V STRONG!
DIGITAL EDITION
V MAGAZINE FALL 2020
126
V MAGAZINE PRESENTS
MATT
REMINGTON
GCDS FALL 2020 BY STEVEN KLEIN
TARAS
MATT AND MAYOWA
MAYOWA
INDIRA
MATT AND REMINGTON
INDIRA
Makeup Kabuki (Kabuki Magic) Hair Jonathan de Francesco (Streeters) Models Remington Williams (DNA), Mayowa Nicholas (The Society), Indira Scott (DNA), Taras Romanov, Matt van de Sande (BMG New York) Manicure Honey (Exposure NY) Executive producer Travis Kiewel (That One Production) Producer Roberto Sosa (That One Production) Digital technician Kylie Coutts Photo assistants Timothy Shin, William Takanashi, Dean Dodos Stylist assistant Taylor Kim Makeup assistant Andrew Karrick Hair assistant Aziz Rasulova Production assistant Aren Johnson Sanitization Assistant Carlos Garcia Retouching DTouch Creative Location Pier 59
PHOTOGRAPHY STEVEN KLEIN FASHION PATTI WILSON
WELCOME TO V MAGAZINE FALL 2020
© INEZ AND VINOODH
WWW.DOUBLEDUTCH.CASH
V Magazine is a registered trademark of V Magazine LLC. Copyright © 2020 V Magazine LLC. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A. V Magazine is published bi-monthly by V Magazine LLC.
EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief / Creative Director Stephen Gan Managing Editor / Production Director Melissa Scragg Editor Samuel Anderson Editorial Consultant Owen Myers Photo Director Goran Macura Editor, Entertainment Greg Krelenstein Office Manager / Ediorial Assistant Nicholas Puglia Contributing Editor-at-Large Derek Blasberg Copy & Research Editor Lynda Szpiro
ADVERTISING/FINANCE Associate Publisher / Advertising Director Nicola Bernardini de Pace nico@vmagazine.com Advertising Office, Italy and Switzerland, Magazine International Luciano Bernardini de Pace luciano@bernardini.it Daniela Sartori daniela@bernardini.it Managing Director Todd Kamelhar Sales & Distribution Director / Editorial Coordinator Czar Van Gaal Distribution David Renard
DIGITAL Digital Director Mathias Rosenzweig mathias@vmagazine.com Digital Editor Dania Curvy dania@vmagazine.com Social Media Manager Kevin Ponce kevin@vmagazine.com Weibo Editor Meng Ji Consulting Digital Editor Ian David Monroe ian@vmagazine.com
ART/FASHION Art Director Gabriele Baldotto Senior Designer Shibo Chen Consulting Creative / Design Greg Foley Contributing Fashion Directors Gro Curtis Fashion & Market Editor Aryeh Lappin Assistant Market Editor Sam Knoll Contributing Fashion Editors Paul Cavaco Nicola Formichetti Anna Trevelyan Amanda Harlech Jacob K Joe McKenna Melanie Ward Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele Jane How Clare Richardson Panos Yiapanis Tom Van Dorpe Beauty Editor Stella Pak
CONTRIBUTORS Inez & Vinoodh Alex White Steven Klein Patti Wilson Richard Burbridge Sølve Sundsbø Emma Summerton Thessaly La Force Marie Tomanova Dean DiCriscio Daniella Midenge Yaniv Edry Noel Quintela Samia Giobellina Ignazio Lozano Martin Olaciregui Kaleb Marshall Bryon Javar Douglas VanLaningham Danny Kasirye Justin Hamilton César Balcázar Ilana Kaplan
SPECIAL THANKS VLM Studio Kim Pollock Streeters Cristian Banks Andy MacDonald Rayna Donatelli Jillian Graham Charlotte Alexa Paige Phillips Paula Ekenger Art + Commerce Annemiek Ter Linden Arnault Kononow Christopher Miles Management + Artists Shae Cooper NEXT Gabriel Rubin DNA Craig Lock The Society Management George Speros Cheri Bowen IMG Morgan Rubenstein APM Erick Granwehr Premium Models Charlotte Stradere The Wall Group Elena Lakomkina Ruby Jacobs Kabuki Magic Chuck Fiorello Today Management Claudio Napolitano Samantha Brennan Bryan Bantry Agency Carole Lawrence SEE Management Leigh Sikorski Saint Luke Artists Sabrina Sarl OPUS Beauty Jovita Lee Modelwerk Victoria Charlotte Von Blücher Crowd Management Lee Palazzo Pier 59 Dtouch Creative INTERNS: Shaoul Avital Ella Christensen Taylor Dahl Allison Foster Julia Grippo Jo McDougall Hailee Milton Calem Robertson Jenna Solomon Valerie Stepanova Hadley Tutton Anthony Uribe Trent Wei
PRESS & EVENTS Purple PR Andrew Lister andrew.lister@purplepr.com Jocelyn Mak jocelyn.mak@purplepr.com Amy Choi amy.choi@purplepr.com
Clockwise from top left: Cartier Juste un Clou rings in rose and yellow gold, yellow gold and diamonds, rose gold and diamonds, white gold and diamonds ($2,270–$10,600), Juste un Clou bracelets in rose gold and diamonds, yellow gold and diamonds ($21,200, $87,500, Cartier boutiques nationwide)
TOMFORD.COM
POWER UP
On the cover: Laura wears jacket Louis Vuitton Briefs, stockings Isa Boulder Ring Chrome Hearts Bandana, worn as top stylist’s own
IN THIS ISSUE: 16 HEROES 18 HEART BEATS 20 GLOBAL MUSIC 26 TIKTOK DIARIES 28 TRENDING 30 GEN V 32 SAWEETIE SECURES THE BAG 34 NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST 38 SUPER HEROIC 50 INTO THE WOODS 62 V TIME MACHINE 70 BLOW UP 82 FIELD OF VISION 90 EMILY RATAJKOWSKI 96 WHAT V WANT
Clockwise from top: Bulgari Serpenti Rings (1, 3, 8, 10, 11, 13), Serpenti Earrings (2, 4-6, 9, 12, 15), Serpenti Bracelets (7, 14) ($4,500–$44,000, Bulgari.com)
IF YOU COULD CHOOSE ANY SUPERPOWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE? ONE SUPER-POWERFUL STAR WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF IS LAURA HARRIER. SHOT BY INEZ AND VINOODH AND STYLED BY ALEX WHITE, HARRIER IS AN ANIME-INSPIRED ENDORPHIN RUSH ON THIS ISSUE’S COVER. HARRIER IS EVERY BIT A REAL-LIFE WARRIOR: THE CHICAGO NATIVE BAM-POW’ED HER WAY THROUGH RYAN MURPHY’S HOLLYWOOD, PLAYING A LARGER-THAN-LIFE HYBRID OF DOROTHY DANDRIDGE AND HALLE BERRY—THE FIRST BLACK NOMINEE AND THE FIRST (AND ONLY) BLACK WINNER IN THE OSCAR’S “BEST ACTRESS” CATEGORY, RESPECTIVELY. IN A SATISFYINGLY FULL-CIRCLE PLOT TWIST, BERRY INTERVIEWS HARRIER HERE—DISCUSSING THE REALITIES OF INDUSTRY BIAS, AND REMINDING US THAT, DESPITE THEIR FEATS, THE NEED FOR CHANGE REMAINS STRONG. THE FIGHT FOR WHAT’S RIGHT REACHED A SOBERING PITCH THIS YEAR. STILL, OCCASIONAL ESCAPISM FEELS NECESSARY IN OUR POST-COVID WORLD. IN “V TIME MACHINE,” PHOTOGRAPHER CHRIS COLLS WENT THE EXTRA MILE FOR DAZZLING IMAGERY, CHARTERING A LIFE-SIZE LIGHTBOX THAT MODELS COULD ASSEMBLE THEMSELVES. THE RESULTING SERIES IS A CASE STUDY IN REMOTE INGENUITY. BUT COLLS WASN’T THE ONLY PHOTOGRAPHER IN THE ISSUE TO MOVE MOUNTAINS: SØLVE SUNDSBØ BROUGHT THE OUTDOORS IN, PHOTOGRAPHING THE BEST OF FALL/WINTER AGAINST A BIZARRO BOUQUET OF PLANT LIFE. IN THE FASHION AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPES, MUSICAL DISCOVERIES EMERGE FROM A SPECTRUM OF NATIONALITIES AND GENRES. EMRATA REFLECTS ON HER LATEST PASSIONS. AND LINEISY MONTERO IS AN ART-HOUSE SUPERHEROINE IN RICHARD BURBRIDGE’S COLLECTIONS SURVEY. CHOOSE YOUR FIGHTER. MR. V
Art Jon Jacobsen Assistant Javiera Allende
POWER ON
Clockwise from top: Celine by Hedi Slimane Les Cristaux Fragment Cuff, Fragment Rings (2, 7), Meteorite Necklace, Suspended Necklace (3, 4), Les Cristaux Folded Necklace (All prices upon request, Celine.com)
A FAMILY MAN WITH TALENT THAT NEVER QUITS, RICKY MARTIN IS BACK—AGAIN—WITH BANGERS Photography Kaleb Marshall Fashion Douglas VanLaningham
Clockwise from top: Ricky wears jacket Giorgio Armani Coat Issey Miyake Homme Plissé
RICKY MARTIN LATIN-POP IDOL
In 1999, America was suddenly, inexorably living la vida loca, thanks to a young, chiseled Puerto Rican’s showstopping Grammys performance. But just before Ricky Martin caught fire with the Englishlanguage smash, “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” he’d been as far from the spotlight as it gets: practicing yoga and meditation at an ashram in India. “I went to this little town called Puri, and I meditated,” he says. “I wore my sarong and nothing else. I was like a monk.” Rolling Stone captured Martin’s zero-to-sixty in Fall ’99. (“You were in India just before the Grammys?” the magazine questioned. “[My label] thought I was going to stay over there!” Martin replied.) What no one knew then of Martin’s spiritual pilgrimage was that it included a reckoning with his sexuality: “That was all totally, totally part of it: Confusion, confusion,” says Martin, who came out as gay in 2010. “People think you’re one thing, and you think you’re something completely different. Many [LGBTQ+] people go through that place and time of not knowing who the hell you are.”
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The son of a psychologist, Martin may have been predisposed to deal with the pressures of the fast lane—one he’s occupied for decades. “This career is fascinating and overwhelming,” he says. “The power that you feel on stage, when 20,000 people are singing your music…It’s addicting. It’s like crack. I’m very lucky to...still [be] here.” He also cites meditation, which he continued to practice over return trips to India. “My gurus tell me, ‘This is a reality. But music is your reality; it’s what you were born to do,’” he says. Now father to 12-year-olds—Martin’s age when he began his career—he has generations of fans. Earlier this year, he dropped Pausa—part one of a to-be-continued diptych. He describes Pausa, which featured next-gen stars like Bad Bunny, as a “modern [take on] what I’ve done.” Forged during the pandemic, it proved that Martin’s zest for “La Vida” is everlasting: “At this time of my life, I’ve never had so much fun.” SAMUEL ANDERSON Pausa is out now. Part two, Play, is coming soon!
HEART BEATS
Jehnny Beth wears all clothing and accessories Gucci Earrings and necklace Hannah Martin
WITH HER BEAU BEHIND THE LENS, INCENDIARY FRONTWOMAN JEHNNY BETH SPILLS HER SOUL Photography Johnny Hostile Fashion Aryeh Lappin
Jehnny Beth spent years as a slick, strutting frontwoman: first of mid-2000s duo John & Jehn, opposite her longtime creative and life partner Johnny Hostile; then of Brit-pop quartet Savages. But this year, the chameleonic French singer evolved once more—this time as an impossibleto-ignore solo artist. Her June debut, To Love Is To Live, flaunts her command in the art of mood-building, with a delivery that alternates between fierce and tender. “It’s about the complexity of being human: the different emotional states, [and the] violence,” she says of the LP. “It’s a journey in what it means to be human.” Layering lo-fi and lush instrumentals, all in service of her impressive vocal range, the singer pours her darkwave heart into each line. While Beth assumes an aggro stance on the lead single “I’m The Man,” her vulnerability seeps through on “Flower,” a track originally intended for St. Vincent’s Annie Clark. “I did try to imitate [Clark’s] style of 18
singing,” she says. In addition to Hostile, the album’s au courant guest list ranges from The xx’s Romy Madley Croft to actor Cillian Murphy, who contributed vocals in addition to starring in the “I’m The Man” video. Beth’s seductive journey has extended beyond music. In July, she released C.A.L.M., a book pairing Hostile’s S&M-laced portraits with Beth’s erotic short fiction, the latter exploring a tapestry of fantasies, from sub-dom dynamics to light necrophilia. The inspiration for C.A.L.M., an acronym for “Crime Against Love Memories,” was a trip to a private club in Paris, wherein guests found “libera[tion] in anonymously showing their bodies on camera,” Beth explains. Though she avoids further explication, saying simply, “I don’t feel it’s my job,” the book’s imagery and text speak for themselves. Whether she’s in or out of a latex getup, Beth’s multidisciplinary power heeds no boundaries. ILANA KAPLAN
Hair and makeup Henrique Martins (Capa Image) Production Claudio Gomes Set Design Thiago Pau A Pique Photo assistant Marcio Marcolino
GLOBAL MUSIC THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF MUSIC TAKES US ABROAD AND BACK, NO PASSPORT REQUIRED!
ANITTA GLOBAL POP
Anitta wears all accessories stylist’s own
Photography Henrique Gendre Fashion Direction Nicola Formichetti Stylist Clara Lima DIPLO You were one of the first people to teach me about Brazilian funk. Can you talk about how we met? ANITTA We met at a Jeremy Scott party in Brazil. [Jeremy] invited me because he saw that I wore his clothes. But at that time, [Brazilians] were very prejudiced about me. I was trying to break this wall that existed between rich, fancy people and the favelas—the humble people [often associated with Brazilian funk]. I was still [fighting] that wall, so when he said, “I want Anitta,” people were like, “What?” But I went [anyway], and I was just being myself. I was playing music for every type [of person]. I was feeling myself, partying and going crazy like I always do. D Explain the prejudice against funk music. Has it changed? A It’s a political [issue] for me. People complain about the lyrics of funk music. But [lyricists] write what they know. And what they know is crime, is sex, is violence, is drugs...That’s life for them. ‘Cause that’s all they have seen. So what do you think they’re going to sing about? So what I try to teach is that [it’s about] what you give people. If you give them quality of life, education, culture...They of course are going to sing about it. D I looked at your discography [recently]. Like, why are you so crazy [productive]? A I just love music. It’s something I was born with. I just think that there is great music everywhere. And, uh, also bad music everywhere, too. You can find both! DIPLO INTERVIEWED ANITTA FOR OUR JULY DIGITAL COVER. GO TO VMAGAZINE.COM FOR THE FULL STORY! 20
Makeup (all artists) Grace Elington using Anastasia Beverly Hills Hair (Celeste) James Catalano using Color Wow Hair (Young T & Bugsey) Afi Emily Attipoe Hair (Ashnikko) Jake Gallagher Location Studio Hire
GLOBAL MUSIC
CELESTE R&B
V What were some of your first musical influences? CELESTE The first [record] I bought was Otis Redding, as a present for my grandad. I was about 4 years old at the time, and I’ve been into soul and jazz ever since. V Who is an artist you recently recommended to a friend? C Sault’s new album, UNTITLED (Black Is). Since lockdown, I’ve been in a phase where I fixate on a vocalist and listen to albums’ worth of their material. I recently revisited the works of Bill Withers. And Bettye Swann’s [1969 cover of] “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye” is a new favorite of mine. V What are some influences you discovered later in life? C In my teens, I discovered Édith Piaf, The Clash, The Specials, N.E.R.D., Tyler, the Creator, Broadcast, Gil Scott-Heron, Sun Ra—inspiring artists from all genres. There was a freedom to what they created, which really opened my mind. V What has been your proudest career moment to date? C Winning a Brit Award, and performing there. It was one of those moments that really feels like the fantasy you imagined. 22
Celeste wears all clothing Gucci
This spread: Photography Danny Kasirye Fashion Justin Hamilton
GLOBAL MUSIC
ASHNIKKO FUTURE-POP
V What were some of your first musical influences? ASHNIKKO M.I.A., Gwen Stefani, Nicki Minaj, Lil’ Kim, Paramore, Björk, Joan Jett, and so many other women! V What are some influences you discovered later in life? A I’m from the [American] South, but didn’t delve into country music until later in life. I’d rejected it because it reminded me of home, which I’d also rejected... V Did you write any songs during quarantine? A I didn’t write a damn thing. I felt extremely uninspired over quarantine. I think that’s okay though. V Who are your closest musical collaborators? A Slinger, Oscar Scheller, and my five personalities. V Weirdest place you’ve ever had an idea for a song? A I used to write lyrics on the back of receipts when I waited tables. I got fired for “lack of focus.” V What’s been your proudest career moment to date? A “Stupid” went gold! My EP, Hi, It’s Me, did too! I’m still in shock that I’m a full-time musician. V How would you sum up this year in three words? A Buy more vibrators! V What are your hopes for next year? A I wanna not be an anxious mess. I wanna tour the world. Accolades are cool and all, but I just wanna be happy. Ashnikko wears top and pants Luis de Javier Shirt (worn under) Guess Earrings Shaun Leane
YOUNG T & BUGSEY HIP-HOP
V What were some of your first musical influences? BUGSEY There were loads of artists going off in my crib [growing up]…People like Fela Kuti, Lagbaja and D’banj. YOUNG T For me it was Beenie Man, Vybz Kartel, Super Cat, Bob Marley, to name just a few. V What are some influences you discovered later in life? YT Probably South American music–the old-school tracks with that jiggy bounce to them. I’d say Afrobeats, too! Because I’m Jamaican, I didn’t really grow up on that sound. But as we got older, it became more [widespread]. V Did you write any songs during quarantine? YT To be honest, we wasn’t really in the studio like that during quarantine. We used the time to reflect and focus. B “Don’t Rush” was really taking off; we were taking that in. V Who are some of your dream collaborators? B I’d have to say “drizzy” Drake. Or Wizkid. YT Drake for me, or Migos. That would be sick. V What’s been your proudest career moment to date? B “Don’t Rush” [was so] global, but I’d still have to say our [2017] song “4x4” going silver was the biggest one for me. V How would you sum up this year in three words? YT Unexpected! B Eventful. Life-changing. Even though that’s two words.
Young T & Bugsey wear all clothing Burberry 23
Makeup Patrick Ta Hair stylist Cesar Ramirez
GLOBAL MUSIC
KAROL G REGGAETON
Photography César Balcázar Fashion Maria Von Sothen V What were some of your first musical influences? KG Vocally, I admire artists like Selena Quintanilla, P!nk, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, and more. I used their tracks to practice and grow my vocal register. V Why did “Tusa” ft. Nicki Minaj resonate so deeply? KG First, the organic way in which the collaboration took place: It all started with a DM on Instagram. The sound of the song is another winning factor. The violins at the beginning of the track allow identify [it] from the very start. The concept created a complete identity for the song in people’s minds. I was surprised to see how both men and women connected with the song and made it their favorite jam. We charted on almost every playlist across the globe. V Having gone through COVID-19, what do you want young people to know about your experience battling the virus? KG I had days of general body pain and especially stomach aches. I had a hard time with it. I decided not to make it public in the moment because I knew my parents, who live in Colombia, would worry a lot. I am grateful that I was able to recover and I have been trying to educate my fans and followers about how strong the virus is, and the importance of wearing a mask. I hope everyone stays safe out there and takes care of one another. Karol wears top Burberry Jewelry her own 24 26
K BY NUMBERS
CONCEPT KOREA
THE NEXT GENERATION OF INSURGENT KOREAN DESIGNERS HAS ARRIVED
1. LEYII Seunghee Lee’s streamlined comfort doesn’t sacrifice a stitch of chicness, inviting comparisons to Phoebe Philo and Jonathan Anderson. Look out for unexpected textural touches like cashmere and nylon.
2. IISE
IIse means “second generation,” but brother founders Terrence and Kevin Kim’s traditional craftwork mixes old with new. Followers of this punky streetwear include A$AP Rocky stylist Matthew Henson.
3. LIE
Another dynastic outfit, Lee Chung Chung’s brainchild needs no intro: His father Lie Sang Bong is an established holdover from K-luxury’s first wave. Tailoring may be a family trait, but Lee experiments more with silhouette. 25
TIKTOK DIARIES THIS YEAR, TWO DIVAS STORMED THE VIRAL PLATFORM WITH AUTHENTICITY AND HUMOR Photography Danielle Levitt Fashion Miso Khe Dam
SALINA JOHNS @Salinakilla Since joining the platform on a lark last summer, Salina Johns has amassed over a million followers as of TikTok’s self-professed “Eboy king.” “Eboy” refers to a mostly male, goth-adjacent subculture that Johns’s videos originally sought to satirize. “I was getting tired of watching creators, specifically men, do absolutely nothing but be shirtless and wear chains, and get hundreds and thousands of likes,” she says. Instead of merely mocking young male mediocrity, Johns recast the archetype in a referential style all her own. “I was doing these more masculine types of videos, but putting a lot of thought into them. And I’m, like, a 5’4” Asian girl.” she says. “People had [equated] Eboys with f[uck] boys, and I guess I changed that.” Her status as an unofficial figurehead has morphed into something more concrete. “At [TikTok] conventions, I’ll see the original Eboys who know me now as ‘Salinakilla,’” she says. “They’re like, ‘It’s cool, [you] can be our king.’” SAMUEL ANDERSON 26
TIKTOK DIARIES This spread: Clothing thoughout Armani Exchange
Photo assistants Luiz Méndez (Marlene), Tahlia Munoz (Salina)
MARLENE MÉNDEZ @Marlenedizzle
Marlene Méndez went viral with a series of duets, or simulated FaceTimes, with Adam Ray—a TikTok star known for his outrageously disheveled “Rosa” character. Despite never having met Ray, Méndez’s spliced deadpan responses were the perfect foil to his chaotic ad libs, giving the impression of solid teen bonds. “I went to a [predominantly] Hispanic school,” says the Downey, California native. “The hot Cheetos, the gossip, and the attitudes were all the same.” Though Méndez’s ironperfected femininity made for an odd-couple visual pairing, she and Ray approach TikTok with the same unabashed cultural specificity. “People assume I don’t have an accent in real life,” she says. “I always say, ‘No, that is how I talk.’ I’m Latina, and super proud of it.” Given Méndez’s penchant for authenticity, it’s no wonder that her online chemistry with Ray has blossomed into an IRL friendship. “The first time we FaceTimed for real, we talked until 2:00 am,” she says. “We still talk every day.” SA 27
TRENDING REFRESH YOUR DISCOVER TAB: TWO TIKTOKERS INTERPRET FALL FRINGE AND METALLIC
Tahlia wears all clothing, bag, boots Boss Jewelry her own (throughout)
Skirt, coat, shoes, tie Prada Bra her own
Dress Bottega Veneta
Dress and gloves Issey Miyake
All clothing and accessories Dsquared2
Coat Giorgio Armani
FEEL THE FRINGE
Photography (this page): Tahlia Munoz @TRUTHTEA “I’m a New York-based filmmaker and musician originally from Oklahoma. I’m an ‘Internet Kid,’ and have found a lot of my best friends online.” 28
TIKTOK DIARIES
Lewa wears jewelry and bag Chanel Bodysuit Skims (throughout) Earrings her own (throughout)
Coat and bag Versace
Shoes and bag Louis Vuitton
Dress Redemption Bag Giuseppe Zanotti
PRECIOUS METAL
Photography (this page): Lewa Adewumi @ITSLEWABABY
Bag MCM
Bag MM6 Maison Margiela
“I immigrated to Boston from Nigeria when I was six, and now study politics at NYU. I’m an aspiring model, and my inspiration is Adut Akech.” 29
GEN V
A KOREAN TRAILBLAZER, A QUEER RAPTRESS, AND A NEW BEDROOM-POP SOUL SOUND OFF IN ECLECTIC HARMONY Photography Daniella Midenge Fashion Aryeh Lappin
Gracie wears coat Salvatore Ferragamo
GRACIE ABRAMS POP Artists just starting out can choose from two options: adopt a persona, connecting with audiences through a set of strategic creative choices, or foreground their humanity, leaving contrivance out of the equation. Gracie Abrams is on the latter path, as indicated by her raw and autobiographical July debut, minor. “[It] aligned exactly with the timing of [my freshman year of college] and my first and only real-life breakup, which rocked me super hard,” she says of the project’s genesis. “Everything I experienced, whether my studies or meeting new people or being alone, deeply contributed to [the music].” While her bedroom pop reflects everyday heartaches and growing pains, Abrams seeks to witness and metabolize the real world around her—pain and suffering included. The daughter of hyped director JJ Abrams, the singer moved East last year to attend Barnard. There, the the 20-year-old studied a particularly topical realm of sociology, taking multiple 30
classes on mass incarceration. “It was the most eye-opening experience in the history of my education,” she says. “I feel very aware of my lack of personal experience in a lot of the systems that so specifically target people who are not me.” Now on leave from school, Abrams has kindled her classroom awakening via musical discovery. “I’ve been listening to this unbelievable jazz pianist from the ’40s, Bud Powell,” she says. “His story made me cry when I first read about him. He suffered brain damage at the hands of police violence to the extent that his cognitive and physical abilities were never the same. It completely altered the way that he perceived music for his entire life...Not necessarily an uplifting story, but he’s so, so good.” Abrams’s life experiences may not compare to the musical martyrs of yore. But her capacity for empathy is the hallmark of true artistry. SAMUEL ANDERSON
KAASH PAIGE R&B Kaash Paige, a 19-year-old out of Dallas’s south side, knows her way around a double meaning. More than a pro-capitalist flex, “Kaash” is in fact an acronym spelling out the singer-songwriter’s moral code: “Kill All Arrogance Stop Hatred. “I don’t like arrogant people,” she explains. “I like people who treat you how they want to be treated. Because I grew up in an environment where, if you didn’t wear Jordans or this [or that], you weren’t good enough. I used to hate myself because my mom didn’t want me to wear any of that.” Paige’s musical lexicon carries hidden meanings as well: Her song “Orange Sweater” invokes both a beloved keepsake and a longtime inspiration: Frank Ocean. “When I hear [Ocean], the color I think about is orange. Channel Orange was timeless, so I wanted to bring back that vibe,” she says, referring to Ocean’s 2012 debut—released when Paige was in middle school. Like Ocean, Paige underpins her love songs with a certain ambivalence: Tell you that I love you just to make you stay / You tell me I’m toxic but you love me that way, she confesses on “Heartbreaker.” But when it came to representing her sexuality, Paige (eventually) took a more direct lyrical route. “When I first made love songs, I tried to keep the word ‘girl’ out of it. I was like, I don’t think my momma wants to mess with that,” she says. “[But then] I just did it—I put everything [out there]. My mom heard it, and she was kind of like, ‘Woah...’ But I’m like, ‘I don’t know what to tell you, man. It’s music. It’s already out. This is me.’” SA Kaash wears MSGM
PARK HYE JIN Electronic Long before the pandemic, live music was a tried-and-true foothold for young artists seeking exposure. Even in the age of Club Quarantine, electronic thus musicians seem at a special disadvantage, so linked is electro to dim, tight venues. But 25-year-old Park Hye Jin has had little trouble proving her cred in the U.S., having played just a handful of shows here shortly before lockdown. Retracing her rise through Seoul’s underground illustrates that Park was always bound to get noticed: “I wanted to play music so badly that I went to the clubs [by] myself, and told them that if I could not play music, I would be a cleaner in the club,” she recalls. “Of course, I’d prepared a lot with mix sets. I realized I wouldn’t have a chance without [the support] of the community. So I didn’t give up. Finally, after going to the clubs every [week] and acquainting myself with the staff, I got a residency as the DJ every Thursday.” To any lingering doubt of her selfassurance, Park’s breakout track, the coolly laconic “I Don’t Care,” is a killshot: “That song was to all those who ignored or laughed at [me]. They’re just jealous, and that only stimulates me more.” SA Hye Jin wears coat MSGM Shirt Calvin Klein Earrings Guess 31
SAWEETIE SECURES THE BAG TWO HOT-GIRL SUMMERS AGO, THE ‘ICY’ EMCEE MADE HER FIRST SPLASH IN V. FRESH OFF HIT BOP ‘TAP IN,’ SHE’S BACK WITH A LITTLE EXTRA FW20 BAGGAGE Photography Kaleb Marshall Fashion Bryon Javar
SAWEETHEART
Bag Bulgari Through the Eyes of Yoon Ambush in Nappa leather ($2,900, available at Bulgari.com)
MY ’BOO
All clothing and boots Fendi Bag Fendi Blue Peekaboo Handbag ($4,550, available at Fendi.com)
CHAINED TO THE RHYTHM Bag Celine by Hedi Slimane Chain Bag 16 in Black Satinated Calfskin ($2,950, available at Celine.com)
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Makeup Deanna Paley Hair Sonia Cosey Manicure Tameka Jackson
V NEWS
SO ICY All clothing Fendi Bag Fendi White Peekaboo Handbag ($4,550, available at Fendi.com)
HANDLE IT All clothing Givenchy Bag Givenchy Antigona Soft Large Calfskin Bag in Pearl Grey ($2,650, available at Givenchy.com)
RIGHT ON RED
All clothing and gloves Givenchy Bag Givenchy Antigona Soft Crocodile Leather Bag in Paprika ($2,450, available at Bergdorfgoodman.com) 33
NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST ARMED WITH MM6’S TOUR DE FORCE FW20 COLLAB WITH THE NORTH FACE, FOUR INTERNATIONAL TEAMS TEST THE HOTLY ANTICIPATED CAPSULE AGAINST THE ELEMENTS
CÁDIZ, SPAIN Photography Noel Quintela Fashion Samia Giobellina Model Mae Lapres (Premium Models) Hair and makeup Shaila Moran Production Cristina Menendez
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Mae wears coat, top, pants MM6 Maison Margiela Parka (worn under) MM6 | The North Face Shoes model’s own Available at MM6 Maison Margiela boutiques and Maisonmargiela.com
GEAR Adot and Benji wear clothing and accessories MM6 | The North Face
ROCKAWAYS, NEW YORK Photography Marie Tomanova Fashion Dean DiCriscio Models Adot Gak (APM), Benji Staker (IMG) Hair Gonn Kinoshita using Amika
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GEAR
DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY
Photography Ignazio Lozano Fashion Martin Olaciregui Model Penelope Ternes (Modelwerk) Hair and makeup Holger Hölkeskamp Styling assistant Andrés Megía
Penelope wears parka MM6 | The North Face Top, skirt, pants MM6 Maison Margiela 36
GEAR
HAR ZIN MOUNTAIN, ISRAEL
From left to right: Fatima wears dress MM6 | The North Face Top, pants, boots (throughout) MM6 Maison Margiela
Photography Yaniv Edry Fashion Aryeh Lappin
Wayi wears top and scarf MM6 | The North Face Pants MM6 Maison Margiela (throughout) Shoes model’s own (throughout)
Models Monica Joseph (Yuli Group), Fatima Fay Jakite (Yuli Group), Ryan John, Wayi Thok Wayi Aguer Hair Yaniv Zada Makeup Michal Ronen
Ryan wears scarf MM6 | The North Face Pants and sunglasses (throughout) MM6 Maison Margiela Shoes model’s own (throughout) Monica wears jacket MM6 | The North Face Pants and boots (throughout) MM6 Maison Margiela Jewelry (throughout) model’s own
Wayi wears jacket MM6 | The North Face
From left to right: Wayi wears jacket MM6 | The North Face Monica wears top MM6 | The North Face Ryan wears jacket MM6 Maison Margiela Fatima wears jacket MM6 | The North Face Top MM6 Maison Margiela
From left to right: Ryan wears jacket MM6 | The North Face Top MM6 Maison Margiela Wayi wears scarf and bag MM6 | The North Face
Monica wears scarf (over shoulder) MM6 | The North Face Fatima wears jacket and tops MM6 | The North Face
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ACTRESS LAURA HARRIER OPENS UP TO IDOL HALLE BERRY ABOUT HER
LIFE’S MISSION: TO VIVIDLY REPRESENT BLACK WOMEN ON SCREEN Photography Inez and Vinoodh
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Fashion Alex White
Laura wears coat Louis Vuitton Bra Mugler Briefs Skims Jewelry Chrome Hearts Bandana stylist’s own
HALLE BERRY: I GOT INTO A LOT OF FIGHTS AS A KID… FIST FIGHTS! BECAUSE OF MY IRREVERENCE AND MY ABILITY TO STAND UP FOR MYSELF. WHEN I COULD HAVE JUST WALKED AWAY. BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THERE’S A PART OF ME THAT DOESN’T…WALK AWAY. I FACE IT AND DEAL WITH IT. THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF MY PERSONALITY. LAURA HARRIER: I THINK THAT’S A GREAT QUALITY TO HAVE. I HAVE A LOT OF THE SAME. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TAME IT, BUT ALSO I THINK IT PROPELS YOU.
Top Eckhaus Latta Shorts Moschino Shoes Giuseppe Zanotti Jewelry Chrome Hearts Bandanas stylist’s own
Jacket Louis Vuitton Bandana, worn as top stylist’s own On eyes Chanel Calligraphie de Chanel in Hyperblack (throughout) On hair Oribe Pattern Edge Control Curl Gelée
n Ryan Murphy’s latest Netflix miniseries, Hollywood, Laura Harrier plays Camille Washington, a beautiful 1940s studio-era actress who goes on to be the first Black woman to win an Academy Award in a leading lady role. Washington—who is a fictionalized character, though loosely based on the great Dorothy Dandridge—finds herself moving in the same circles as Hollywood legends such as Hattie McDaniel (the first Black actress to win an Oscar); the Chinese-American actress Anna May Wong and beefcake leading man Rock Hudson—except in this version Hattie is Queen Latifah; Wong, like Washington, is formally recognized for her talents and not typecast as stereotypes of her race; and Hudson proudly comes out as gay on the red carpet. It’s the kind of revisionism popular in entertainment right now, one that lets the audience really wonder, “What if?” What if Hollywood wasn’t so white, so racist, so sexist, so homophobic? What if those who were (and still are) marginalized had been centered, and allowed to tell their own stories on the big screen? What if—to put it bluntly—the world was radically just more fair? In reality, there was no Camille Washington (Wong died 1961, frustrated and rejected by Hollywood; Hudson died of AIDS-related complications in 1985, only coming out of the closet that year). It wasn’t until 2001 that Halle Berry became the first Black woman to win an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Leticia Musgrove in Monster’s Ball. In an emotional moment (which you can find archived on YouTube), Berry accepts the statue in utter shock, tears streaming down her face: “This moment is so much bigger than me,” she says, stunned. “This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll. It’s for the women who stand beside me, Jada Pinkett, Angela Bassett, Vivica Fox. And it’s for every nameless face of women of color who now have a chance because this door has been opened.” “I really didn’t think I was going to win,” she told Harrier, in a recent conversation the two had over Zoom. “My body went into total shock. I hadn’t written a speech because I [thought] I wouldn’t be there.” Both Harrier, a Louis Vuitton ambassador, and Berry, who is between edits for her upcoming directorial debut about an MMA fighter, were self-isolating at home in Los Angeles. Their conversation—which touched not only on McDaniel and Dandridge, but also the actors’s thoughts on the murder of George Floyd as well as how they personally identify as Black women— ranged from contemplative to sobering to uplifting. Berry, who, at 54, is 24 years older than the 30-year-old Harrier, acknowledged that Harrier was the new face of “young Hollywood” and repeatedly told Harrier how “proud I am of you.” It was a touching reminder of how empowerment and support really works in a competitive industry that pits beautiful women against each other. Harrier responded in kind, reminding Berry how much of a “trailblazer” she has been to young Black women with dreams to act. Though a Black actress has not won an Oscar for Best Actress since Berry, despite subsequent nominations for Gabourey Sidibe, Viola Davis, Quvenzhané Wallis, Ruth Negga, and Cynthia Erivo, Berry and Harrier’s encounter offered a sense of hope. As the conversation wound down, Berry told Harrier, “After directing this movie, I may be calling on you. I want to highlight Black women and tell stories where they star and our stories are told. So yeah, I might be calling you.” Harrier’s face broke into a wide smile. “I’m here!” she said. THESSALY LA FORCE HALLE BERRY I’m so happy to be doing this with you, and I’m so proud—really, so proud of you. LAURA HARRIER I’m going to try not to freak out, because you’re basically the reason I wanted to be an actress. I’ve looked up to you forever. And it’s really, really special to hear that from you. So thank you. HB Oh my god, that’s amazing! Well, first, I want to talk about the obvious thing that’s happening in the world—quarantine. How have you been handling it? Everybody has a different story. Some people have found silver linings, some people are having shit hard times. How has it been for you? LH It’s been hard. I’ve been trying to be positive, but honestly, when your life is all about moving and traveling, and being surrounded by people…Being stuck is super difficult. And I’ve been going a little crazy. But also trying to stay creative and think about what I want to do next. It was nice to have Hollywood press to do in this time. HB How has press been? LH It sucks! [Laughs]…I mean, it’s cool that I can still Zoom and promote the show, but the fun parts like dressing up and getting to travel and be with your cast…that is obviously [lacking]. HB And you’re someone who loves fashion, as do I. I have a new movie coming out and one of my first thoughts was, “You mean I’m not going to get to have a fashion moment? What the heck!” LH When is your new movie coming out? HB Hopefully this year! It’s my directorial debut, so I’m super excited. We just got into the Toronto Film Festival. But still, I thought of all the missed fashion moments. I’m trying to think of ways to still give it to them while in quarantine. Not to take away from what’s happening in the world. But we need those diversions. LH Exactly! I had so many looks planned for Hollywood. [Instead] I was wearing like Versace on top, sweatpants on the bottom. HB Hey, I’ve been doing Zooms with shirts on top, underwear on bottom! [Laughs] So, you are a part of the new, young Hollywood. When I see young women like you taking the reigns and being bold, I feel so proud. What has it been like for you, since your life changed? I’m curious how your experience differs from mine. LH I’m so interested to talk to you about this, and I’d love to know how it was for you. I feel like now, there’s so little privacy. And that’s been a huge adjustment for me. I don’t think anyone can prepare you for that. At the same time, I think social media is amazing, in that it gives us a platform and a voice. Because when I was growing up, it was you! You, and Angela Bassett, and Nia Long, and Jada Pinkett Smith. But, you know, there were just a few of you. And if I can in some ways be that for a new generation, that’s my priority: I want young Black girls to feel seen. Representing young women of color is what I care about most.
HB I think it’s a huge benefit, because I didn’t have the platform of social media. And one of the things that was really frustrating, for me, especially in the early days, was that I didn’t have a voice. I felt like for me the same story kept being told, and it didn’t reflect my evolution. It didn’t reflect the new frontiers that I faced. It was always the story of my broken relationships. Which were so freaking old that I couldn’t stand it being regurgitated every time I did an interview. So it was almost a feeling of never being able to escape that stuff, even though I was so far past all of it. LH Exactly. So what would you do when you felt you’d been misrepresented in the media? HB Not do interviews! I finally just stopped talking. I didn’t do another interview for eight years. LH Really! HB But then I got on social media and had this revelation of, I can actually show who I really am. That freedom opened me up to talking again, because I now realize it’s not the only outlet, it’s just one. So I’m more open to it. To sitting down and talking to you, because I have that other medium. And not talking is not the answer. That was my answer, but I wouldn’t say that should be everyone’s answer. That’s just how I chose to deal with it. And I think we need both: We need our own PR and we need wonderful magazines like this one to highlight you and tell a story through their lens. LH Right. The highlighting of relationships is so much of what we go through as Black women, that doesn’t seem as highlighted for other artists in our industry. HB How have you been finding your struggle? Do you feel like the people of the past—the Jadas, the Angelas—do you feel like those were significant doors that they opened for you? Is your struggle different? LH Doors were definitely opened by the generation before, and by you winning your Oscar. But there are still struggles, and [something] I thought about a lot while doing Hollywood was, how could Dorothy Dandridge and Lena Horne have had the bravery and foresight? It must have been so difficult and terrifying to be the actual first, never having seen anyone on screen who looks like you. I’m so grateful that I had that, and have so much respect for the women who came before me. HB My biggest heartbreak about that win is that it’s been 20 years and there’s never been another one. And that’s been a real heartbreak. And every year that goes by, it becomes more and more heartbreaking. In that moment, I thought, this really matters. And hearing what you just said affirms that it did matter. But I have to say, I question, at times, what did it mean if anything really at all? LH It mattered a lot. And I agree, it is crazy to think it’s still just you. But I don’t think that takes away from what an incredible achievement that was. I was 12, watching you win… HB 12—That’s my daughter’s age! Well, it just lets us know that there’s still work to be done. LH Can I ask you what you felt in that moment? What was it like [to win]? HB You know…I so didn’t think I was going to win. 20 years ago, whoever won the Golden Globe seemed to win the Oscar. Golden Globes were really a precursor to the Oscars. So when I didn’t win the Golden Globe, my hopes of winning [the Oscar], being part of that history, kind of died. And because I really didn’t think I was going to win, my body went into total shock. So much of that night is a total blur. I only remember it because I watched it. I really don’t remember it; I was just up there, blank, and seeing nothing. Like, if you get into a car accident, you can still get home; I think it was that sort of feeling. I just walked up and knew I had to say something, I just wasn’t in command of what I was saying. LH The fact that you don’t remember is so crazy, because it’s the most iconic speech. I’ve watched it over and over. What you said is so powerful and poignant. And I cry with you every time... HB [Laughs] I wish I could say I wrote it! But that was my subconscious talking. I’m going to switch subjects…Something not related, but important—this whole thing that’s just happened with George Floyd. Where were you when that happened and how did that make you feel? LH I was in L.A. and I was driving in my car. I think I was listening to NPR, so I heard about it the day it happened. I kind of just pulled into my driveway and sat there, and sat with it. With the pain of it. And sadness and yeah it was a lot. And I flew home to Chicago the next day because I’d been quarantined in L.A., and I wanted to go see my parents. And so I went back there and it was really heavy. For so many people it was this reminder of where we are in our country. As much as it seemed like we have progressed, so little has changed. But at the same time, it was really amazing to see the marches and be a part of them. I went to a few of the big marches in Chicago. And just like the collective consciousness of people wanting to fight the system, and uplift black people. And wanting to change the way that our country was built. Our country was built on genocide and slavery and that’s absolutely still happening today. So that was really powerful…To see the change in people’s thoughts. The thoughts of white people, specifically, whose minds have been changed a lot. But it’s just...sad. It’s so sad. There are so many people whose names we don’t even know. HB Yeah. And that’s kind of how I felt. There’s so many nameless people. George Floyd just put a new spotlight on the issue, at a time. And I think because of the pandemic—something also very scary—people were in a different mindset. People had to think more deeply about it because they were already hunkered down, outside the normal rat race of life. It was something that we could really focus on. And I was really happy at all the rallies to see so many white people out in support. That, to me, meant, “Oh, something might actually be shifting this time.” The people of the country are realizing that it is not just a Black male problem, or a Black problem, but it is a problem of our country. It affects all of us, in so many ways. So I think I felt like you: sad, but also hopeful. George Floyd is going to change our collective thinking, and only positives will come from that. LH Yeah, I hope so. And I do think that things are starting to shift, but it’s definitely...It’s like a trauma that we all have to live through, right? And when we see these videos, it’s so powerful, but I think that’s the reason that things are shifting. Because of how difficult it is to see. HB Do you have brothers? LH I do. I have a younger brother, so every time something like this happens, that’s who I think about first. And my fears for him, and for all the Black men in my life that I love. It’s a constant thought, I think. HB And I think there have been women who have also lost their lives in the same way. And we also have to work harder to identify and highlight them, and fight for them.
Bra, skirt and tights Mugler Jewelry and belt Chrome Hearts Sleeve stylist’s own
Top Louis Vuitton Bra, worn over top Araks Jewelry Chrome Hearts On face Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre On lips Chanel Rouge Coco Flash 144 Move On eyes Chanel Le Liner de Chanel, Noir Profond Le Volume Révolution de Chanel
Bra, skirt and tights Mugler Jewelry and belt Chrome Hearts Sleeve stylist’s own
LH Yeah. Breonna Taylor. HB Let’s take this back to Hollywood—it was set in the 1940s, right? LH Yes. HB So how did it feel? Because you know where we are today, and you know the history our country was built on. So how did it feel to embody a woman of color in the 1940s, knowing that was going to be a very different [situation] than what it is today? LH It was interesting. I don’t think [my character] Camille was an idealized version [of anyone], but the outcome of her story was what we would have wished for Dorothy Dandridge: that she’d won the Oscar and had this happy ending. Had she been the first Black woman to win Best Actress in the 1940s, instead of [it taking until] 2002 for a Black woman–you–to win, our industry would be completely different. So that was a cool lens to look through. But obviously I wanted to [show] what it meant to be a Black woman in the ’40s and all the barriers that [came with that]. All the racism that she had to experience. I wanted to give real weight and truth to that. So I did my research. HB I read that some people had an issue with the way [history] was presented, or thought that it somehow diminished what real trailblazers had gone through. But I felt like it was a wonderful and a refreshing look at what could have been. To me, it was [also about] what can be. LH Exactly. HB [It made me think] wow, what is coming? I just hope I live long enough to see it. LH Yeah. You will. HB You’re going to see it! I’m sure of it! LH I’m sure of it, too! Yeah, that’s how I felt. I think most people know the real history. We know what happened. Especially in the times we’re living in, I think people want to see something uplifting and positive, and think about what could be, and think about hopefully what the future holds. HB Yes, because we often go back and look at slavery and look at all the hardships that we went through, and we revisit that over and over and over. It’s nice to look at a new narrative that can make us feel good about ourselves, right? And a narrative that would have supported us. And I think that’s good for all people, to be able to take a look at, and sort of chew on that, you know? And I think you also realize more deeply the injustice that’s been done to us, at the same time. Even through this lens you still see it. LH Yeah, to see that contrast, I think, really highlights the good and the bad. HB Yeah. Now you, like me...we’re both interracial. Right? Do you have one white parent and a Black parent? LH Yes. My mom’s white. My dad’s Black. HB Same with me. So how do you identify? Do you see yourself as a Black woman? Do you identify as mixed race? How have you made sense of your place in the industry, or just in life? LH I definitely see myself as a Black woman. I identify as a Black woman. I think, growing up, I probably identified more strongly as being mixed-race just because the place I grew up in was very diverse. There were a lot of mixed-race people, and that’s what my family is. And I’m really grateful for both sides of my family. But I think it was really eye-opening to move to New York at 17, and be out in the world on my own, [where I was] solely being identified as a Black woman. Which wasn’t bad at all, but it was eye-opening. Seeing [that] this is actually completely how the world sees me. Most people wouldn’t stop to think about, “Oh, your mom is half-Ukrainian. Tell me about that.” No, the world just sees me as a Black woman, which is something I’m very proud to be. It just was sort of a strange realization, at that age, of the one-sidedness of how the industry [sees you]. Not seeing all of the facets that I think make Black people so interesting. HB Right. And did you feel like on some level you were denying a part of you, by taking on this sort of one-dimensional look at yourself? LH I don’t know if I’ve ever thought about that. But I think no, because I remember having a conversation with my mom about this, who never made me feel that there was anything wrong with identifying as a Black woman. I would never discount my mom or her side of my family, who I’m super, super close with. But I think in terms of my racial identity, it definitely leans more toward my Blackness...How do you feel about it? HB Yeah, I have known always that I was a Black woman. Growing up, my mother, who’s white, was the first one to tell me: you need to accept that. And, by accepting that, it doesn’t mean you’re denying me. It just means you’re accepting the reality of who you are and how the world will see you. And the sooner you accept that, the easier your life is going to be. When I was growing up, to walk around saying I’m mixed-race—no one would have cared. And I didn’t look very “mixed-race.” I looked very much like what I am: a Black girl. That’s how I identify. And that’s how I’ve been treated and discriminated against. I’ve never had confusion over it. But now, being a mother of a daughter... Her father is white. And she has the conversation with me now, where she says, “I’m 75% white and 25% Black.” And I said, “Oh, really? Well, you go out in the world with that sentiment, and you tell people, and you see how far that gets you.” LH What do you tell her? HB I tell her that when she grows up, she is going to be viewed by society as a Black woman, because that’s how she’s viewed at school already. You know what I mean? She’s not passing for white, nor does she want to, but I said, “Nobody’s going to care about your percentages...You are going to be discriminated against as a Black woman as you grow. And so let’s just face that fact, that’s what you are.” That’s my messaging as her mother, and as a Black woman. But at the end of the day, I say, “The truth is, I will support you in whatever way you identify. But here’s what I think will be the path of least resistance.” That’s my point of view. So, we’ll see. She’s only 12, and she’s kind of figuring all that out right now for herself. LH I want to ask you questions! When you were starting your career, before the Oscars, did you realize that your were a trailblazer? Or were you just doing what you loved? HB I think it’s a little bit of both. I understood I was carrying the torch. After I did Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, and I got into her life and embodied her, I got really deeply connected to her trailblazing and how much that meant for me and my life. I got very connected to what my life and my career would mean for young actresses behind me, like yourself. And I knew that I had to be brave, take some risks, try to forge a way out of no way. Because nobody had really gone where I was wanting to go. I knew that that was a responsibility of mine, right? But at the same
time, as an artist, I just wanted to do things that I loved, and that challenged me. And by doing so, not everything was perceived in the way I had imagined [they would be] by people. But that often happens, when you’re trailblazing: You do things other people haven’t done, and sometimes you do it five minutes too early. And people aren’t quite ready for it. But what I want to say to you is, you can’t let that deter you from continuing to blaze that trail. That you have to stay brave. You have to take chances. If you want to move us forward, then you have to be forward-thinking. And that means innovating. If someone has already done it, then you’re not really innovating. That’s like a lateral move. So think of ways that you can innovate and move your ball forward, for everybody. And that’s by doing things that have never been done. That’s by taking chances. And that’s what I was encouraged to do at that time in my life, by my manager that I had at the time. And so that’s what I tell young actors like yourself, just be brave. Be courageous. Don’t let the fact that it’s never been done before, or the fear that other people will put on you, stop you from taking those risks. If you fail, okay, you get back up and you do it again. But if you win, you win so big that it’s worth any thought of failure. Because the win moves you forward in such a big way. And the failure is just like a hiccup. You can recover from that. LH That’s very good advice. Thank you. I needed to hear that. HB Yeah. Never be afraid. And I’ll tell you a story. People get afraid for me all the time. Like when I did Monster’s Ball—it was a little tiny movie and I loved the script. I love playing characters that are tortured and damaged. It’s a part of myself that I love to access, because I work through my own damage, my own torture, my own childhood that left me scarred. Right? And those movies give me a chance to work through that. So it’s very cathartic for me. So when I read this script, I was like, “Oh, yes. I’m definitely doing this.” And then people around me started to try to talk me out of it. They said, “But it’s explicit nudity. And it’s a little tiny movie. You’re going to get paid nothing. If you’re going to bare your whole body, you better be getting a check, girl. That’s crazy.” All these people tried to [project] their fears onto me. But in the quiet of my own mind, I had to go away and think, “Okay, if I win at this...” I never dreamed of an Oscar, but I dreamed of having a stellar performance that would be something very different for a woman like me. And I thought, “If I win at this, I’m really moving our collective ball significantly forward. And if I fail and my career is over, like they all say could happen, well, then at least I’m dying on the sword that I planted in the ground. I’m dying on my own merit, on my own decisions, Not on the fears of someone else.” So I did that, and then that Oscar moment ended up happening. So that was an example of facing your fear. And I just had it recently; when I went to direct my first film, I was also starring in it, playing an MMA fighter. By many accounts, it’s a dumb thing to do. “Why do your first movie and play such a big role? And have to do all this fighting and training?” And people would say to me, “But you’ve never directed before! That’s too hard! You can’t do that. Do you know how hard it is to direct fight scenes? Talk to all the directors that have done those movies—those scenes are hard! How are you going to do this?” It was an onslaught of everybody’s fears sitting down on me. And once again, I had to say, “You know what? I can do this. Just because they can’t do it doesn’t mean I can’t do it. Yeah, they’re scared. I get it. But they’re not me.” Right? So once again, I had to fight through the fears of other people. And I ended up getting it made, and I’m really proud of it right now. I think that’s my biggest message: Don’t let other people’s fears sit down on you, or their limitations sit down on you. Always check in with yourself before you let somebody else’s limitations dictate what you do or what you don’t do. LH I need to write that down. HB That’s my advice. LH It’s amazing advice. Do you feel like you’ve always had that bravery? HB I think so. I got into a lot of fights as a kid. A lot of fights. Fist fights! So, yeah, I think I got myself into a lot of fights because of my irreverence and my ability to stand up for myself. When sometimes I could have just walked away but, for whatever reason, there’s a part of me that doesn’t want to walk away. I want to face it and deal with it. That has always been a part of my personality. I like taking risks, and the fear of something often excites me. I become a moth to the flame. Sometimes that’s been wonderful, and sometimes that’s been terrible. It’s been destructive and hard, but that’s just who I am. That’s how I came here—with that personality. And I have to manage it, because sometimes it puts me in positions that are hard to navigate. But it’s also the same personality that has propelled me in my career as an actor, and especially as a female [actor] of color. That quality, I think, has helped me stay alive for 30 years and do the things that I love to do. LH I think that’s a great quality to have. I have a lot of the same. Sometimes you have to tame it, but also I think it propels you. HB And as you grow, you’ll learn how to tame it. You’ll learn from mistakes that you’ll make. And then you’ll get to the point where I am now. I’m going to be fifty-four this year. I’m at a point where sometimes...I call her my Leo. When I hear her rising up, I have to say, “No, sit down, Leo, sit down. Down, down, Leo. Sit on down.” I’ve learned how to manage that part of myself. So if that is truly a part of yourself, learn how to manage that sooner rather than later. It’ll make your life easier. LH Oh my God. Okay. That’s good to hear. I need to try. HB Yeah, but it’s a beautiful part of who you are, too. LH Yeah. Why we’re here, right? HB Yes. That’s why we’re here. Why we’re here. Laura, when this pandemic is over, I would love to just get together with you for dinner or coffee, anything. LH I would love that so much, you have no idea. And thank you for your advice and the time to speak to me. And I’d love to stay in touch and keep bugging you with questions. HB I’m always here. I’ll make sure at the end of this I’ll give you my phone number. And I’m here, if ever you need anything, I am here and I would love to talk to you. I love seeing you. And I’m just so proud of you and so in support of any and everything you do. And if I get to direct again, after directing this movie, I may be calling on you. LH I’m here! HB My full focus is going to be to highlight Black women and tell stories where they star and they’re featured and our stories are told. So yeah, I might be calling you. LH I’ll be here, girl. I’ll answer the phone.
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Makeup Fulvia Farolfi (Bryan Bantry) Hair Lacy Redway Manicure Gina Edwards (SEE Management) Executive producer Stephanie Bargas (VLM Productions) Producer Tucker Birbilis (VLM Productions) Production coordinator Eva Harte (VLM Productions) Production manager John Nadhazi (VLM Productions) Lighting director Jodokus Driessen (VLM Studio) Digital technician Brian Anderson (VLM Studio) Photo assistant Joe Hume Stylist assistant Lily Zhang Retouching StereoHorse Location Pier 59
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ESCAPE INTO A PSYCHEDELIC FASHION ODYSSEY WITH FALL’S MOST SPELLBINDING CREATIONS Photography Sølve Sundsbø Fashion Gro Curtis 50
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Opposite page: Sacha wears all clothing and accessories Givenchy This page: Evie wears all clothing and accessories Dior On eyes Dior 5 Couleurs Couture 689 Mitzah
This page: Sacha wears dress Valentino Ring and earrings Cartier Opposite page: Evie wears all clothing and accessories Gucci
Makeup Val Garland (Streeters) Hair Syd Hayes (Art + Commerce) for Babyliss Models Evie Harris (Premier Model Management), Sacha Quenby (The Squad) Manicure Chisato Yamamoto Casting director Shaun Beyen Set design Robbie Doig Production Sally Dawson, Chloe Anderson Digital technician Tony Ivanov Photo assistants Samuel Stephenson, Jamie Rowan Stylist assistant Aurelie Mason-Perez Hair assistant Paula McCash Retouching Digital Light Ltd
MAYOWA NICHOLAS
Downtown Brooklyn, New York July 24, 2020 Shot on iPhone in Etro
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Photography Chris Colls Fashion Aryeh Lappin
IN THIS ONCE-IN-FOREVER SERIES, V SENT PORTABLE STUDIOS AND STATEMENT FW20 COATS AROUND THE WORLD, PROVING THAT THE ART OF IMAGE-MAKING CAN STILL REACH NEW HEIGHTS
V TIME MACHINE
MALGOSIA BELA Hydra, Greece July 30, 2020 Shot on iPhone in Salvatore Ferragamo
GUINEVERE VAN SEENUS Williamsburg, Brooklyn June 9, 2020 Shot on iPhone in Celine by Hedi Slimane
YASMIN WIJNALDUM Williamsburg, Brooklyn July 19, 2020 Shot on iPhone in Tom Ford
PARKER VAN NOORD Amsterdam, Netherlands July 26, 2020 Shot on iPhone in Giorgio Armani
ALEXANDRA AGOSTON SoHo, Manhattan June 10, 2020 Shot on iPhone in Emporio Armani
ADESUWA AIGHEWI Flatiron District, Manhattan July 20, 2020 Shot on iPhone in Givenchy
EDITA VILKEVIČIŪTĖ
Ibiza, Spain July 16, 2020 Shot on iPhone in Fendi
Models Mayowa Nicholas (The Society), Malgosia Bela (DNA), Guinevere Van Seenus (DNA), Yasmin Wijnaldum (The Society), Parker Van Noord (DNA), Alexandra Agoston (IMG), Adesuwa Aighewi (The Society), Edita Vilkeviciute (DNA)
LINEISY EXTREMMONTERO TAK E PUFFE D-UP PEOS UP SPACE IN R P O RT I O NS
Photography Richard Burbridge Fashion Patti Wilson 70
Lineisy wears bodysuit 5 Moncler Craig Green Shoes Gucci Hat stylist’s own
Coat MSGM Jacket (worn under) LaQuan Smith Skirt Vex Latex Gloves MM6 x The North Face
Dress Fendi Hood Dope Tavio
Coat Vetements Coat, worn underneath, scarf, and gloves MM6 x The North Face Hood Dope Tavio Boots Casadei
Coat 2 Moncler 1952 Hat TG Visor stylist’s own On lips Milk Makeup Lip Color in Name Drop
Coat, skirt, belt Prada Scarf Mikhael Kale Gloves Windowsen
Dress Area
Dress Bradley Sharpe Gloves MM6 x The North Face Shoes LaQuan Smith
Dress, pants, cape Rick Owens Hood Dope Tavio Gloves MiGiNi
Coat K-Way Bodysuit Monosuit Scarf San Kim Makeup Maki Ryoke (Streeters) Hair Jonathan de Francesco (Streeters) Model Lineisy Montero (NEXT) Manicure Naomi Yasuda (Management + Artists) Production Jordan Mixon (PRODn @ Art + Commerce) Digital technician Nick Barr Photo assistants Peter Sikos, Kevin Vast Stylist assistant Taylor Kim, Joseph Reyes Makeup assistant Megumi Onishi Hair assistant Erin Herschleb Set Design Jared Lawton (Apostrophe)
Dress 8 Moncler Richard Quinn Gloves GCDS
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Photography Emma Summerton Fashion Gro Curtis
A BAND OF RENEGADE LONDONERS TAKE MARIA GRAZIA CHIURI’S FALL/WINTER RANGE ON AN INVIGORATING JOY RIDE
FIELD OF VISION
On lips Dior Addict Stellar Shine Diorlunar
Jassira wears all clothing and accessories Dior
Devon wears all clothing, headscarf and jewelry Dior Sunglasses vintage, stylist’s own
Hirschy wears all clothing and jewelry Dior Sunglasses vintage, stylist’s own
Devon wears all clothing, headscarf and jewelry Dior Sunglasses vintage, stylist’s own
Issa wears all clothing and bag Dior Sunglasses vintage, stylist’s own
Maxim wears all clothing and jewelry Dior Sunglasses vintage, stylist’s own
On face Dior Forever Skin Correct
Kukua wears all clothing and accessories Dior
Freddie wears all clothing and accessories Dior
Kukua and Florence wear all clothing and accessories Dior
Hirschy wears all clothing and accessories Dior
Issa wears all clothing, jewlery, bag Dior Sunglasses stylist’s own
Models Devon Ross (Next), Issa Lish (Next), Jassira Pinto (Next), Hirschy (The Squad), Maxim Magnus (The Squad), Freddie Finch (The Squad), Florence Hutchings (The Hive), Kukua Williams (Premier) Casting director Shaun Beyen Executive producer Belinda Foord (Shiny Projects) Producer Anna Celeste Walters (Shiny Projects) Digital technician Nick Dehadray Photo assistants Sarah Merrett, Okus Milsom Production assistant Vanessa Lewis Jones (Shiny Projects) Location managers Glenn Middleditch, Piotr Wijas
Florence wears all clothing and accessories Dior
EMILY
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EMRATA GETS REAL WITH INEZ VAN LAMSWEERDE ON MALE FRAGILITY, POLITICS, AND ADDING ‘ESSAYIST’ TO HER PERSONAL BRAND Photography Inez and Vinoodh Fashion Alex White INEZ VAN LAMSWEERDE Hi, Emily! Are you in the Hamptons? EMILY RATAJKOWSKI Yeah, we’re here! IVL It’s beautiful, huh? How has it been going? Have you been able to keep your Inamorata [swimwear line] going? ER This was the first year of having our own office, and a lot of new hires. So to postpone things was nerve-racking. But in May, we had our biggest month ever, since our founding. That was a surprising moment. How has work been for you guys? IVL In terms of photography, it has started back up just recently. I wasn’t a fan of the FaceTime shooting. We did two shoots like that, and it wasn’t the same experience. Or at least it wasn’t the reason I got into taking pictures...To capture someone’s most heroic moment with joy and a true exchange and connection however short. ER Right. What I love about you and Vinoodh is there’s so much joy. In any creative industry, you see people lose sight of that. It becomes just a job. But I feel like you really still have it: [exuding] joy in the process of creating images, or even just meeting people. You’re so curious and excited. I think that’s such a rare thing. IVL I’m generally extremely excited by people and by meeting new people. It’s not just, “Go stand there,” and that’s it. It’s an exchange. But they also have to want to be involved. I sometimes wonder what it’s like for a model...Coming on a job, and then having to project what people want. What if it’s completely not your style or your taste? How do you handle yourself or [summon] your confidence in that situation? ER It’s a really good and specific question. In general, you have no control. When I was younger, I just kind of let things happen. And I struggled with that. I’m so glad that I don’t [have to do that] now. I’m not this passive person who is not in control. I’m 29, so I’m kind of leaving [that] behind. That’s the great thing about having Inamorata. IVL You model everything you make, too. It’s such a perfect extension of you… ER Yeah, I’m choosing the vision–everything from the images to the fabrics. Which is what I love: being creative. I love art, I love film. And I’m selling my book in September. IVL You’re publishing essays? Is this what I’m hearing? ER Yeah. My mom is an English professor and a writer, so for a long time, I was like, that’s her thing. [Meanwhile] I had this career track of my own. But I was so young [that] it didn’t really feel like something I had chosen. Then in the last couple years, I went through a lot...A lot of growing up. I got married. My mom got really sick. So there was this painful but also really amazing period of being able to write. I put together about 10 personal essays. I’ve gotten past the book-proposal stage, which feels good. IVL How great, and how brave. ER Yeah. Bravery or stupidity! You have to be a little stupid to be brave. IVL I wonder what it’s like for writers, to just live entirely in your head. You don’t depend on a team or anyone. Is that a wild feeling? ER Learning to be a team player is one of the best things. But also, when you’re 23 and you’re new to a crazy, overwhelming, fancy world, you barely get to exert enough control to mess up or be playful. That’s one of the things I like about writing. Nobody except you is in the way. Either you do it or you don’t. IVL Yes! I’m dying to read them. So great. And does your husband get involved? ER Er, no. He’s a film producer, and reads so many scripts, so he’ll give some notes. But he’s like, this is the one thing that I could just never do. Like, writing a personal essay. I think there’s something with men in our culture...they’re not taught to reflect on their lives. I think it blows his mind that I would be so willing to welcome someone into my brain in that way. He’s actually been a really interesting reader for me [in that way]. IVL Yeah, I can imagine. I feel like with everything going on in our culture, on every level, there’s something about raising a boy...Which my husband and I are doing and how much has changed about perceptions of manhood. ER Yeah, what is that like? IVL It’s actually amazing, guiding a young boy through life...And helping him grow into the 17-year-old that he is now. My son and his friends...They all have strong emotional intelligence. Their teachers made them talk about their feelings from day one. To the point where I’m like, oh God, not again. But you know, it actually creates a generation of people that are completely open. My kid is completely non-judgmental. He has his own opinion, but isn’t judgy. In the [fashion] world...everyone judges everybody, but we tried to not allow that into dinner table conversations. ER I have no doubt that your son is very special. I used to feel kind of like, “All men are such and such. Their privilege is exhausting, and I don’t owe them anything or an explanation of my experience.” As I’ve gotten older, I’ve dealt more with that anger. My politics have developed and my personal relationships have, too. I understand, with love, that men’s experiences have been really limited. The way that men feel and process shame is so different. You have to teach them about experiences that you, as a woman in the world, [have had]. Expose them to that. I read a book over quarantine [about this]: The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love by bell hooks. I made my husband read it, too. IVL We’ll have to read it, too! And I saw on Instagram–you loved Normal People, too? ER Yeah! I really love Sally Rooney. I like Conversations with Friends more, controversially. But loved Normal People [too]. I crushed on Paul for some reason. IVL Yeah, I think everybody did. ER Wait, Inez—I saw that you guys had your anniversary. And you also got married at the courthouse in New York! IVL Yeah. You did too? It was a surprise thing...For seven years, my husband would ask me to marry him every morning. And every morning I said yes, but we never did anything about it. And then early one morning, we called some friends, put on our jeans and walked to City Hall. Did you do it the same way? ER That is so romantic! Yeah, well it wasn’t seven years. It was much shorter. But we decided three days before. A couple friends flew out and we met at the courthouse. IVL I never had that princess dream—the dress and the entrance. That was never me. ER I’m [the same way], especially now. The thought of having to go to an event just sounds…Like, I don’t want to do it. I have friends who say, “Don’t you love getting your hair and makeup done? Isn’t it so much fun?” And I’m like, Oh my God, I refuse. IVL Yes! Life has switched its priorities away from all that. Plus, you’d have more time to be in your writing bubble...It’s been such a pleasure talking with you, and I can’t wait to read those essays!
Emily wears briefs (throughout) Skims Earrings (throughout) Inez and Vinoodh Jewelry On hair Kérastase Paris Blond Absolu Sérum Cicanuit
Makeup Fulvia Farolfi (Bryan Bantry) Hair Orlando Pita (Home Agency) Manicure Megumi Yamamoto (Susan Price Inc) Executive producer Stephanie Bargas (VLM productions) Producer Tucker Birbilis (VLM productions) Casting & Production coordinator Eva Harte (VLM productions) Lighting director Jodokus Driessen (VLM Studio) Digital technician Brian Anderson (VLM Studio) Photo assistant Joe Hume Tailor Sam Walls Stylist assistants Lily Zhang, Trevon Barnes, Neve Rechan Makeup assistant Robert Reyes Hair assistants Sean James Decures, Kekayi N’amadi Manicure assistant Kana Kishita Retouching Stereohorse Location Pier 59
On lips Maybelline Superstay 24 Color
WHAT V WANT
Fragrance Cartier La Panthère Parfum, 75 ml ($138, available at Cartier boutiques nationwide)
FEEL YOUR DIVINE, FELINE FEMININITY WITH GENIUS-CRAFTED CARTIER FRAGRANCE Art Jon Jacobsen
Cartier’s panther dates back to 1914, when jet-black onyx first appeared on a wristwatch. The motif soon crystallized as a proto-logo, borrowing a nickname from seminal designer Jeanne Toussaint: “La Panthère.” As the big cat insinuated itself as part of maison DNA, it also aligned with cultural moods: a 1928 cameo on a Cartier minaudière perfectly evoked the era’s dynamic, self-possessed woman. In 2014, La Panthère emerged in fragrance form–a natural evolution, to paraphrase biologist Theophrastus and La Panthère Eau de Parfum’s press notes: “The panther is the only animal that smells good naturally.” But Cartier perfumer Mathilde Laurent’s take on the mascot, which recently celebrated its five-year anniversary, included a grain of salt. Rather than take the theme literally, Laurent’s fragrance philosophy echoes the liberated ideals that attended the Roaring-Twenties-era Panthère. “So many perfumes are based on abstract ideas of seduction: the notion that people and animals need to seduce to survive,” she says. “But I think [we are] much more than that. Seduction is not the be-all and 96
end-all. It’s one reason to wear perfume, but the first reason is pleasure and selfconfidence, and aesthetic satisfaction.” With COVID limiting opportunities for seduction, Laurent’s focus on personal, aesthetic satisfaction is right on point. Outside of fragrance, Maison Cartier has a full, multisensory menu of quarantine hacks. Fondation Cartier, the independently operated art museum in Paris, shares its mother brand’s wanderlust: During the confinement period, the museum held virtual exhibits like bioacoustician Bernie Krause’s “The Great Animal Orchestra,” a 60-minute Amazonian soundscape. Soon to come at the Fondation is a visual homage to olfaction: “Cherry Blossoms” by Damien Hirst, slated for Spring 2021. But as boundless as art can be, fragrance at Cartier remains an art unto itself—one with its own visual and practical histories. As Laurent maintains, “Just as one can enjoy accessing art through music, painting or sculpture, an appreciation of olfaction both elevates and awakens oneself.” SAMUEL ANDERSON
