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VLONE FEATURING A$AP ROCKY INSIDE BLACK HEART TATTOO BEYOND THE BEARD AND MORE...

£3.99 ISSUE #01

EDITORS LETTER In this, the first ever issue of VLONE Magazine, we delve into the worlds of style and culture, particularly street style. We hear the inspirational story of Jimmy Niggles, who lost his friend to melanoma and the age of 23 and went on to grow one of the most famous beards in the world as a way of communicating his message. This beard, among others, is currently part of the amazing Mr Brock Elbankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s portrait gallery, Beard, at Somerset House and has raised a substantial amount for his incredible charity. We explore the rise of the A$AP Mob across music, fashion and culture and introduce you to three of the most stylish musicians in the world right now. Of course, we couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do this without also introducing you to Christian Benner, outfitter to the rockstars... Elsewhere in the issue, we take a look at the controversial world of the Nike Huarache and talk to (name) of BlackHeart Tattoo studio on the resurgence of the Traditional tattooing style and why people like Ricki Hall are responsible. Enjoy the issue! Sam Dibley Editor

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CONTENTS

A$AP MOB: NEW GENERATION RAP KINGS TO GLOBAL STREET FASHION ICONS

In the world of trainers, the Nike Huarache has always been a contentious issue. VLONE finds out why.

An in depth look at how the coolest rap collective in today’s hip-hop world went from being zero to hero in the realms of fashion & music.

BEYOND THE BEARD

Meet Mr. Brock Elbank: The renowned photographer currently hosting an exhibition Somerset House in order to raise awareness of melanoma.

CHRISTIAN BENNER The story behind one of the fashion world’s most rebellious designers.

THE NIKE HUARACHE TAKEOVER

LONDON FASHION WEEK 2015 The people of London are some of the most creative in the world. We take a look at the very best Street Style at Somerset House.

BEHIND THE INK An in-depth look into one of the UK’s hottest tattoo studios, through the lens of nationally-known photographer Tom Russell.

THE BEST DRESSED MUSICIANS IN THE WORLD Jared Leto, Tinie Tempah & Matt Healy: The World’s Most Stylish Artists that you need to know about. Right now.

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CONTRIBUTORS

Contributors

SAM DIBLEY

SHAR LYRIX MORRIS

JORDAN WALAKIRA

JAMES ETHERINGTON

Sam Dibley is a 21 year old freelance journalist from Windsor. In his short time of writing, he has produced words for such magazines as NME and UNCUT as well as taking on a role as Introducing Editor over at Bearded Magazine. He is a keen photographer, just starting to get into music and fashion photography. In addition to his love of music, he is also passionate about food, cocktail and drink journalism.

Former Grime emcee hailing from North West London, Shar Lyrix Morris is now an aspiring music journalist. The urban scene occupies a substantial place in her heart from its fashion to music. Which is evident via her huge love of sneakers and two blogs (sharlyrixmorris.wordpress. com & itsmorethanmusic.wordpress.com) one showcasing up’n’coming urban talent within the UK and the other that has a bit of everything.

Writing for thearcadiaonline.com, he has reviewed such well known events as London Cocktail Week as well as the first ever London Beer Week. Not content with just drinks and music, Sam also reviews hotels.

With her journalistic skills and knowledge her aim is to let the world know about the amazing urban talent the UK has to offer.

Up and coming music journalist Jordan Walakira is 20 years old, he’s a fan all types of music but his favourite genre of music is Grime, UK Rap, Hip Hop and R&B. His favourite artists are Skepta, Kanye West, 50 Cent, Aaliyah and Jay Z. Outside of music he has a keen interest in the London street fashion scene, and is a self confessed football fanatic. Hoping to make waves in the industry, Jordan is making his writing debut in this issue of Vlone.

James Etherington is a 20 year old graphic designer from south London. Specialising in editorial design and typography, along with illustration he enjoys creating work that is different and challenging. Projects he has worked on span from a series of illustrated children’s books to branding for a mobile application. His real love though are books and designing for print, as he enjoys creating physical objects rather than throw away digital ephemera. Away from design he enjoys playing guitar and pool, going to gigs and climbing mountains. His work can be viewed by downloading a portfolio from jetherington.com.

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CONTRIBUTORS

TOM RUSSELL

Tom Russell is a 21 year old nationally known professional photographer with a wealth of experience and knowledge. From working with Clients such as RSK Entertainment, Live Nation and Front Magazine, Tom has toured the country with bands and shot countless festivals in both the UK and Europe. Tom has shot artists such as Enter Shikari, Jamie T and Disclosure. As well as working within the music industry, Tom has shot at events such as London Fashion Week, The London Tattoo Convention and The British Superbike finals. Tom has also worked on numerous music videos with artists such as Sean Smith from The Blackout and Benji Webb of Skindred. All of his work can be found at www.ThisIsTomRussell.com

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BEYOND THE BEARD

Meet Mr Brock Elbank. He’s the man responsible for some of the most thought provoking portraits in world right now and, up until 29th March, they are all in one place, exclusively available for viewing at Somerset House, London. This is not only an exhibition, however. Behind it is an inspirational story that grew from just one man’s idea and his desire educate more and more people about melanoma, a skin cancer that took his friend from the world.

Beyond the Beard

However, it was not just Niggles’ work that made him such a social media sensation. Whilst living and working in Sydney, Mr Embank shot a mens’ concept editorial for New Zealand magazine ‘Black on Beards’, one of the first magazine to fully recognise the rise in popularity of beards. This very same concept editorial sparked a fascination with facial hair for Elbank and he began to search far and wide, seeking subjects for a personal, non-profit project on beards. Through a friend, he was introduced to Jimmy Niggles who told him of his friend’s death and of his charity initiative to prevent the spread of melanoma. Mr Elbank responded incredibly and started up #Project60, whereby he would photograph 60 different bearded people (people not men) in order to raise further awareness of Niggles’ ‘Beard Season’.

Back in 2009, a man called Wes Bonny discovered that a melanoma on his neck had spread to his brain. A few months later, he passed away at the age of 26. It was a massive and unexpected loss for everyone around him and his best friend, Scott Maggs (better known by his alias Jimmy Niggles), made it his priority to warn people of the hidden dangers and to encourage people to get regular skin checks in order to prevent anymore Being the talented photographer that unnecessary loss. Niggles, along with a he is, Mr Elbank soon received over few friends, decided that the best way to 1200 application from people wishing spread their message was, oddly, to grow to travel without payment to his rural beards. “This was a time that no-one our Warwickshire home to sit for a portrait. age was sporting a beard”, he explained. #Project60 not only includes the facial “It was a good conversation starter and it fuzz of the average Joe, but that famous meant that I could talk to lots of different facial hairs of icons such as actor John people”. Jimmy Niggles quickly became a Hurt, models Ricki Hall and Billy social media sensation, which was great: it Huxley and artist Gavin Turk also feature meant that he could extend his message to in the widely shared gallery. Tattooist more people than ever before. Miles Better and the infamous British bearded woman Harnaam Kaur also sat for portraits. All in all, the exhibition is a pretty unique set of portraits.

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BEYOND THE BEARD

#Project60 is a landmark artwork in the bearded world and, indeed, in the world of photography. It has come together not only in the form of this prestigious exhibition, but also in the form of a coffee table book, available to buy and to keep. Upon completion of the project, Niggles and Elbank ran into a problem. The set of portraits had been put together without any funding or profit whatsoever, with all proceeds being donated to charity. There was no money available to make the project a fully physical thing and, so, a Kickstarter Project was born. They smashed their target of 15,000AUD and raised $20,186AUD by November 15th 2014 with a $600AUD pledge getting you a VIP invitation to the #Project60 exhibition launch party, along with a pre-order of the #Project60 book (autographed), Beard Season tee shirt and collection of A5 images from the series. And, although no-one actually pledged this amount, $8,000AUD would have got them a day with Jimmy Niggles. For this, they wrote on the Kickstarter page: “This is a great opportunity to support the Beard Season cause while making the most of his company. Perfect for public speaking appointments, media interviews, hosting skin check session for your business/organisation, surf trips and philanthropic business meetings. Fondling the #MillionDollarBeard will incur an extra fee”.

#MillionDollarBeard is a fairly new development. Jimmy Niggles’ decision to grow a beard is ultimately what has led us to this point, to this exhibition and to this widespread understanding of melanoma. For this reason, Niggles is putting his beard – or what he describes as his “neck mane of rich mahogany” – up for sale. For $1MillionAUD, all of which will go to the very same charity that Niggles has campaigned for over the years. Fear not though. You don’t need to be a millionaire to prevent the spread of melanoma. Share the message of Jimmy Niggles and Mr Elbank today. Sam Dibley. Photos: Mr Brock Elbank

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NEW GENERATION RAP KINGS TO GLOBAL STREET FASHION ICONS: HOW ROCKY AND THE A$AP MOB ROCKETED TO SUCCESS

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A$AP MOB

The A$AP Mob are clearly the coolest rap collective in today’s hip-hop world. Hailing from Harlem, this is not a typical rap group. Although A$AP Rocky is undoubtably the biggest star, each member has a very important role to play. The majority of the members rap, but the group finds expertise in management, production, styling and fashion design. In short, the A$AP Mob is a force to be reckoned with.

From there, A$AP Yams and fashion designer A$AP Bari used Tumblr to promote the fashion world that they are now associated with. They wanted to bring fashion to the forefront of hip hop. Known in Harlem as the flashiest guys about, rocking minks, plenty of chains and Timberlands, the pair quickly started to find future members for their new group both through Tumblr and their local area.

Each and every member has the hunger and vision to make the A$AP Mob a dynasty. Interestingly, there is no designated frontman in the group, and this really sets them apart from the rest today’s rap crews.

Even the superstar that is A$AP Rocky was discovered by Bari. He often told Yams about Rocky but he never really listened. One day, however, Yams finally met with Rocky and instantly appreciated what Bari had been trying to tell him. A$AP Rocky’s fashion sense, along with his unique rapping style got him recruited to the Mob straight away.

Founder of the group, Steven Rodriguez (aka A$AP Yams) began his career interning for fellow Harlem rappers Jim Jones and Duke Da God at Asylum records where he hung around a lot of the big business men in the hip-hop scene... people like Irv Gotti, J.Prince, Dee and Wah of Ruff Ryders, all of whom influenced him to start his own rap collective.

Fast forward a few years to 2011, A$AP Rocky dropped his mixtape Live.Long. A$AP which got the hip-hop world going crazy, gaining huge appreciation from music bloggers and fans alike. The mixtape got so much love that record labels and A&R’s started to contact him, trying to persuade him to sign their contact. Rocky ended up signing with Sony Music Entertainment for $3 million, $1.7 million for his solo work and $1.3 million to fund his brand new company, A$AP Worldwide and the A$AP Mob quickly became the main crew of new generation hip-hop.

Soon after the A$AP Mob released their debut project as a group, Lords Never Worry, whilst Rocky embarked on his Long.Live.A$AP tour. Joined by close A$AP Mob associates Schoolboy Q and Danny Brown the tour promoted both Rocky’s debut album and the Mobs’ brand as a whole. This amount of exposure soon meant that more of the crew were beginning to be noticed by industry professional. A$AP Ferg signed a major joint venture deal with RCA and Polo Grounds in January 2013, through which he released his debut single (Work) and also promoted an official remix with Rocky, French Montana, Schoolboy Q and Trinidad James. Due to this success, the A$AP Mob finally decided to release their first full length album through A$AP Rocky. Entitled Long.Live.A$AP, just as his mixtape was, the album was an unprecedented success, receiving high praise from fans and critics and debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard 200 Chart.

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A$AP MOB

Next, it was Da$h’s turn to have his name in the limelight. The nephew of Jay-Z’s former manager (Dame Dash), Da$h is the only member of the Mob not to have the A$AP moniker. His debut mixtape, V.I.C.E.$ was released on 30th June 2013 and featured a massive amount of talent: Ab-Soul, Action Bronson, Vince Staples, A$AP Ferg and A$AP Nast. Later that year, Ferg released his own debut album, Trap Lord, through A$AP WorldWide, peaking at Number 9 on the Billboard 200 Chart and at Number 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Chart, selling an extraordinary 32,000 copies in it’s first week in the United States. A$AP Mob could be described as a mixture of fellow New York groups Wu-Tang Clan and Dipset, combining the aggression and talents of Wu-Tang clan with the fashion sense and charisma of Dipset. They are very different from what we have seen in music so far. There hasn’t been a group comprised of such a huge amount of young talented individuals who seem to have such a hold of the game. Even their hold on the fashion world is incredible, changing hugely from one day to the next, one day rocking such high-end fashion as Versace, Gucci and Louis Vuitton then the next dressing like the typical 90’s rapper, looking flawless without even trying. This image isn’t always appreciated by their fans, though. When A$AP Rocky went on BET’s 106 and Park, he wore a longline T-Shirt under his jacket which prompted questions like: “What’s Rocky wearing?!” and “Why’s he wearing a dress?” To this, Rocky replied in true A$AP style: “People just don’t understand high end fashion”.

The talent of the A$AP Mob spans industries and generations. A$AP Rocky works closely with fashion designer Jeremy Scott, A$AP Bari has his own clothing line and deceased member A$AP Yams helped to establish and run the A$AP Worldwide label, which focused intensely on the music as well as the fashion. A$AP Ferg not only raps but he also directs music videos for the group. His father was a fashion and graphic designer for the industry’s big names, designing P Diddy’s Bad Boy label logo. The A$AP Mob are prevalent at fashion shows around the world both attending the shows and even hosting the shows and after parties themselves. Earlier this year, the A$AP Mob helped to host the Art Basel Fashion Festival in Miami alongside fashion label PPP, bringing with them artists such as Drake, FKA Twigs and UK Grime MC, Skepta.

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A$AP MOB

In the few years that the A$AP Mob have been on the scene they have dominated increasingly, becoming icons in the worlds of fashion, rap and everything in between. The hype surrounding them has allowed them to travel to the far corners of the globe, spreading their unique sound and image. It should be noted though: the A$AP Mob, like any rap collective these days, do have their controversies. A few years back, the Mob were trying to shake off their violent reputation gained through causing fights both at and after their shows. But this is an issue they are trying to leave in the past.

Currently enjoying life at their peak so far, the sky is still the limit for the A$AP Mob. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s huge potential in their clothing line, their label and their talent. They are yet to appear on the runway of Paris or London Fashion Week and they are still yet to win a Grammy. Sure, it would be hard without Yams, but in the currently changing music and style scenes everything is a possibility. Long.Live.A$AP. Jordan Walakira.

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LONDON FASHION WEEK 2015

london fashion week 2015

Year after year, the Vodafone sponsored London Fashion Week brings a huge array of style savvy talent to London’s Somerset House. And this year was certainly no different, where London’s love of creative, individualistic street styling was truly prevalent. Of course, as with any fashion event, you have those who exude excellence and those who, unfortunately, bring their own form of fashion disaster. At VLONE, however, we don’t like to bully, so we’ll focus our attention on the successful guys and girls of London’s Street Style Scene. With designers hailing from all over the world bringing their newest collections to the hallowed runways of WC2, this years women’s week was set to be one of the best yet. Presenting their newest trends alongside a new breed of up and comers, heritage houses such as Mulberry, Burberry and Belstaff all showcased their updated classics. Some of the most interesting looks and combinations, however, were seen off of the runways, in the streets surrounding the venue. From dapper dogs to exquisite beards, London really had it nailed.

All in all, the walls of Somerset House are a haven for photographers, amateur and professional alike. I personally witnessed the new wave of Lumbersexual guy, becoming increasingly jealous with each passing mane of face fuzz, alongside bodies filled with so many tattoos that they could rival Miami Ink’s back catalogue. And this tattoo trend is becoming more and more popular, being accepted into the higher ranks of fashion and the modelling community. With major companies such as Diesel using heavily tattooed and alternative models like Ricki Hall, Chris John Millington, Steven James and Sam Reece for major campaigns, it could be argued that the stigma of tattoos is well and truly ready to be put behind us. But don’t just take my word for it. See for yourself. The following pages exhibit the best moments from the famous cobbles of Somerset House. Sam Dibley. Photos: Sam Dibley, Tom Russell

According to Fashion Blogger and Stylist Georgie Stuart: “There were are lot of different style concepts going round showcasing a huge range of looks. For instance, there’s a big thing of ‘blogging gangs’ now. A lot of the street wear guys club together… they blend and style together, creating a sort of ‘style gang’. I took a lot of photos of ‘Confetti Crowd’, a girl gang each of whom has their own unique style. Their aim is to inspire and showcase their own trends in their own ways. They’re like the Spice Girls of the fashion world”.

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LONDON FASHION WEEK 2015

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LONDON FASHION WEEK 2015

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HUARACHE TAKEOVER

THE NIKE HUARACHE TAKEOVER

Since their creation in 1991, Nike Air Huaraches have quickly become one of the most desirable pairs of trainers on the market. Although opinion has always been divided in the sneaker head world…

Originally designed by Nike designer Tinker Hatfield (the same guy responsible for the Air Jordan 3 – 15) the Huarache has certainly made its mark in the fashion world. The concept came about when Hatfield was water-skiing. He acknowledged how well the neoprene footwear fit around the ankle and, at that moment, the Huarache concept was born. Obviously, as opposed to the water-skiing footwear that stretched at the front, he wanted the stretch to be at the collar of the foot as that was where he felt that his shoes should fit better than any other on the market. As well as using neoprene, another detail that set the Huarache apart from other Nike footwear is that it wasn’t heavily branded with the trademark tick. All the focus was on the design, where it should be. After drawing up a rough sketch, Hatfield unveiled his idea to Alexander Bodecker who went on to call it ‘Sneaker of the Gods’. A sudden realisation occurred: it was like a sandal.. but he didn’t want to call it a sandal. Instead, he called it ‘Huarache’, the Mexican word for ‘sandal’.

Unfortunately for Hatfield, this new creation failed to spark interest. They were on the brink of failure until they were taken to the 1991 New York Marathon, prominently placed in the Nike booth and 5,000 pairs ended up being sold. Soon after, demand for the trainer grew dramatically. Hatfield and Eric Avar went on to transfer the Nike Air Huarache idea with a few extra details added and/or removed to create a cross training product (Nike Air Trainer Huarache 1992) and a basketball shoe (Nike Air Flight Huarache 1992). The Fab 5 of the University of Michigan State (Jimmy King, Jalen Rose, Chris Webber, Ray Jackson & Juwan Howard) went on to wear the Nike Air Flight Huarache, whilst Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen wore variations of the Huarache brand.

Nowadays, the Nike Huarache has many different looks. With the older products being re-released under the ‘OG’ label, as well as a whole host of new experimental colours and designs, sneaker heads are in heaven. The Jordan brand was one of a kind, causing enormous queues outside stores on release days. Now the Huarache is doing the same. But this wasn’t always the case. Throughout the 2000s the Huarache drifted in and out of fashion but, around 2011, Nike Huaraches had a massive resurgence. Although the releases were limited, this made the race to get a pair intense and thrilling. A great deal of people failed to get a pair of the re-releases around this time but this did nothing but enhance the levels of excitement. The hype was real. In late 2013 this all changed, with two releases in particular causing a huge uproar within the sneaker world: The ‘Triple Black’ and the ‘Platinum White’ Huarache.

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HUARACHE TAKEOVER

Originally released in 2004 in leather, the Triple Black ’13/’14 releases that used suede had everyone competing for a pair, rushing to the nearest outlet as they were said to be limited. Despite this, they quickly sold out and just as quickly were restocked… several times, keeping the average consumer happy, but really killing off the buzz for serious collectors. The Platinum White had much the same effect. As time stretched on, Huaraches became increasingly popular. Previously only available at stores such as Footlocker and Size, they were now available in far more colour combinations and in far more stores - JD Sports & Office to name a few. For many sneaker heads, this completely killed the hype. Obviously, for Nike at least, this rise in popularity was an incredibly good thing, bringing in higher revenue than they had first imagined. But for the hardcore collector, when something becomes easily accessible you just don’t want it as much. Love them or hate them, the Nike Huarache takeover came to an all time peak in January 2015 when Nike announced the Huarache was available as part of their NIKE I.D. range, meaning that collectors and consumers alike could create their own unique pair, once again making bespoke a possibility. The Huarache is a firm feature within today’s street wear, especially in the UK. It isn’t just worn by the hardcore sneaker fans either… It has seen on the feet of all types of people, in a variety of scenes. It defies boundaries. The Nike Huarache is here to stay. Shar Morris.

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VLONE CAUGHT UP WITH CORDELL HARDWARE, LONG TIME SNEAKER FAN AND EMPLOYEE OF FOOTLOCKER.

VLONE (V): Having worked at Footlocker for 5 years how did you see the Huarache grow? Cordell Hardware (CH): The increase in popularity was really obvious. At the start of 2013 Footlocker was the only store selling them and they did the business a lot of good. V: How well did the Huarache sell? CH: We expected them to be a decent seller but they quickly became the most popular and demanded trainer in Europe. That was within a year and they just continued to grow. Especially the Triple Black. That one sold 1000 pairs in just over 3 hours in London. V: What were release days like? CH: Hectic (he laughs). Especially if they were in a certain colour. People queued outside and it was ticketed entry. People had to be limited to only buying two pairs at a time. The store would open earlier than usual. That was fun when you’d been out the night before! V: As a fan of sneakers yourself how do you personally feel about Huaraches as a whole? CH: I really dislike them… Never been a fan of them. I didn’t buy them back in 2002 and I certainly wasn’t going to participate in the new hype beast sneaker head phase. The shoes are over rated and the quality is under par.

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BEHIND THE INK

Tattooing has always been an art form synonymous with negativity. Whether it be its connection with gang culture and identification or behind the four walls within prison culture worn as trophies of violence. From the traditional bamboo and whalebone tapping methods came the creation of the tattoo gun that, in its crudest form, can be broken down to a pen and a doorbell mechanism. The basic tools of the trade led to more basic and minimalist work being created. All of these factors gave birth to the traditional style of tattooing that we now see today. From these basic designs, the early 50’s saw early artists like Ed Hardy rise in popularity. We saw the bold block colours with solid line work and strong messages become increasingly popular between America’s military and navel divisions. These tattoos and the style they were created in became a mark of manhood and strength. Their popularity grew and grew and, due to their basic artistic nature, it became easier for other artists to recreate this style, as it didn’t take a huge amount of colour blending skill or intricate line work. This also made popular the process in both receiving the tattoo and the healing process, as this caused less trauma to the skin, meaning a quicker recovery time.

The style of tattooing and artwork has also seen resurgence within the music industry. Bands such as The Story So Far, Stick To Your Guns and Moose Blood have all used traditional American style artwork in various forms of media and promotion including merchandise, backdrops and record covers. All of these bands fall under the genre of hardcore and their fans often reciprocate this by getting that style of tattoos themselves. The style resonates with this genre of music as it originates from the strong morals and values of that time period. In keeping with those morals and strong American values the entire American Rock N’ Roll genre follows suite, as does American country music. If ’s it’s a band with strong values and American heritage then it’s a strong bet they have used this style. Due to this resurgence we sent our photographer Tom Russell along to one of the country’s most popular tattoo studios Black Heart Tattoo in Epsom, Surrey to document a day in the life of the shop. We followed artist Giovanni who specialises in traditional tattooing to see him in action.

Over the last few years this traditional tattooing style has seen a massive resurgence all over the world. Both men and women have taken to the style and tattoo shops worldwide are in higher and higher demand for artists who have perfected the style.

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BEHIND THE INK

Giovanni is strictly doing walk in appointments today and you can really sense his excitement: “I love days like this. You never know what you’re going to be tattooing and people can come in with ideas that you would never normally think of.” With this is mind his first customer of the day came in. His first piece was just some simple script over her rib cage which he expertly finished in a matter of minutes. I sat down with Giovanni and discussed his background of tattooing and how he was introduced to it. Interestingly, he had only been tattooing for 5 years: “I used to be a cleaner for the council!” he told me. “ I had always been into tattooing as all of my friends were tattooists and I myself was a painter but I just loved drawing and loved being tattooed even more”. When I asked him on his thoughts on the recent resurgence of traditional tattooing he put it down to current trends: “I think the internet played a big part in it. Tattooing always goes around in trends and cycles. Like in the 90’s it was all about tribal and biomechanical designs. This is just what’s current and there’s no doubt it will change in a few years or so.” He went on to say, “A few years ago you would never have seen traditional tattoos and if you did it would only really be in America. You’d never see them in the UK or around Europe that’s for sure.” Giovanni continued to put the influx down to the Internet and the way that modern media can make something popular almost over night.

I asked him if shows such as Miami Ink and the use of tattooed models such as Ricki Hall and Stephen James for highend designer campaigns had an impact. “Of course they did. When I was young and got my first tattoo at 18 almost no one had any tattoos. There were hardly any tattoo shops and no one really had them on the TV. It was a proper thing back then. Nowadays there’s a tattoo shop on ever street and everyone has a tattoo regardless of gender or background”.

Throughout the day customers came into the shop and left with a new piece of artwork that they would wear with pride. From this experience alone I feel that any type of stigma or negative connotations that are linked with tattooed people have disappeared.

In one day alone a mother of four had her first ever tattoo straight after a young girl had a thigh piece for her 18th birthday present. This cross section shows that the stigma has almost totally been lifted and With this Giovanni had another customer. its no longer seen as a mark or crime but He wanted a classic traditional sugar skull can truly be appreciated for the incredible on his chest to mirror the current tribal talent and heritage behind the art form. on the other side. This seemed to be a perfect example of the trends of tattooing Tom Russell. Photos: Tom Russell. and styles coming in and out of fashion.

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CHRISTIAN BENNER

The world of fashion can be described as nothing if not cutthroat. With everybody eternally striving to be the next big thing in all aspects of the creative arts, becoming someone truly innovative and stylistically gifted is something of a rarity. Fashion houses either rely on the history or heritage of the brand to keep them at the forefront of the game, where the name over shadows the product, or upon the contrasting tones of the new blood shining through the help of support platforms such as Fashion East, which gave birth to well known designers such as Ashish, Holy Fulton and House of Holland. If you are lucky enough to be successful, however you enter the fashion world, you will eventually carve your own path to destiny. This is very much the story of Christian Benner.

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CHRISTIAN BENNER

Beginning life as a visual merchandiser for the world-renowned lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret and the fashion label Abercrombie & Fitch, he was asked to take the reigns of internationally known vintage company, What Comes Around Goes Around, rapidly becoming one of the most talked about names in the underground New York fashion scene. His trademark style of taking old vintage Leather goods and rock band tees, giving them new life with his innovative and personalised distressing methods. It was this one of a kind method that truly made Benner stand apart from the rest. Upon meeting vintage shop owner Jimmy Webb, his journey fully began. As a token of good will Benner purchased an old Kinks top for twenty dollars. The shirt was a heavy black with bright band artwork (something that he would never usually wear). As an experiment he decided to cut the sleeves off, cover it in bleach and bury it in his back garden for a month. He began working at the shop and later wore it into work. Needless to say, the owners loved it and promptly gave Benner a bag of 50 to make more.

Through using mixtures of bleach and paint he changed the colouring and look of the shirts, distressing them even further by attacking them with hammers and rocks and even putting them in old tumble dryers with more rocks to give each garment a truly battered and individual aesthetic. Benner’s love of Rock and Roll music stemmed from a very young age. In a punk band from the age of fifteen called Mother Mania, he quickly encompassed the fashion movement of punk and his secret love of nineties hip hop such as Wu tang Clan. These influences, among others, were a true melting pot of styles but all still with a central theme. Benner has often named the likes of Alexander McQueen, Jackson Pollock, Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren as his main influences. He believes all of these designers were never afraid to break the rules of the normal and show their own attitude and visions through the clothes. ‘Cookie Cutter’ fashion is something he will always avoid, instead aiming to bring out a different kind of aesthetic in order to release each clients unique sense of individuality.

Not long after, Benner started to see his creations on the pages of high profile magazines such as Italian Vogue, being used in editorial shoots from across the globe. When Donatella Versace bought the vintage shop What Comes Around Goes Around’s entire inventory of Benner pieces it became evident that Benner had outgrown the company. He left the brand in December 2013, using his last paycheque to create his own vision in Christian Benner Custom, relying almost entirely on social media to promote his dream. Benner took on a very personal method in creating his designs and is personally involved with each and every individual piece. In interviews he has spoken of the almost higher state he reaches before creating, through such methods as deep meditation before the creation of any piece. With unorthodox methods of giving old clothing new life such as burying and bleaching, each new piece is like no other before it. In recent videos from his Instagram account, a form of social media that has helped him gain a new spectrum of followers, much like the Tumblr and Pintrest community, Benner is shown pouring paraffin fluid carefully over shirts and then setting them alight one by one, each under complete control. This method gives individualistic burn marks that add to each vintage piece.

When working with Incubus front man Brandon Boyd, Benner started to paint a mural on the back of a leather jacket which was later auctioned off with all proceeds going to charity. This style stayed at the forefront of his mind and recent collections have featured a great deal of painted leathers, from all over spray jobs to intricate portraits that then go through his signature style of distress. Over recent years Benner has had an array of clients who he has created personal one-off pieces for, including the likes of movie stars such as Brad Pitt and Mila Kunis, musicians such as Taylor Swift, Brandon Flowers and Brandon Boyd. Even iconic designer Donatella Versace owns a custom jacket by the man himself.

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CHRISTIAN BENNER

With musicians and artists such as Kellin Quinn and Machine Gun Kelly constantly wearing his clothing and opening up Benner’s work to a brand new demographic and generation, the pool from which he has to choose is never ending and ever expanding. With Benner’s work reflecting current street art, music, and whatever else he is into at that given moment, his pieces will ultimately never become uncool or go out of style. They will always have a valid reason or message behind them that is self-evident throughout his carefully designed collections. For this very reason Christian Benner is indisputably one of the modern day masters. He shows us that fashion doesn’t have to be a bright, over-the-top statement to be recognizable. It is the creation of a piece that holds a unique message and sets itself apart from the hundreds of high street copies. Maybe burying all of your clothes isn’t such a bad idea after all. Tom Russell.

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CHRISTIAN BENNER

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CHRISTIAN BENNER

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ICONS: BEST DRESSED MUSICIANS

THE BEST DRESSED MUSICIANS IN THE WORLD

TINIE TEMPAH

JARED LETO Oscar-winning Actor. Platinum-selling Singer-Songwriter. Award-winning Director: These are just three reasons for which every right-minded person goes crazy for the global superstar musician turned fashion icon that is Jared Leto. With or without his luscious locks, the man is a total rock star. And there can be no denying this. Ever. Widely considered a method actor, Leto takes pride in his exhaustive research of any given role, such methods earning him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, playing the role of a transgender woman in Dallas Buyers Club. Previously only known through such TV dramas as My So-Called Life and films like Prefontaine, 1998 saw Leto establish Thirty Seconds To Mars with his older brother, Shannon. This venture quickly received excellent critical acclaim from such institutions as MTV, and has sold over 10 million albums, elevating himself to an entire new level of celebrity.

Leto hasn’t always been known for his style, though. In 2011, GQ voted him as The Worst Dressed Man in the World, and not due to his lack of trying to look good… More to his trying way too hard, flaunting the occasional nipple through mesh shirts and adopting skirts over trousers. Over the years though, Jared Leto has mellowed and matured. 2014 saw GQ make a complete U-turn, labeling him as the Most Stylish Man at the Golden Globes. There’s even a Tumblr (What Is Jared Leto Wearing?) dedicated to documenting his trendsetting style and telling you exactly where to get his unique look. Tom Russell.

A successful British Rap artist, an entrepreneur and the owner of Disturbing London – his own record label – Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu has certainly made an impression on the industry… And not just the music industry, either. Tinie Tempah is also at the forefront of the British Fashion Scene, Receiving GQ’s prestigious Man of the Year Award in 2012 and, this year, being chosen as the new male ambassador for the London Menswear Collections, taking said position from previous titleholder Nick Grimshore. As expected, Tempah was agaain among GQ’s Best Dressed for this year so far. Style-wise, Tempah religiously shows off high-end brands such as Burberry, Louis Vuitton and Gucci alongside street brands like Ray Ban, Nike and Supra, giving his salary varied fan base something to aspire to.

Since the beginning of his career, Tempah has always seen fashion as a way to get ahead of the crowd and stand out, but always taking inspiration from his black heritage. From the very beginning, his show profits wouldn’t be spent at lavish parties, but on new outfits and accessories that would make him the next generation of British rap star. As his fame grew, so did his love of fashion. He fell in love with more bespoke pieces and unheard of up and coming designers such as Christopher Raeburn. As well as his own record label, he now has his own eponymous fashion label which focuses on showcasing new designers from around the world, alongside collaborations with bigger companies such as Nike.

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MATT HEALY The epitome of the Topman Generation, the 1975’s Matt Healy is the true embodiment of every young teenagers battle against normality. When it comes to a 21st century approach to the rocker twist, no-one does it better. With jeans more ripped than the inhabitants of Venice Beach and enough leather to black out even the brightest of suns, a darkened silhouette in front of a flared white square has never looked so great. But what else could you expect from a guy who takes his main influences from the likes of the ultra-cool Phil Collins? A self-confessed (and totally recovered) cocaine addict, Healy spent the majority of his teenage years dabbling in substance misuse, ultimately adopting the style that is adored by so many of his fans – both male and female – today.

Adhering to a strictly regimented monochrome wardrobe, Healy never looks out of place, whether on stage for the third headline show in a row at a sold out Brixton Academy or strutting his stuff at yet another well-deserved Brit Award after party. Healy falls into the new era of British rockers where once again it is of the highest importance to gain the attention of the fairer sex: And not only for your sound. Boyband looks were no longer at the forefront and were quickly being replaced by the edgy rock look that Mother would never in a million years approve of. Women want him. Men want to be him. Matt Healy really seems to have it all. Sam Dibley.

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