the edit
FEATURING:
CHROMEO JULY 2014 // ISSUE 5
Š 2014 XO Magazine. All rights reserved. ISBN 978-1-312-39262-5
THE EDIT Le’keisha Sims Founder // Editor-In-Chief Moeima Dukuly Director of Editorial and Business Development Jesse Ashton West Coast Market and Multimedia Editor Jessica Schink Copy Editor Natalie Baker Graphic Designer Jordan Bailey Shanna Fisher Kailas Sarah Louise Johnson Contributors xomagazineonline.com web infoxomag@gmail.com contact moeima@xomagazineonline.com for all advertising and sponsorship inquiries @we_are_xo instagram // twitter facebook.com/xomagazine facebook
XO EDIT // MASTHEAD
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inthisissue THE USUALS MUSIC FASHION RADAR
3 Editor’s Letter 4 Editor’s Picks 6 XO Listen 7 #STUCKONREPEAT: July 2014 Playlist 5 Soundcheck : Lady Gaga 8 Label Of Love: Perdre-Haleine SS 15 10 Pastel Dream 21 Summer Shine 18 Chromeo 28 FashionLoyal 16 Oh Honey
THE XO EDIT IS A MONTHLY NEWSZINE THAT DELIVERS ALL OF WHAT WE LOVE, NONE OF WHAT WE DON’T. WE REVIEW the past month’s happenings as well as present a few things you might have missed or that we are compelled to expose, be it PEOPLE, PROJECTS, PLACES IN TERMS OF NEW MUSIC, FASHION, ART AND THE WORLD AT LARGE. 2
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letterfromtheeditor “We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once.” - Friedrich Nietzsche Welcome to the latest issue of XO Edit! We've officially made it through July and summer is nearly coming to an end! But Autumn isn’t on our radar just yet; we are still soaking up all the summer vibes we can by hitting up festivals, going on holiday and, best of all, jamming out to some of the best pop tunes 2014 has to offer. This month’s cover features dance pop aficionados Chromeo hot off the release of their new album White Women, featuring singles like the deliciously catchy “Jealous (I Ain’t With It)” and “Come Alive” featuring Toro y Moi - if these songs aren’t already on your summer playlist, you are truly missing out on a good time! Inside you’ll also find snapshots from one of my favourite concerts so far of 2014, Lady Gaga’s Artrave Ball! If you can still catch a date in your town, I highly recommend you go - it’ll be a night you won’t forget! As we arrive midway through the summer, now is really the time to get out. And if you’ve been wanting to go catch that band, or go on that adventure, what are you waiting for? This summer is yours, and don’t worry, we’ll have all the tunes, fashion and inspiration to make sure it’s your best one yet! All the love in the world,
Le’Keisha Sims
Editor-in-Chief, XO Magazine
XO EDIT // LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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EDITORSPICKS 3 5
1 1. Bruceheart Tees 2. Sakura Life 3. Happy Little Pill Troye Sivan 4. Lucy 5. JumpfromPaper Bags
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soundCHECK
LADY GAGA AT THE AMERICAN AIRLINES ARENA JULY 17TH, 2014 DALLAS, TEXAS PHOTOS | LE’KEISHA SIMS
XO EDIT // SOUNDCHECK
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XOLISTEN
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1 honeyblood - honeyblood 2 lowborn - anberlin
3 1000 forms of fear - sia
4 the resistance: rise of the runaways - crown the empire 5 trouble in paradise - la roux 6 sakura ep - big deal
7 before the waves - magic man 8 voyager - jenny lewis 9 no coast - braid
10 complete surrender - slow club
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JULY 2014 PLAYLIST
STUCKON REPEAT REPEAT REPEAT REPEAT REPEAT REPEAT
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strawberry smoothie - twin peaks stay together - madi diaz
dollhouse - melanie martinez
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everlasting light - dry the river
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teenage heart - team spirit
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river full of liquor - leon else
forgive and forget - the kooks
big toe - the growlers
machines - crown the empire
10 no darkness - broken twin
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LABEL O
This season we fell in love
with Perde Haleine's mix of structured jackets and oversized hoodies. The ultimate collection for the young, business savvy, yet youthful crowd – who says you can't have your cake and eat it too? Pair that blazer with a hoodie and dress shorts and you're out the door! The collection features a colour palette of deep blues of every hue, abstract ink blot/sketchy prints and an anchor of black and white neutrals giving us a minimal yet fresh take on SS15.
OF LOVE
Images courtesy of Perde Haleine from the SS 15 look book
XO EDIT // LABEL OF LOVE
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PASTEL DREAM
PHOTOGRAPHY | Kailas
STYLING | Tiffani James
HAIR & MAKE UP | Francisca Saavedra
MODEL | Kristina for One Managementt
<< PAGE 10
Dress – Zara Hat – American Apparel
Top – Nathalie Du Pasquier for American Apparel
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Top - American Apparel Pencil skirt - American Apparel
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Top - Nathalie Du Pasquier for American Apparel Skirt - TopShop
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Tank – TopShop Skirt – American Apparel Slacks – TopShop Sandals – Acne Studios
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Jacket – Zara Dress – TopShop Clear skirt - American Apparel Sandals – Acne Studios
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oh honey PHOTOS | SHANNA FISHER
IS YOUR CURRENT PLAYLIST bogged down in too many feels? Are you deep in that #summertimesadness? Well, meet the Brooklyn based folk-pop duo Oh Honey. Consisting of vocalist/
guitarist Collins and singer Danielle Bouchard, Oh Honey is dead set on having us all soak up the sun with their cheery, upbeat, positive tunes. We spent the afternoon with them in LA, on a day off
from their supporting the Fray on their current tour. Catch Oh Honey on tour this summer supporting The Fray and their debut EP, With Love, is out now via iTunes. â&#x2013;
XO EDIT // OH HONEY
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WORDS | JORDAN BAILEY
AS MUSIC FANS,
Billboard charts at number 70, this is where Chromeo really gained some mainstream attention, and determination subsequently followed.
first ever track to receive radio play. Regarding this track, Dave says, “We just felt we made the best Chromeo song ever. We want to make more like that.”
Therefore, it’s easy to see when your favorite bands have really been pushing themselves, striving for greatness, reaching for new heights, etc. On Monday, June 9, I had the privilege of speaking with Dave 1, as he’s known, from Montreal based electro-funk duo Chromeo. We spoke about their upcoming festival tour this summer, the band’s sense of style and production methods, as well as their new studio album White Women. At the end of our conversation I was blown away by Dave’s drive, ambition, and the general passion he holds for life. The following interview will clearly showcase Chromeo’s enthusiastic jump to the spotlight and why it’s an important time to pay attention to this band.
White Women is the newest release from the band and became Chromeo’s biggest success to date. “We kind of had a chip on our shoulders... coming into this record because we really wanted to improve,” says Dave 1, the lead singer/ guitarist of Chromeo. "We felt like we should fight hard to make a quality jump between this record and our previous material,” and jump they did. “We decided to quit our day jobs and... focus exclusively on this album... working on it every single day... for two years.”
The name White Women can be traced back to the first book by famed provocateur and fashion photographer with the same title. “When I read the title of his first book I thought, ‘Man, that could be a like a title to a great David Bowie album.’ We knew that it would be slightly controversial, but we knew that it would get
it’s safe to say that we pay close attention to the progress of our most beloved musicians.
Chromeo has been an important part of the electro scene since the early 2000’s. Their debut album She’s In Control, although failing to chart, rocked the world of electronic music with their signature blend of disco, funk, and dance, which synced well alongside their quirky lyrical sensibilities. Tracks like "You’re So Gangsta" and "Needy Girl" were so dance-ably delicious that it became impossible not to get caught up in disco bliss. Their following album Fancy Footwork, as the title suggests, came with numerous tracks that became popular within the electro scene, and more importantly, within the summer festival circuit. Next, we have Business Casual released in 2010. Topping the
The other half of the aforementioned “we” is Dave 1’s partner in crime Patrick Gemeyal, otherwise known as “P,” or “P-Thugg.” The guys have joked that they’re “the only successful Arab/Jewish partnership since the dawn of human culture.” Joking aside, these cats make some serious music with serious beats. Spawning four singles, "Over Your Shoulder," "Sexy Socialite," "Come Alive ft. Toro y Moi," and "Jealous (I Ain’t With It)," White Women charted in 8 countries including a peak position at number 11 on the US Billboard chart and number 1 on the US Dance/ Electronic Albums chart. With the assistance of heavy hitters like Ezra Keonig of Vampire Weekend, Solange Knowles, and LCD Soundsystem’s Pay Mahoney, this was indeed a hefty accomplishment for the duo’s fourth album. To add to that fact, the single "Jealous (I Ain’t With It)" was the band’s
“We felt like we should fight hard to make a quality jump between this record and our previous material.” people talking and it would give us an opportunity to talk about our influences other than music.” Taking numerous nods from the 1980s, and always praising the female form (see the band’s live stage set-up featuring two sets of glowing female legs hoisting up their keyboards), Chromeo’s visual arts influences are most evident in their album covers and music videos throughout the years. Style also plays a pivotal role XO EDIT // CHROMEO
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There are two things that we aspire to do, longevity and improvement. We’re ten years, four albums in, and actually improving and growing. That’s something we want to maintain and develop. within the Chromeo matrix. “P and I are fans of style,” says Dave 1, “We like people with an individual sense of style.” This is clear when you see Chromeo in the flesh: whether on stage or out to get lunch on a Wednesday afternoon, Chromeo’s got style. “For both P and myself, our stage style and our daily style are the same thing. We both wear uniforms all the time.” Uniforms. This is a very important aspect of the Chromeo aesthetic. “I like someone with a uniform because then you have something that really fits your body type, that looks effortless and is instantly recognizable.” Recognizable, indeed. A quick breakdown of Dave and P’s uniforms goes a little something like this: You’ll often find Dave 1 in jeans so tight he needs pliers to zip them, an Acne Limit white tee, leather boots or Repettos, topped off with a biker jacket or formfitting blazer. Now P-Thugg on the other hand can vary from a loud Versace jacket, do-rag, and Timberlands, to “gangsta beatnik” (as Dave 1 once put it) that includes a black turtleneck, dark round glasses, and a Golden Child hat. P’s outfits are never complete without flashy gold jewelry, even if that means it’s in his mouth. “It took us a while to learn it,” 20
XO EDIT // JULY 2014
says Dave, “I didn’t really know what I was doing until a couple of years ago. It’s all about knowing your body type and being very comfortable with it. It’s about... just serenity with yourself [other] than the kind of statements you’re trying to give out.” Dave goes on to talk about the “uniforms” of some well-known celebrities such as Steve Harvey, Terry Richardson, and even Guy Fieri. Whether you like what they do or not, or even what they’re actually wearing, these individuals’ styles are instantly recognizable, and the same goes for Chromeo. So what’s the mark of a good uniform? Dave and I came to a conclusion in the form of another question. Could someone dress up like you for Halloween? If the answer’s “yes,” then you, my friend, have got yourself one hell of a uniform. Dave 1’s thoughts on style are confident, but his ideas towards fashion, and the industry in particular, even more so. Dave is unimpressed by the “hyper-retailed, brand-name dropping,” commercialized aspect of today’s fashion world. Even going as far to say, “I think that Sex and the City, for instance... was a really offensive show. My favorite designers are people like Martin Margiela who kind of poke fun at the commercial aspect of fashion and really cultivate a kind of
craftsmanship and art aspect of it.” Despite his feelings on the industry, Dave 1 still manages to find beauty within fashion itself, poetically describing it as “a moving sculpture or a sculpture made out of fabric on a human body.” It goes without argument that style, and what many people know as fashion, differs greatly. It all comes down to what works for the individual, and for Dave and P, the freedom of expression that comes from style is all that matters. Chromeo has come a long way since the release of their first album in 2004, both aesthetically and musically. Having locked in a distinct look and sound, the duo feels comfortable where they currently sit in the cultural world, though never too comfortable. When asked about their career aspirations, Dave 1 said thoughtfully and without hesitation, “Longevity. There are two things that we aspire to do, longevity and improvement. We’re ten years, four albums in, and actually improving and growing. That’s something we want to maintain and develop.” It’s safe to say that these guys have hit their stride, although their stride seems more like a sprint. Keep your eyes on Chromeo, because Dave 1 and P-Thugg might just conquer the world. ■
LET IT SHINE Embracing summer 2014 in gold and green: brights, embellishment, metallics and sequin Photographer - Sarah Louise Johnson // sarahlouisejohnson.com Stylist - Kelvin Barron // kelvinbarron.com Makeup & Hair - Sian Duke // sianduke.com // Using MAC PRO, Bumble and Bumble Model - Patrish at Profile Models Nails - Kimberley-Anne Vowels for VuDu Nails // Using EstĂŠe Lauder
PREVIOUS PAGE: Dress - Bernard Chandran (www.bernardchandran.com) Earrings - Amishi (www.amishi.eu)
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ABOVE: Dress - Korlekie (www.korlekie.com) Ear\rings - Amishi (www.amishi.eu)
Swimming Costume - Beach Riot (www.beachriot.com) Earrings - Daisy Knights (www.daisyknights.com)
XO EDIT // LET IT SHINE
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Dress - Lola Loves (www.lolalovesboutique.com) Cuff and Necklace (worn as head band) - KARA by Kara Ross (www.kararossny.com)
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Dress - Korlekie (www.korlekie.com) Ring (right hand) - Love Bullets (www.lovebullets.co.uk) Ring (left hand) - Joubi (www.joubi.co.uk)
Dress - The Pretty Dress Company (www.theprettydresscompany.com) Shoes - Ursula Mascar贸 (www.ursulamascaro.com) Necklace - Miquella at Wolf and Badger (www.wolfandbadger.com)
FASHIONLOYAL
WORDS AND INTERVIEW | MOEIMA DUKULY
T
he year is 2014 – if you had asked someone from the 50s or 60s what the 21st century might be like, they’d probably include hover crafts and jet packs in their answer. We have not yet perfected ways to travel with a mere push of a button, or have closets that not only retrieve any item in our wardrobe but also dress us, but technology has come a long way. In the fashion world there’s not much in the way of life changing technology, but FashionLoyal – your new favorite app – just made a huge leap into the future. With FashionLoyal, you can take your love of pretty things, images and brands further by engaging with a feed of images and then having the capability to BUY what’s in that image. It gets better – the more stuff you buy and more loyal you are to the brand, the more that brand gives you love in the form of free stuff and incentives. Christmas has come early. Thank us later. Sai Kong, Founder and Creative Director of FashionLoyal, and I rap about the app as well as fashion and technology at large.
Describe FL in 15 words or less. Fashion’s a mobile editorial perks and
Social Currency app that provides fashion, exclusive gaming fun.
Tell us about your background. I was born and raised in Brooklyn. Actually, in Williamsburg back in the day when it wasn’t so nice [laughs]. As soon as my parents had any money we moved to a safer part of Brooklyn. So, though I’ve been in the city for a while, I’ll always have that old Brooklyn in me. I got into the NYC tech scene during the first internet boom. Started designing for startups and eventually settled [for] running a SoHo digital agency for a while. For a decade we did a lot of groundbreaking digital and ecomm design for Nine West, The Jones Group, Cole Haan. Then the FashionLoyal vision occurred. How'd you get involved with this app? I’ve always been interested in Fashion and tech. I’ve led teams in creating apps, but for the most part it was a much more linear process. The FashionLoyal app process is a lot of constant brainstorming meetings, daily reflections, anticipation and excitement. Then when it’s “done” (it’s never done), you finally hit the market and get feedback from the world. What hurdles have experienced during creation process?
you the
Training your brain to switch gears on the fly and being able to play different roles. One moment it’s a high level strategy
session, next minute you dial in to creative mode, then you’re off to meet with a brand. Technology moves so fast and often it drives people like me to be ahead of the masses. Emerging within a somewhat bleak arena of fashion technology, how do you think this app could change the industry and technology in general? With a simple score for each brand we make interacting with fashion content fun and rewarding. Fans are becoming desensitized by the typical product feeds they receive. On FashionLoyal, actions that you typically do, like sharing a cool image to Twitter, gets you points towards a possible perk. See something cool. Share it. Shop it. Your brand score goes up. What is the process like for a designer (i.e. Givenchy) to work with FL? Any designer can use FashionLoyal to engage with their fans for free. If a designer wants to reward their fans by unlocking perks at specific scoring ranges then they will connect with us to set it up. We try to remain as democratic as possible with respect to requirements. How will you handle smaller brands or new designers? We welcome the newcomers, the upstarts. I mean, that’s what we are! It’s up to the user to decide which brands they like. FashionLoyal works the same whether you’re a smaller designer or an A-list brand. We will give you a real-time score for the brand that you’re following based on actions you
do for that brand. Brands will reward you at their discretion. If your label is not on the app, please connect with us. Let's get a little personal: what are your favorite designers right now? I’ve been with Comme des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto, [and] Issey Miyake for a while. Been a big Y-3 fan since they first started the adidas collaboration. I like to be casual, and when they came out with high fashion sportswear it was really exciting. Love the bold imagery of Givenchy. I’m a huge hat fanatic so I’m frequently wearing Rod Keenan. The Swedish hatmaker Horisaki is doing some amazing work. And of course, ic! berlin eyewear. What accessory do you never leave home without? My ic! berlin frames. Whether they’re sunnies or specs to help me see! Assuming the app is sequestered to US users, how long do you think before other parts of the world gain access? We believe in the virality of FashionLoyal. Fashion is global and fans want to be rewarded for actions they do. As more international brands adopt FashionLoyal, our app will have an immediate global appeal. What are your biggest hopes for FL? Reinvent the relationship between brands and fashion fans – be the standard in which brands recognize and reward. In other words, a user base in the high millions ;) ■ XO EDIT // FASHION LOYAL
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