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Ur Co-Founder & CEO Antony Hamon Ur General Manager Klara Grintal Ur Editor In Chief Pierre Rabotin Ur Creative Director Supakunza Ur Photographer Jeremie Montessuis Ur Journalists Tom Stall Romi Grossberg Anna Mischke Clothilde Le Coz Jemma Galvin Web & Projects Development Timothy Young Sophany Ly Special Thanks to Natacha Sarret Cover Model CHHOM NIMOL (Dengue Fever) Cover Photograph Marc Walker
Dear Wuppers What an exciting issue we prepared for you ! No need to keep the suspense going up: you noticed the cover; Chhom Nimol the singer of Dengue Fever. We had the great honor to interview the band who just landed in Cambodia for two shows at the FCC Phnom Penh & Siem Reap and we are really proud and happy to have them in the magazine. Hope you’ll enjoy reading this month’s cover interview! We also introduce our special feature: Cambodia Moving Forward, three articles about the new faces of the Kingdom. They are talented artists, designers, teachers and try to reach as many people as they can with their art. As usual, you’ll find a whole new batch of discounts to live your life without worrying about the impact on your wallet. Thanks a lot for your support, the WUPP community is growing more and more everyday. Keep coming to our many events, it’s always a blast to have you. We recently launched a free ads service on wuppmag. com. You are selling your stuff, looking for a job, need a new flat? The free ads are here to make it easier. We put a lot in this issue, have fun Cheers
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08.UR PICTURES: PLIGHT OF THE PHNONG 10. UR SOCIAL BUSINESS: ARTISANS ANGKOR 12. UR FLAVORS: 3 QUESTIONS TO CHEFS.. 14. UR RESTAURANT: PANAM 16. UR WINE: DOMINIQUE MASSENEZ 18. UR WINE: Chester osborn 21. UR INITIATIVE: LITTLE KITCHEN 22. UR WUPP MODELS 39. UR FOODIE TRIP: FOODIE BUS 40. UR COVER: DENGUE FEVER 44. CAMBODIA MOVING FORWARD: STREET WALLS: PEAP TARR & LISA MAM 46. CAMBODIA MOVING FORWARD: DESIGNERS WEEK 48. CAMBODIA MOVING FORWARD: SELAPAK SCHOOL 50. UR SHOP: TOONIQ 52. UR SHOPPING: JAMAIS VULGAIRE
54. UR SPORT: BASKET BALL 55. UR PLAYLIST OF THE MONTH: DJ STROKE 56. UR AGENDA 58. UR RECIPE: LE WOK 59. UR POST IT
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UR PICTURES
THE PLIGHT OF THE PHNONG Photos & text: Jenny Holligan
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Among Cambodia’s largest ethnic group, the Khmers, are a number of ethnic minority groups living in remote areas and highlands of the country, particularly in the northeastern provinces of Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri. Distressingly, these groups’ livelihoods, rights - and at worst their existence - are being compromised to accommodate for profits made from their land. The Khmer Loeu or Leu, also known as ‘indigenous people’ or ‘highland people’ are one of the most ancient inhabitants of Cambodia. The Khmer Leou groups include the aboriginal minority tribe, the Phnong, located in Mondulkiri prov-
ince. These north-eastern provinces are rich in natural resources such as gold, rubber and wood. The Phnong tribe live in scattered settlements surrounded by forests with only a few hundred villagers. The villages are often found near waterfalls, rivers and forests where they have access to water, fish, wood and hunting. Sadly, the tribes’ location has made them victim to the natural resource curse. These photographs depict the Phnong’s wealth of culture, tradition and land which is at serious risk of extinction.
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SOCIAL BUSINESS
A SOCIAL BUSINESS MADE IN CAMBODIA ******
“Artisans Angkor is at a turning point ” Artisans Angkor is a social business reviving traditional Khmer Arts while providing employment opportunities to rural youth from Siem Reap province. The company strives to alleviate poverty in this region by providing free and compensated training to 18 to 25 year-olds living in the area, who can then get a job at one of Artisans Angkor’s workshops. We met CEO Mr. Alain Brun to talk about the future of this social business.
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Mr. Alain Brun
CEO of Artisans Angkor
What makes you a social business? We have about 1320 employees, including over 900 artisans working all around Siem Reap province. Our profits are reinvested in the development of Artisans Angkor and of course in specific actions for the well-being of our employees. Basically, we dispense a fair and competitive compensation package to all our artisans, including insurance 24/7 and healthcare. We provide our employees with canteens at a very low price and also childcare in many workshops. We have regular trainings with the Cambodian Red Cross in first-aid in order to make our artisans react quickly in case of emergency. Besides, one of our most recent initiatives was to supply free dietary supplements to employees having babies aged 6 months to 2 yearsold.
With tourism increasing, markets are popping up everywhere in Siem Reap. Aren’t you afraid of those competitors?
bodia by Cambodian artisans, and this will not change. Some of our products have been awarded these last years by UNESCO through its Awards of Excellence for Handicrafts for their quality and creativity.
You are right; the number of shops and markets selling souvenirs is rising quickly. However, what we propose to That is compatible with an evolution our customers is first of all an educatowards more modern products. As an tional and cultural visit to understand example, last year, traditional Khmer craftswe launched a spemanship. We guarantee cial silk line in partcustomers high-quality nership with a fashitems that are all handion designer who made in Cambodia, keepused to work for ing traditional skills alive. Kenzo. This year, In addition to that, we are we have the great at a turning point of our privilege to have company’s history as our been chosen by a Research and Developconcept store in ment department strives Paris called Babel to develop more contemElephant silk cushion cover Unesco Awards 2012 which selected us porary products which for our ethical position and the quality keep a strong Khmer identity. That is of our products. Since mid-May 2013, another way to differentiate ourselves Babel’s concept store has displayed from the others. that special silk line as well as some of our contemporary lacquerware. Do you mean that you want to give up producing traditional sculptures and That evolution explains why our motto fabrics? is “Caring for the past, Crafting for the future”! We are proud to stick to our roots which are obviously the high-quality souvenirs of Cambodia made in Cam-
Artisans Angkor boutique in Phnom Penh: 12AEo, street 13 (opposite the Post Office) Visit the workshops: Artisans Angkor craft workshops in Siem Reap: Stung Thmey street (2min walk from the Old Market).
www.artisansdangkor.com infos@artisansdangkor.com
Angkor Silk Farm, silk workshops in the Siem Reap province: Puok district (20min drive from Siem Reap center) Free shuttle bus from Siem Reap site available twice a day
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UR FLAVORS
3 questions to..
- Chefs from all around the world There is something you can be sure of in Phnom Penh : the variety of culinary experiences. We decided to gather Chefs behind three very different restaurants and ask them a little bit more about their game-changing tasting menus. Three chefs, three identities so you always find the place that suits your mood.
Fabrizio Sartor
La Terrazza Restaurant & Deli What are the assets of your restaurant? The authenticity in executing traditional culinary recipes paying great attention to the quality of our products, imported directly from Italy, and aiming at introducing our culture to the local population without scarifying the original tastes. What is your signature dish? Traditional dishes from Veneto and Tuscany, as Chicche del Pirata, Risotto alla Trevigiana and Baccala’ Mantecato Any secret you want to share about your restaurant/ your cuisine? It may sound simple, but the only way to have a real Napoli pizza is to respect the leaving time of the base. This is the secret to have a crunchy and consistent base No. 1C, St. 282 017696318
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Mr. DICK WONG
Emperors of China What are the assets of your restaurant? Particular attention to clients in term of friendly waiters and fast and efficient service, together with a Chinese high-class style decoration and clearly the amazing tastes of our food, faithful to the most rigorous Hong Kong tradition. What is your signature dish? Beijing duck without any doubt! This is one of the most famous Chinese dish and even if we are more a Southern China kind of restaurant, we serve it following the Beijing style. Any secret you want to share about your restaurant/ your cuisine? If we disclosed our secrets then nobody would appreciate the finesse of our dishes any more, don’t you think? Just come and try us out… you won’t regret it! No. 19 St. 163 023 637 6663
Mr. XAVIER TENT
The Blue Pumpkin What are the assets of your restaurant? Cooking is my life! I’ve been travelling around the world for quite a long time and spent a lot in getting to know local cuisine. I always try to let my guests enjoy as many new dishes and tastes What is your signature dish? I am from Belgium, but my first signature dishes are those coming from the South East of France, the Provence Region Any secret you want to share about your restaurant/ your cuisine? my secret in the kitchen? Passion and great attention to the freshness and first quality of the products I use !
No. Eo2, St. 106
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UR RESTAURANT
PAN’AM
ALL THE WAY UP By Tom Stall Many new restaurants open around Cambodia every week, and often they are a little ‘same same, but not so different’. Lucky for us, after years of working in bistros and brasseries in Paris, French owner Cedric has recently opened his own place right here in the heart of Phnom Penh. Situated behind the Royal Palace is this stunningly transformed old Chinese-style-house in to a three-floor restaurant full of surprises. Introducing Pan’am, which for those in the know is a slangish kinda way to say Paris.
Cedric likes to look at things from the It is a beautifully put together photographic customer’s perspective openly admitting tapas menu with a focus on playing with “I don’t want people to come here just for texture, flavour and colour, showcasing his the food”, it is about the whole experience. talent for producing the same fresh product Boasting a menu of both Khmer and Westin a variety of ways on the same plate. For ern classics, Pan’am prides itself on its example you can order a tapas plate of fresh fresh produce, paying special attention to fish cooked in three different ways; grilled, aesthetics and plating. Cedric listens to his steamed and fried. gut in making his design choices for overall effect. This ‘bon vivant’ Up from the ground and his Cambodian wife floor bar and great “The rooftop, which we will not designed everything from wine list, the lounge describe to you here, is a must. the chairs to the lamps, and on the mezzanine is a Come and see for yourself.” chose the menu on instinct relaxed area conducive and according to his French, to working in a stress and her Cambodian palettes. Cedric’s genufree environment with a perfectly brewed ine bonhomie and hospitality guarantees a cup of coffee, sweets and savoury bites. perfect moment. The result is a homey and Upstairs from there is the dining room set friendly place with four different atmosup to be enjoyed by groups of your friends, pheres to choose from. designed for the perfect combination of great food, music and the buzz of good conAside from Pan’am’s normal menu, you will versation. As if these three perfect options experience a separate, picture-based menu. are not enough, there is yet one more floor, But this is not your typical ‘not so appealthe rooftop of course. The rooftop, which ing unfocused food photos bound together we will not describe to you here, is a must. by old ring-binders’ menu you can find all Come and see for yourself. See you there! along the riverside.
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“There is no accounting for taste, that’s why we wanted to mingle in our plates different textures, flavors and colors so our guests can savor the same product under different tastes”.
PAN’AM restaurant • No. 196, St. 19 • 010 733 210 or 023 212 170 Closed on Mondays
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UR WINE
DOMINIQUE
MASSENEZ INTERVIEW WITH A PIONEER OF THE CHILEAN WINE INDUSTRY
Dominique Massenez is the founder of Massenez Family Estates, a boutique vineyard in Chile. He invested in Chilean wine when nobody would, moving his family to found one of the first major international wineries in the country. We sat down with him to find out more about this pioneer of the Chilean Wine industry who is launching in July from Asia Vintage his new Chateau de M in Cambodia.
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So how did it all start? My family has been in the spirits business for the past 150 years, making fruit brandy. So the next step, for us, was wine. I’d always wanted to make wine, but if you looked at the vineyard prices in France, especially Bordeaux, in the 1970s and 1980s, they were… excessive.
num Massenez is our premium line, and we make three wines: a red and white Assemblage using the Bordeaux Blends, and a Pinot Noir. These are very well rated wines, some of the best in Chile, but they are in very small production: roughly 5000 cases of six for all these wines. We hope Chateau de M will reach more people.
So how did you come to Chile? Well, I looked at South Africa and Australia. Australia was too far away, and the political situation in South Africa was disconcerting at the time. When I visited Chile, I knew it was meant to be. It’s the only country unaffected by Phylloxera, an insect that kills the roots of vines. And the terroir was just beautiful, so I started Chateau Los Boldos which was a great success.
Tell us more about Chateau de M, we understand it’s a new product. And it will be available in Cambodia soon! It’s from my family name, of course, and it is a new wine. We’re using the same varietal blends, but we’re aiming at a lower price point so that it can reach more people. It has a touch of oak influence and is drinking beautifully right now.
And now you have the Massenez Family Estates? Yes, I sold Chateau Los Boldos in 2008, but I kept a small selection of premium land for myself. Today we have three lines: Donum Massenez, Flaviata, and Chateau de M. Do-
Do you have any advice for our readers? A cup of wine is a cup of pleasure. Good wine is elegant, not overly alcoholic and concentrated. The true test of a good wine is not in the first glass, but the desire to have a second glass. A third glass. Or even a fourth.
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UR WINE
“Old School� WINES
We met Chester Osborn for lunch to talk about wine and drink some as well. It was exactly what wine is supposed to be about: good company, good food and good talk. Chester introduced us to his vineyards and three of his wines.
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“because if you drink it to much, you’ll pass out and fall on your arm,”
Wine list: The Hermit crab : White wine “It displays white peach, nectarine, ginger, spice & floral characters.” Why this name? Many of McLaren Vale’s vineyards are on free-draining soils underlain with limestone, formed by the calcareous remains of the local marine fauna. One such creature was the Hermit Crab, a reclusive little crustacean that inhabits the cast-off shells of others. It is also an abbreviation for the French abbreviation of Hermitage.
The Galvo Garage (Bordeaux blend): RED WINE There is something of a mad scientist in Chester Osborn; he puts passion, sparkles and craziness in his work. Chester is the man behind D’Arenberg - one of the most significant wineries in McLaren Vale, Southern Australia - and the head of his family’s fourth generation. A true character, he became famous all around the globe for his knowledge... and eccentricity. McLaren Vale has a very rich soil where 13 geologies are running through. As the vineyard is luckily located by the coast and up to 15 km inland, minerals create these soft and balanced wines. Chester will never use irrigation systems... better let the grapevines’roots look deeper into the land to get water and let them give the wine its flavors. But the use of traditional wine making processes such as basket pressing makes it really unique. The winery produces a wide range of rewarded wines. Some are famous for their unusual names, such as The Hermit crab, The Galvo Garage or the dead Arm Shiraz. Caricatures and accessories illustrate each wine’s character Chester will make sure to look after.
“The nose is lifted and very alluring, violets mingle with blackcurrant, mint and dark plums with a twist of aromatic spicy cedar.” Why this name? d’Arenberg wines are all made in a smallbatch processing, very hands-on way (or feet, as the reds are all foot-trod) as the garagists’ do. Our reds are all made in the old galvanised garage/shed/winery, hence ‘Galvo’.
the dead Arm Shiraz: RED WINE “Dark fruit and savoury characters leap from the glass, in particular there is liquorice and blackberry, laced with a hint of char.” Why this name? “because if you drink it to much, you’ll pass out and fall on your arm,” explains Chester in a laugh. But the real reason is that the Dead Arm is a vine disease caused by the fungus Eutypa Lata that randomly affects vineyards all over the world. You can find this wines at Red Apron, No. 15-17, St 240 | 023 990 951 sme@redaproncambodia.com pictures: www.darenberg.com.au
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UR INITIATIVE
LITTLE KITCHEN:
Responsible ingredients BY ANNA MISCHKE
Mix charity with food from all around the world, add 80 guests and a little bit of craziness and you’ll get Little Kitchen, one of Meta House’s most innovative event. I’m not sure if I had ever heard of a time where I could stuff my mouth with delicious, exotic food and feel like I was doing the world some good. That is, until Little Kitchen came onto the Phnom Penh fundraising scene. Little Kitchen is a fairly new venture founded by Bojan Lisac in November 2012. When starting the project, he wasn’t sure if it would take off as well as it has. While everything was in place, including his motives, he was worried that there may have been room for failure. Little Kitchen has proven though that it will not only stay afloat but is propelling into widely appreciated success. The event, held once a month exclusively at Meta House, offers a buffet style dinner with a chosen theme to 70 to 80 patrons. All of the proceeds go directly to the charity or organization of choice, which changes every two months. The only money coming out the proceeds
go towards the cost of the food for the night. Bojan mentions that sponsorships and food donations, primarily ingredients for the event, are highly valued and hopes that the event can bring in even more funds for the charities as more sponsors support the project. Previously the food’s themes have been by country or region such as Mexican, Balkan, Southern Comfort, South African, and Laotian last month, where Laos natives actually flew in to prepare for the event. The evening’s meals are decided and prepared by people from the community who specialize in a certain style or taste, ensuring a different and delicious dinner for all involved. The tickets cost $15 in advance but are well worth the all you can eat festival. You’re guaranteed one thing, you won’t be feeling guilty as you decide for your second, or third, helping. INFO Like Little Kitchen on Facebook littlekitchenpp@hotmail.com Meta House: No. 37, Sothearos Boulevard 010 312 333 | www.meta-house.com Photos: Jeremie Montessuis / Film Noir Studio
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UR MODELS
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UR FOODIE TRIP
FOODIE BUS
Episode #3: Phnom Penh suburbs BY TOM STALL
And the Foodiebus Cambodia tour continues with a new culinary trip to the touristic Siem Reap where… Anne & Bô never went. Their famous yellow bus broke down the day before departure, forcing the couple to change their plans. The engine simply exploded… and the bus had to get towed by a Tuk Tuk. Of course. The Foodiebus team then decided to visit Phnom Penh suburbs, thinking that life there wouldn’t be much different from the city. First mistake. The suburbs are a highly working class area due to the surrounding factories. The families give priority to simple and cheap food that the two restaurant owners would discover later.
They met Ri, owner of a famous hair salon in the neighborhood who’s also a very good cook. Like many other Cambodian families, she sees her husband once a month as he works in the province to make more money. With the success of her salon, Ri is a typical figure of the Cambodian middle class and is one of the few in the area owning a generator. The foodiebus team wanted to learn a cheap and simple recipe, Ri taught them how to make a dessert: the coconut jelly. A very cheap and popular delicacy among the working people served in the famous small pink plastic cups. Recipe: 1L condensed coconut milk 3L less condensed coconut milk 1Kg sugar Water 1 small pack of Sarei (gelatine) Preparation: Heat the less condensed milk, sugar and water in a big pot. When it boils, add the condensed milk and stir at low heat. Poor in the plastic cups and keep in the fridge. It’s that easy! The result is a fresh, sweet and nourishing dessert you can savor anytime of the day
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UR COVER
BY PIERRE RABOTIN
Sitting on the dock of the Mekong >>
Long time missed US-Cambodian band Dengue Fever just came back to the Kingdom for two promising shows at the FCC. Between Albums, tours, their new Label and the soundtracks (Broken Flowers, Hangover 2, True Blood …) these last 18 months have been pretty busy for them. They blend an explosive cocktail of 60’s Cambodian pop and Californian psychedelic rock blessed by a growing popularity. The typical Cambodian modulations of Chhom Nimol’s voice bolstered by a raging and up tempo sound gave birth to this unusual yet harmonious mix of influences constantly evol ving. Touring this time only in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City, needless to say it’s a blast to have them back after all this time. Keyboardist and co-founder of the band, Ethan Holtzman answered few of our questions >>
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“Yes we fight, it’s kind of challenging writing music with so many different opinions and ideas. Nimol usually wins!”
Photos: Marc Walker
How do you feel coming back in Cambodia after 18 months? Returning to Cambodia is always exciting for us. It’s great to be invited back to perform within a year and half from our last tour in the country. It seems like Cambodia is becoming a more frequent touring destination for the band. Dickon Verey is widely responsible for getting us back here so quickly. He also helps to preserve the unique Khmer artistic and musical culture through his non-profit organization Cambodian Living Arts. How’s the audience in Cambodia? The audiences in Cambodia range from thousands of people in the streets of Battambang to a mix of a couple hundred sweaty folks packed into a crooked bar ready to collapse into the Tonle Sap. One thing’s for sure, its always fun to play our music in Cambodia. >>
You are a source of inspiration for young artists. Maybe one day, Khmer musicians will hire an American singer and call themsel ves “Bieber Fever”, how do you feel about that? I hear that Justin Bieber is a big stoner! That was a pleasant surprise. We’re not big fans of his music, personally I couldn’t name one of his songs, so the idea of Bieber Fever doesn’t sound that appealing to me. However, the idea of a Khmer band with an American singer sounds like it could be an interesting project. If the music is good, it’s more important than the name.
....>>
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The band started after Ethan Holtzman brought back tapes of 60’s pop from Cambodia. Which mp3 files would you bring back today? Vinyl. Its all about trying to find the rare Khmer vinyl that survived. Any project of working with local bands or artists? We had a really good time on our last trip here jamming with the Phare Ponleu Selpak kids up in Battambang. They were great musicians and we’d love to collaborate with them in the future if possible. There is a lot of different influences in your music. Do you guys fight a lot during composition? And most important question, who usually wins the argument!? Yes we do. It’s kind of challenging writing music with so many different opinions and ideas. Nimol usually wins!
A great memory or a funny story while touring in Cambodia? Just off the top of my head, on our last trip it was hot and humid for a week straight. The sky finally turned black and there was loud thunder and lightning. We were staying at the Billabong Hotel and all of us got excited and jumped in the saltwater pool. The rain dumped on us for over an hour. It felt very cleansing and kept the evening bats away from feeding off the insects.
What can we expect in a close future? New album? New movie soundtrack? We are working on some new songs, some of our strongest material yet, in my opinion. It will be available digitally and we hope to press some 7” vinyl’s of the new songs and release them on our new label TUK TUK Records. The band has evol ved quite a lot since the beginning, how would you describe your music today? I feel like it is the new Cambodian Psychedelic rock. It builds on the talented body of work left behind from Sinn Sissamouth, Penn Ron, and Ros Sereysothea. Definitely different, dark and moody, while pop and groovy, we just keep it going for the love of the music. www.denguefevermusic.com
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& LISA MAM: PEAP TARR
INTR0 DUCTION > You can hear and see everywhere that Cambodia is developing. New buildings, towers and constructions start everyday. But the evolution also happens where it is less noisy among people, artist, designers, teachers taking over this messy urban environment to create something new and lay the foundations of an artistic and revolutionary spirit. They are the new talented faces of the country and WUPP Mag decided to introduce them to you in a special feature: Cambodia Moving Forward.
ENJOy!
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“Street Walls” By Romi Grossberg
Have you noticed recently some wild and wonderful graffiti pieces splashed across buildings or inside groovy cafés? Introducing Cambodia’s first dynamic duo street artists, Peap Tarr and Lisa Mam. Enter the universe of these two talented graffiti artists giving Cambodia a new arty face. >
PEAP TARR
Born to a New Zealand father and a Cambodian mother, Peap grew up between Auckland, Australia and Asia. In Auckland he was working as a full time street artist both alone and collaborating with others before moving out to Phnom Penh in 2010. Continuing to pursue his dream, he says he missed the collaboration of working with others. He met Lisa in 2011 and after seeing her artwork, felt he had found that connection he had been missing, and they started “hanging out and drawing together”.
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LISA MAM
Cambodian born and bred, Lisa splits her time between working as an artist and studying dentistry at university, happily pursuing both careers. She drew as a child but only a few years back did she picked up her pencils again and just started drawing for herself, adding that she has never been to art school and is lucky to have “natural talent”.
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TEAM WORK
I was fascinated by how two people can come together to create one piece of work so harmoniously and wondered how they met, and so the story goes… “I was the M.C. at this blackberry launch at Nagaworld, and he was brought by a friend. He came up and started talking to me”. “No, you started talking to me” Peap interrupts. “Aah, no, you came up to me” Lisa jumps in, giving him just enough attitude for him to cave in. I am sitting there invisible and amused, but now I understand how it is two people can work together. They have just the right combination of confidence, respect for each other and attitude to blend and truly make it work. Asking about a piece of work that stands out for them, they immediately want to talk about a wall they did for Cellcard, which, they tell me, is the biggest graffiti wall in Cambodia to date. Lisa explains: “street art is very new here, I don’t know other Cambodians doing this”, and when asked about her influences, says:
“I don’t think about if it is Cambodian style or not, I want to do things outside my comfort zone, unique. It is Cambodian because I am Cambodian”.
“It’s about being creative, that’s what Cambodia was in the past, different,” he continPeap adds:
ues on about his style and influences, “it expresses who I am, my upbringing, Khmer as well as New Zealand and with a tattoo feel”. The conversation is easy between the three of us with Peap and Lisa complimenting each other’s style and uniqueness, bouncing off each other, teasing and laughing, and I leave feeling like I have just caught up with two old friends. Lisa Mam http://lisamam727.tumblr.com/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/LisaMam/165834593489127 Peap Tarr http://peaptarrone.tumblr.com/ http://instagram.com/peaptarr/
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Q&A with Hélène and Gaëlle of Mitsou Influenced by art, nature and the simple things in life, French duo Helene and Gaelle established Mitsou with the aim of creating wearable, timeless clothing.
Tell us a little about the story behind Mitsou
PHNOM PENH DESIGNERS WEEK: Meet The People Behind Fashion BY JEMMA GALVIN
Fashion folk this month will flock to the lush surrounds of the Plantation Urban Resort and Spa from June 12 to 15 for the first-ever Phnom Penh Designers Week (PPDW). Showcased during the threeday event will be nine designers from punk-inspired emerging talent to well-established bridal and eveningwear creators. The event, organised and directed by F magazine, is the latest in a continuing trend toward the nurturing and promotion of the local fashion industry. Meet the people behind two of the labels ready to hit the runway in what looks set to become a staple on the city’s style calendar.
Hélène: We launched our first collection in 2011 for our friends and female expats in Siem Reap. Our concept was to make essential pieces that are easy to wear - comfortable yet stylish. What about your process? Gaëlle: Our aim has always been to choose fabrics from local markets. We take time to look for good quality and unique colours. All of our collections are carefully handmade in our workshop. Our Cambodian dressmakers are on hand to ensure the best quality, so we work closely with them and learn from each other. What has Mitsou got in store for the PPDW audience? Gaëlle: Mitsou is loyal to certain themes and colours. We love soft, pastel tones inspired by a misty and enlightened sky as well as minimal and geometric lines contrasted with light and airy shapes. Our new collection will stay true to this Mitsou signature. How was the fashion industry evolved in Cambodia in recent years? Hélène: Phnom Penh has now become a real urban city and has opened its doors to several international brands. People are becoming more curious about art and fashion in general. We see more and more cultural events, artistic schools and art galleries cropping up. All of these things will help to bring new life to the fashion industry. www.mitsoucreation.com
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Q&A with Alan Flux of A.N.D Try Suphearac and Alan James Flux created the A.N.D label in the hope of preserving and promoting traditional skills and techniques.
Tell us a little about the story behind A.N.D. The A.N.D. shop on Street 240 was opened in December 2011. The motivation behind it was that, although I saw good skills when I first arrived here in 2008, I thought they could be channeled better, into fairly-traded products that are more in tune with western market demands, helping to secure the livelihoods of our producers. I am only one half of the A.N.D. team - my local design and business partner is Try Suphearac, the director of Watthan Artisans Cambodia. Our main remit, producer-wise, is to support, wherever possible, artisans living with disabilities. What’s been your experience of Cambodia’s growing fashion scene? It’s now possible to buy a wider range of genuine designer fashion from overseas but with the support of publications such as F Magazine, local designers are also making more of a name for themselves, which is very encouraging.
For more information on PPDW: www.ppdesignersweek.com or facebook.com/phnompenhdesignersweek
What can we expect from the A.N.D show at PPDW? A.N.D. will be showing a collection cut and made exclusively from local hand-weaves - pure cotton ikat. The ikat method is traditional, but we have updated the colours and upscaled the designs to bring this painstaking technique to a new audience. We will show a wide range of soft, chalky pastels. Credit: A.N.D.
Credit: Anna Bella Betts.
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SELAPAK SCHOOL:
Opening Culture By Clothilde Le Coz
“Selapak” is a new door opening to Khmer culture. Starting two weeks from now, Sen Pich and Chan Rothana will teach Apsara dance and Yutakun Khom (“bokator”) martial art to locals, tourists and expats eager to discover the meaning of a centuries-old culture. Two red wings now fly in the air for Sen Pich and Chan Rothana’s fight for life and culture in Cambodia. The two young artists decided to unite their passions in a unique school in Cambodia. “Selapak” (“living arts” in Khmer), aims at helping locals and “bareng” to discover their arts, too often forgotten. With the help of Sen’s husband and Rothana’s wife, the school will hear the prayers of the artists in less than three months of dedication and time. Avantgarde is something they like and determination is something they know. “Unite, inspire, share” is their motto.
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Sen Pich and Chan Rothana both grew up in refugee camps at the Thai border during the 80’s and early 90’s. At thirteen, Sen started to train and exercise to become an Apsara dancer while escaping the bullets of Thai soldiers in the jungle. “Once, I danced for Princess Buppha Devi. I was fourteen years old and she came to thank me after the performance to tell me I was dancing beautifully and she was seeing a bit of her in me; we have the same dark skin (laughs)”, she remembers. Sen does not put any white powder to “look more Korean” as she says. Her skin is part of her, part of the culture she wants to teach. With more than a hundred performances - one in front of the late King father - she is now teaching gestures, postures and grace of the Cambodian dance to who wishes to learn. This is a First in Cambodia; Apsara is not supposed to be accessible to everyone. But “we want to keep the culture alive. We are the only ones to do so”, she says.
Chan Rothana, 27, agrees. For him, all what people know about Bokator is on TV. But Yukatun Khrom is actually much more technical and requires a lot of mental strength. He knows more than a thousand moves that his father, Kbach Kun Boran Khmer Master (Kru), taught him when he was a teenager. So far, he fought 80 times, lost 15 and never went K.O. Chan Rothana excites the crowds of Beeline arena and other rings from Cambodia. His name carries a long tradition of Khmer boxing and it is said about his grandpa that he was training with sand a stones bags to strengthen his jaws. “I want to teach this art to show traditional Khmer boxing and keep it alive. It is important to put it into practice”, he says.
“Apsara is not supposed to be accessible to everyone. But we want to keep the culture alive” Selapak will offer daily classes for expats and Khmer as well as special performances for tourists and public venues. The school will open mid June. Address: No. 117 Street 110. Photos: studio photo Phnom Penh
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UR SHOP
TOONIQ “If you want your friend to open a gift box and laugh, this is the place.”
BY ANNA MISCHKE
.... How many times are you faced with a birthday dinner that sneaks up on after a hectic work week without a gift? If the thought of trolling through Pencil Shopping Center or facing the crowds at Psar Orussey sends you into a prickly heat frenzy, welcome TOONIQ. The cute shop opened by Kirill and his wife Anastasia and nested street 250 is a true Ali Baba’s cave. TOONIQ - the name is a combination of toons, tunic, and unique - offers the novel service of printing on single tee-shirts in approximately ten minutes. While going to a local print shop for one tee shirt
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may cost closer to around $30 for a single print, TOONIQ gets the job done for a mere $10. Bring in your own digital photo, print, design, or illustration and see it brought to life almost immediately. While they do offer a selection of styles and colors of tops to print on, they’re happy to work with any top you bring in but recommend something cotton as it is the best material to print on. A perfect way of making yourself a walking billboard, it’s also mentioned that wearing your brand whether it be a publication, restaurant, or even yourself as a freelancer is an inexpensive marketing technique.
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Alongside their printing business which they hope to expand to pants, bags, and accessories, TOONIQ is a shop full of imported and handcrafted products and gifts including Salvador Dali inspired clocks, animal nesting dolls, skull glass bottles, and vibrant globule floor lamps. Always wanting to offer shoppers a fun experience, the owners will change the layout and aesthetic of the shop constantly, sharing that “we don’t want
this to just be a gift shop, we want it to be a gallery.”
Within that vein, they hope that in the future they can collaborate with local and expat artists to bring artwork and interesting pieces into the store on a commission base. Visions for the future hold steampunk inspired furniture, custom made dolls, and walls displaying vivid and eye catching artwork to reflect their creative energy.
While they admit they can’t compete with local prices for small trinkets, they do know the importance of offering quality, exciting, and unforgettable pieces that will appeal to all ages, genders, and walks of life. Kirill, half of the TOONIQ venture, turns in his hands a desktop organizer that he made out of Cambodian cassette tapes and a bit of creativity and smiles saying “if you want your friend to open a gift box and laugh, this is the place.” As I walked out of TOONIQ and caught sight of a lamp with the “ON” switch being a strange little man’s genitalia, I could see that Kirill was indeed correct.
INFO: No. 6-7, St. 250, Phnom Penh. 023 489 45 75 www.tooniq.com - facebook.com/TOONIQ Open from Tuesday to Sunday: 09:30 am – 07:00 pm
PHOTOS: TOONIQ COLLECTION
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UR SHOPPING
“I used to believe that tee-shirts were not supposed to be expensive. If they were, it was just because they were hype icons for spoiled teenagers. I did not suspect that a high price could also mean care, quality and, above all, a genuine and worthwhile meaning. That is exactly what is offering the Jamais Vulgaire line, meant to feature an insightful Khmer painting on a high-end tee-shirt made in Europe.”
KHMER INSPIRED TEE-SHIRT LINE By Valéry Khung
23 year old Valéry Khung is what you would call a fashion aficionado. The French-Cambodian entrepreneur just started a Tee-shirt line mixing Khmer culture and high standard quality clothing. The result, the Jamais Vulgaire line that Valéry chose to present to you in this month WUPP Mag.
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+ BIO After a french business school and an internship in a luxury online select store, I started my own online magazine about men’s fashion, providing style advices and targeting bargains on the Korean website Gmarket. Being half khmer, I came to Cambodia first in 2011 where I met the painter Sopheap Keo and had the original idea of the tee-shirts line. After clearing production and distribution issues in Europe, I went back end of 2012 in order to work with the painter on marketing material, and on the prints of the next lines.
+ The CONCEPT
+ The Painter
The idea behind the Jamais Vulgaire line is to gather Sopheap Keo’s talents in khmer paintings and Saint-Paul european luxury know-how and craftmanship. I was tired of seing such beautiful paintings printed on cheap 3 dollars tourist tee-shirts: it just deserved better. The goal was initially to have a highend product meeting the expectations of French customers. It also allows a higher revenue for the painter, who earns 25% of the benefits on each tee-shirt sold.
“I met Sopheap Keo in August 2011 and was immediately moved by the simplicity of his work. His story is tragically typical of the Khmer Rouge period : he had to raise his family by himself. In order to earn money, he started to sell second-hand toys. To earn more, he started painting, without any skills or knowledge. The risk paid off and he started to make a decent living, just thanks to his talent. He was then able to take courses at the Royal University”.
The t-shirt is produced by the French
The collar is wide and the sleeves stops at the biceps: short enough for a manly cut emphasizing the muscles.
brand Saint-Paul (sold in Parisian luxury stores such as Le Bon Marché): everything is made in Portugal, from a soft and longlasting portuguese cotton to a 4 colors printing, revealing the deep and rich tones of the original painting.
The cut and finishes make it one whole league ahead of The fit is not slim, nor loose but relaxed : it underlines the
your typical two dollars tourist tee-shirt.
shape of the body without
You can pre-order the tee-shirt online
being too tight.
right now at the following adress: http://jamaisvulgaire.com/tshirt-wupp/ PHOTOS: JESSICA BORDEAU
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UR SPORTS
CAMBODIAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE
Game on! By WUPP
It’s time to welcome Cambodia’s first official Basketball league (CBL)! The exciting new event has just been launched with a grand opening at the Beeline Arena on June 1st thanks to the mutual work of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, Cambodia Basketball Federation and the Beeline Arena. Twelve teams, 74 games, 7 months of basketball, one trophy. What else? We couldn’t think of better news for Basketball in Cambodia. The league, that will mix Khmer and foreign players, should create a perfect environment to pull the competition up and structure the sport in the country for the next fifty years. “Our idea was to set long-term goals by encouraging the development of official clubs, to create youth development and increase the level of coaching and referring. We can globally leverage the game level for the future generations,” explains Michael Dibbern, Commissioner and manager of the league’s organization.
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Three games will be held each Saturday with the wish to make it a family event with shows, games and contests with prizes to win at half time. And all of that for free. The Round Robin where the twelve teams compete against each other once, will be followed by the playoffs gathering the best eight teams until December 14th for the final. And what better place to set this league than the Beeline Arena? The complex up to international standards is able to host an array of different sports as well as proper seating for up to 1200 visitors. Pretty sure that Cambodian Kobe Bryants will rise from this exciting competition and later join the national team.
- Meet the teams Phnom Penh Dragons Pate 310 Cellcard Eagles CCPL Heat Galaxy Extra Joss Warriors
NSK Dream Alaxan FR Patriots IRB The Lord Ganzberg Sela Meas Post Buffaloes
The winning team will receive $1000 The 2nd team: $500 The 3rd team: 250$ Main sponsor: Western Union Co-sponsor: Coca Cola
Beeline Arena Sangkat Chroychangvar, Phnom Penh www.banzaicambodia.com
OF T S I L NTH Y A L P E MO TH usic m , p u wing rocess in o r g gp was n e i h o s g “A an on .” e m a e bec e’s lif k o r t Dj S In kindergarten already, Dj Stroke loved to dance and perfom, which led to breakdance and even teaching it. But this all came suddenly to an end due to a back injury. Spending his time listening to mixtapes, the young up-and-coming artist inspired by DJ Daddy K, DJ HMD, DJ Sake, DJ Cosmic and many others buys his first turntables. Every Christmas or birthday, he asks for records, tapes or anything to expand his DJcollection. Starting to spin from his bedroom at family parties or even for the entire neighborhood, he gets invited to play at local parties. Those local parties then lead to play on air for radio stations. That’s where several clubs notice him, and as a result he’s invited to play all over Europe, Africa and Asia for them. Not bad.
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Dj Stroke tailored an awesome playlist for you this month, enjoy: 1. Bumaye (Watch Out Fi This) Major Lazer Ft. Busy Signal & Flexican “I really like this song cause it motivates me and the crowd. The beat is SICK!”
2. Yaow! - Baauer “Something new for the clubs, TRAP MUSIC!”
3. Thrift Shop - Macklemore Ft. Ryan Lewis, Wanz “An instant hit all around the world.”
4. Cannonball – Showtek “I just call it the crowd motivator”
5. Only you - 112 Feat. The Notorious Big “Something nice and smooth, this song brings me back to the days I went out for the first time...”
6. Hump Bounce - R Kelly “A song that I almost play each time at the end of a party... Time to relax and listen to good vibes after a HARD night of mixin’.”
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RECIPE OF THE MONTH BY
LE WOK
CHICKEN GINGER & HONEY Ingredients 4 chicken legs 500 gr of ginger 2 soup spoon of honey 250 ml water 2 tea spoons Chicken powder 2 table spoons Oyster sauce 1 table spoon Hoisin sauce Steam rice 1 table spoon chopped garlic Vegetable oil Spring onion: 10 g
PREPARATION Remove the bones from the chicken legs. Cut the chicken in small piece. Chop the garlic. Peel the ginger and slice it. Add the vegetal oil in a pan. Put the garlic and ginger. Stir fry the ginger until it becomes brown. Add the chicken. Add the water and then the chicken powder. At the same time put: oyster sauce, hoisin sauce and honey. Stir fry until the chicken is cooked. When the chicken becomes brown (low heat), add the spring oignon for the decoration. Serve with steam rice
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