS LEATHER CRUISE