10 trend - GIA Magazine
Transcription
10 trend - GIA Magazine
HUBEN HUBENOV EDITOR IN CHIEF / FASHION DIRECTOR [email protected] SLAV EDITOR IN CHIEF / CREATIVE DIRECTOR [email protected] DEPUT Y EDITOR VASIL SHTEREV [email protected] EDITORS ANNA WARD [email protected] SVETOSLAV PETROV [email protected] YANA GEROVA [email protected] contributors aleko osenski don rodrigues elena nenkova krassimir dimitrov lazar goushev nadia sarwar nico iliev nikolay pachev orlin hristov petya cholakova philipp jelenska suckingfish tihomir rachev vasil germanov zheni kovacheva amanda lepore is photographed by nico iliev and is wearing bra by agent provocateur, earrings and necklace by dsquared and fur by northern furs It would’ve been logical to follow the path of the lowest resistance, and now on your monitors would’ve been glowing some kind of a Christmas catalogue, urging you to go and mindlessly buy everything you see in the nearest mall, smiling celebrities, speaking warm and kind words about the holidays and their families, and their personal success and wishes, and a whole bunch of other bullshit. Instead, we decided to be controversial and to point our attention to something else, something that have been of greatest interest in fashion, in popculture and for us, for like twenty years (before that, we didn’t bother for sex, let alone for unisex). We wave goodbye to the fashion decade, with just a single Christmas wish – the gender and sexual issue, no longer to be an issue. Never. But as the realists we are, we fully realise that our wish won’t be fulfilled instantly. WHILE WE WERE MAKING THIS ISSUE WE LISTENED TO M.I.A., ROBYN, GRACE JONES, AMANDA LEPORE, GORILLAZ, WE LOVE, THE KNIFE AND ENRIQUE IGLESIAS. 4 DECEMBER: EVENTS 8 BLOGGER: NADIA SARWAR 10 TREND: UNISEX MINIMALISM 16 COMMENTARY: WHAT IT FEELS LIKE FOR AN ANDROGYNE? 20 BEAUT Y: BACKSTAGE 30 DESIGNER: DINO ALVES 36 BEAUT Y: IN THE YEAR 2525 48 DESIGNER: THE HOLY TRINIT Y 52 EDITORIAL: WICKED GAME 74 ICON: SHE, AMANDA LEPORE 78 EDITORIAL: AMANDA 84 INTERVIEW: EVE SALVAIL 88 MODEL: ANDREJ PEJIC 90 EDITORIAL: UNISEXIST 128 TIMELINE: UNISX 132 EDITORIAL: DOUBLE TROUBLE 146 INTERVIEW: JULIAN KIRILOV 150 EDITORIAL: DREAM 164 EDITORIAL: TAINTED 172 POP 5 4 Jonathan Saunders We like him, not only because of his former work at Pollini (admit it, you’ve forgotten about them until Joe put his elegant signature) and the impressive feel-good prints for his own label. He just know how to surprise us. Like now – who would’ve guessed he would do a capsule collect for Escada Sport Resort? Yeah, but yeah – around 20 looks (completed with leather accessories) will be sold in Escada boutiques around the world from November 2011. They will be presented first with his own cruise collection for 2012. In London and Paris, where else. Christopher Kane Was it worth the wait? You tell us, the next time you stop by the Dover Street Market, where for the first time Christopher Kane presented his ‘experimental’ menswear line. We’re not completely sure if the nebula prints (derived from his cruise 2011 collection) are, the perfect start but we hope the capsule collection to be a beginning of a new line for the brand. Alexa Chung Yes, we’re tired to see her in invented style ranks. Thom Browne And another brave brand crossed on ‘the other side’. But we sure are impatient to see her new television show, called ‘Thrift America’. American designer Thom Browne limited himself for a very long time (more than a decade) in creating only men’s clothes, but the time for change apparently came. In it Alexa will eagerly scour vintage stores and markets, looking for fashion troves, for which (having in mind her excellent taste) we would undoubtedly wait for her in the next dark alley... The first models from his debut in womenswear for spring 2011 are, of course, inspired by the men’s wardrobe – with sharp tailoring, clean lines, and the black and white are in the collection’s foundation. Modesty in perfect proportions – how nice of him. Missoni It’s official: next on ToyWatch’s schedule are Missoni. Well, with few blessed mortals, but only if they’re fast. They could choose (or not) between six models, each of which is cloned in only 250 pieces. It’s chic, not only because of the idea of exclusivity, but also for the designer ‘strap’, which is actually a silk scarf with Missoni’s famous zig-zag pattern. And don’t try to fake it, we’ll know. 7 6 Dolce&Gabbana ‘A milestone in fashion history’ – that’s what the people responsible for the costume history exhibition ‘Les années 1900-2000: Histoire Idéale de la Mode Contemporaine. Vol. 2’ at the Parisian Musee Des Arts Decoratifs called two models of the designer duo Dolce&Gabbana. Maybe it’s pure coincidence, but the first one, a rhinestone corset from fall 1991 (known as Le Pin Up) has been worn by Madonna on the premiere of Truth or Dare, that same year. The second one, a metal dress from the New Sexy Glam collection (from 2007), became famous thanks to its biggest fan – Lady Gaga. Coco Chanel What else we don’t know about mademoiselle Chanel? Jean Leymarie gives us a hint with his book, simply called, ‘Chanel’. The main idea revolves around the careful dissection of Coco’s connections with the art world, her close friendship with Picasso and Dali, and, of course, their influences on her collections. There are also photographs of Coco Chanel, Jean Cocteau, Modigliani, Matisse. Actually, the book is from 1987, but the original edition is impossible to find, and this is the new edition of the same. You can choose between French and English. Comme des Garçons Merry Happy Crazy Colour is not the name of a musical greeting card, but that of the limited Christmas collection of Comme des Garçons, which already is on its of becoming a tradition. From small backpacks and polka-dot teddy bears, to massive necklaces, t-shirts and perfumes in handmade bottles – you can find it at Dover Street Market. And it’s all well packed in dark packages from the Assume Visual Auto Focus campaign, so no one really knows what they are buying, until they open it... We can’t wait. Prada The Prada Private project continues with the exemplary idea of sunglasses collection for men and women. Jimmy Choo Twenty-four-seven is our favourite scheme. We’re so addicted to it, that we can’t even remember the rest... Thanks to the special frames with customizable details, you can write yours, or Muicca’s initials, or just personalize the model by your taste not only with letters and numbers, but also with the exclamation mark, heart, star or skull symbols. Jimmy Choo were the first to see the truth, and they offered a collection for every day and every hour – 24:7 The basic frames come in three colours – black, white and brown. Now the collection will have it’s logical continuation – a line of bags under the same name, including suitcases, clutches, business and party bags. Coming in February 2011. 8 When did you start your blog and why? I started FrouFrouu.com in February 2009 as a creative outlet and a means of documenting my personal inspirations and style. finding new ways to wear old pieces. Where do you like to shop? Vintage shops and eBay. What was your first post about? It was a brief blurb on the sixties, which are a continuous source of inspiration for me. Who are your favourite designers? Charles Anastase! His collections are consistently breathtaking, he can do no wrong in my eyes. How would you describe your style? An erratic, masculine take on vintage. Do you have a favourite piece in your wardrobe? One of my vintage robes for versatility and general elegance. Are you influenced by trends? On some level, I am, but I'm also careful to avoid those that don't suit my personal aesthetic. And what do you think noone should live without? I can't speak for anyone else, but I'd be lost without a hat in my wardrobe! Do you think it's expensive to be well-dressed? Not at all. It's a matter of reworking one's existing wardrobe, Since when are you interested in fashion? I'm not too sure when ‘fashion’ entered my consciousness, but style has played a role in my life for longer than I can remember. What kind of equipment you use to shoot your pictures? I'm currently using a Canon 50D with a whole host of lenses, but I'm flirting with the idea of an upgrade. What do you do, besides blogging? I thrift, work, style, skulk around antique shops, photograph, scour eBay, design, eat too much chocolate, write, explore, create. www.froufrouu.com Oh, and check Nadia’s editorial, on page 164 11 10 What is the exact purpose of worldwide designers to create unisexual clothes? Is it all just about the trends? Or maybe the gender minimalism will become the signature style of the first decade of the twenty-first century, and probably for many years to come. Perhaps the designers feel that by creating unisex collections, and by vanishing the traces of sex, they empower the individual personality and create a strong cultural resonance. Or at least that's what we like to think. What is unisex clothing? That's a pretty wide term nowadays, but there are certain elements identified as such. Elements like trenchcoats, biker jackets, trousers in general, biker and cowboy boots... It becomes pretty sexist, right? But we think it's a good thing, that fashion is getting more and more liberating, and if once it was scandalous for a woman to wear men clothes, and vice versa, today it's...well, fashionable. Just think of modern style icons like Charles Guislain, for instance. And if some may call it travesty, or others refer to it with the slightly offensive term 'fashionista', we like to think of such examples as just 'unisex'. But how all this reflects the collections and translates to the catwalk? Let's have a look. Rad Hourani It would be an understatement if we call Rad Hourani the apostle of unisex. The guy shoved a collection for men and women in our faces, and we loved it. His objective is to create garments that can be worn by anyone at any time, so he subverts the bi-annual fashion calendar to some extent by fusing and blending seasonal stereotypes into an adaptable innovation system based on aseasonal collections identified only by their sequential number. Comme des Garcons It starts with the name. For those of you, who don't speak French, it means 'like the boys'. Plus, everything is black and white, transformable, and very well made. And even though some parts of her latest collection are strictly feminine, there are lots of options we could see on certain guys (yes, our editor in chief too). What more can we ask for? And like the boys it is. It's a tradition for Rei Kawakubo to play with some ideas for the time being, but we can't say we don't love it. We could never get fed up with the men-styled shoes, or the blazers, or the extra-voluminous art she tries to create on our bodies. 13 12 Alexander Wang We’re still not completely sure if the young American designer is a genuis, or he’s famous just because Anna Wintour likes him. And we’re equally unsure if the over-praised spring collection is good or not. But one thing is certain – the mostly monochromatic ensembles he showed in New York are pretty un-sexy. The silhouette denied the feminine characteristics like breasts, hips, waists and even legs through hidden under flowing satins and organza harem and parachute pants. Maison Martin Margiela ‘Men’s wardrobe over the women’s body’ was stated is the idea of collection. And perhaps the guys at Margiela took the ‘wardrobe’ idea too literal, in it’s furniture sense. Todd Lynn If Todd Lynn created his clothes in the fifties he would be uber-progressive. Now, it starts to look like future-retro, but we like it nontheless. Oh, don’t get us wrong, we loved it. We love Margiela by default. Yes, we say the space age is now, and if we still don't fly for a brunch to the Moon in our personal space-convertible, that doesn't mean that we can't dress like it. And what is more desexifying than an oversized rectangular piece of fabric, plastic and whatever in front of your breasts? Yeah, we couldn’t think of anything, too. And where's the unisex here? Well, all over the place. 15 17 16 WHAT IT FEELS LIKE FOR AN ANDROGYNE? We guess most of the boys know what it feels like for a girl and vice versa. But what it feels like for an androgyne? What is an androgyne? Does it really exist? The word ‘androgyny’ derives from the Greek andras – man and gyne – woman. It means combination of masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny differs from transsexuality, which occurs when a person strongly identifies with the other sex, e.g. a woman feels like, and wishes to physically become a man. And it also differs from hermaphroditism. Androgyny is based on gender ambiguity rather than the display of dual sexual characteristics. One of the many impersonations of Lady Gaga this year included the photo shoot in the Vogue Hommes Japan as Jo Calderone. Innovative as she is, David Bowie, Grace Jones, Marilyn Manson, Twiggy, Diane Keaton (as Annie Hall) and Tilda Swinton, among others, demonstrated the androgynous look many years before her. The art world has been obsessed with this duality since forever. In Ancient Greece the actors were always men and male played female roles. The Greeks even had an androgynous goddess Athena - represented in distinct male or female forms. Renaissance artists depicted ‘the beautiful boy’ on the verge of manhood full of femininity, ideally epitomized by Donatello’s David. In 1970, David Bowie brought androgyny to the main stream. He wore a ‘man’s dress’ on the cover of his album ‘The Man Who Sold the World’ which marked the beginning of the glam rock movement. The androgynous look hit massively the stage and it’s still continuing to serve as an inspiration to many. Just think of fashion designers and trendsetters as Helmut Lang, Giorgio Armani, and Pierre Cardin, to name a few, for their unisex-styled clothes. The so called androgynous look women wearing men clothes and male models on baby-food diet (in order not to gain weight) is considered as something ordinary nowadays. But is this just a pose or there are people who are genuinely genderless? Antony Hegarty from ‘Antony and the Johnsons’ identifies himself as a transgender. He says in one of his interviews that he did not become transgender on purpose but the nature has willed it so, despite the desire of society to see him otherwise. He sees his transgender as not a quirk of nature, but a blessing, almost a profession of faith. The book ‘The Spirit & the Flesh’ by Walter L. Williams, subtitled ‘Sexual Diversity in American Indian Culture’ deeply influenced Antony. It presents many examples of communities considered primitive that worshiped androgynes because it was believed that they had two spirits residing inside them. They are the so called twospirit persons and usually combine two contrasting roles e.g. Warrior and Clan Mother. The Native Americans believed that the two-spirits are a third gender - possessing the ability to see the world as a man and a woman at the same time. This was considered as a special gift to be shared with the rest of the community. They were treated with the greatest respect, and held important spiritual and ceremonial responsibilities. As it turns out, there are two types of androgyny – physical and psychological. The former refers to physical traits that may exist or not, e.g. a woman with small breasts and facial hair may appear more male than female. Whereas the latter indicates the gender identity and reflects how one defines their sex – between genders or even genderless. And while all androgynes are psychologically androgynous, not all androgynous-looking people are androgynes. In other words a man can look feminine but feel like a man opposed to when a man looks like androgynous and feels like an androgyne. We live in a world where everything needs to be defined and explained. We are afraid of the unknown and we prefer to ignore it or even worse - to deny it. Boys shouldn’t play with dolls and wear skirts and girls shouldn’t be soldiers or wear trousers. But Yin and Yang coexist in every one of us with one of them supposedly being predominant than the other. What if we let go of our prejudices and embrace the both powers. Aren’t we all androgynous? One transgender explains in a blog ‘I feel like two people standing but you could see only one of them.’ This isn’t the case with everybody but the strict distinction between genders is definitely gone forever. Some researchers say that men can have ‘women’s brains’ and that women can think more like men. Nonetheless seeing the world from the both perspective can give a huge advantage. The combination can turn oneself into the unisex human being that transcends all labels and circumstances. Long live the Unisex. 18 31 Dino Alves is a noted Portuguese designer who was born in Arcos, Anadia in 1967. At first he studied painting in Oporto Art Polytechnic and continued with photography in the INEF Institute. During 1994 after working for the Portuguese Cinema Archives he began to design theatrical clothing. Dino was involved in numerous national events and he was also responsible for the image of the Portuguese contestants at the Eurovision Song Festival in 2005 and 2006. From the very beginning of his career Dino’s shows has always been about bringing theatre in fashion and transforming the runway show into a stage play. In his shows it’s not just about the clothes but also about the concept they generate, the imaginative world they belong to, and the attitude they bring. It seems like Dino Alves perfectly understands what intrigues the public. Show after show he tries something controversial and in many cases reveals the dirtiness of the human mind. Some compare Dino Alves to John Galliano. That is a pretty brave comment, but if we look at Dino’s works, the way he interprets fashion and how he plays with the characters and presents them on the runway then we could really say that he is somehow Galliano-ish. What a controversial fall-winter 2010/11 show it was in ModaLisboa! And if the auditory expected to see a show not expectable then their expectations turned to be right. Male models walked down the runway dressed in classic male clothing combined with female associated details – a transformation from masculine into feminine. One of the main 33 32 aesthetic influences here appears to be the Japanese kabuki theatre, dating back to the early XVII century, where transvestite men were the only performers on stage. Dino’s collections, however, sometimes end up at a totally different point of view. Some of them belong to a more minimalistic approach, where colors and shapes are clearly stated and understood. The diversity of Dino’s creations brings unpredictability and excitement to the audience. We talked a little bit with Dino, about his motivation and about his designs. Here’s what he shared. Why did you decide to involve in fashion design? Because it was natural for my personality. When I was young, I thought that fashion was a little bit empty - that’s why I decided to study Arts. However, in my whole life my attitude was always very fashionable, so it was inevitable for me to become a fashion designer. Is there something about fashion that you don’t like? Something you want to change? I don’t like the unnatural style. Fashion is inside us, if not, we are out of fashion. I would like to change the importance of appearance. When was your first show? It was in 1994, in a very alternative and spontaneous event in Lisbon, named Manobras de Maio What makes ModaLisboa special? Being in Lisbon. What inspired your fall-winter 2010/11 collection? First of all I always want to look for something nobody ever did and the beginning of this collection was that idea for the presentation on the catwalk - men as women. Then, the concept for the collection came after and how it was suppose to be part of the fashion show. Have you ever felt insecure about that show? That it was going to be too brave and too controversial? Yes, I have. However, I always knew the risk I took and that’s also what inspired me and made me motivated. What is your personal favorite piece of the collection? The pink silk shirt with the extra large collar and the first black dress. How does a typical Dino Alves client look like? Confident, young and with attitude. What are your favorite places to shop? I love markets, second hand shops, for example. Also, any concept stores. If you can dress a celebrity in your clothes, who would that be? Perhaps David Bowie and Amália, if she was still alive. What is your favorite place on Earth? The desert in Africa, and my city, Lisbon. If there is one thing you can wish to happen in the next 24 hours what would that be? The cure for certain diseases. www.dinoalves.eu 35 37 38 39 40 41 42 44 45 46 49 48 Phoebe's childhood passes in a hippie-occupied London neighbourhood, and her father is an a artist, famous for his David Bowie album covers. The youngest one in the group – Hannah, ruled the streets of Camden, a usual scene of music videos and movies. 'My childhood was actually an endless party', she says. The alternative family environment didn't stop all three of them of going to aristocratic schools, where they wore synthetic uniforms – shirts, jackets and pleated skirts. In 1997, Stella was appointed creative director of the house of Chloe. Her first decision there was to invite Phoebe as her assistant. The second – to clean the last bit of bourgeois manners and traditions suffocating the French brand. She created an elegant everyday wear for different generations of women, who love the 't-shirt and jeans' combination. 'No one was showing t-shirts or wifebeaters on the catwalk then. But I broke that wall', she is satisfied. The printed Chloe t-shirts and the aviator We admire their creations, and enough to navigate their own we do not fear to mix their names. lives, and to know their price. Celine, Chloe, Stella McCartney – They've accepted with gratitude the mistake is always true, after the gifts that have been given: they created a new, almost the best from menswear, religious movement in fashion, perfected to the status of which the critics called 'the new uberfemininity. White t-shirts, modesty'. shirts, oversize jackets and coats, wideleg trousers and cardigans, Its apostles are Phoebe Philo, which can be worn everywhere Hannah McGibbon and and combined with everything. Stella McCartney. Their sermon states: minimalistic Mostly with each other, because cut and expensive materials. in the end of day, this could easily be three equally strong parts of a Their worshipers are not girls, single collection, created by three but real women – women grown equally strong women. They are all blondes. They are British, and over thirty. They have families and wonderful children. And they're all friends, since the nineties, when they met at Central Saint Martin's. Stella was a course higher than Phoebe, and Phoebe was an year away from Hannah. Stella grew up in more than artistic family – there's no other way, when your dad is Paul McCartney, and your mother is a vintage-obsessed photographer. 51 50 sunglasses line was sold in a record time. The jealous guardians of Parisian traditions had no other choice but to step back. Four years later Stella leaves Chloe, in order to focus on the work for her own brand, Stella McCartney, and she's replaced by her former assistant Phoebe Philo. And guess who she appointed as her assistant? That's right – Hannah McGibbon, who was already gaining experience as assistant-director at Valentino. Chloe's style gradually became softer, and more romantic, but without losing the solid ground left by Stella, even when they presented doll-dresses and jeans pinafores. On the peak of her success, in 2006, Phoebe is expecting a second child, and leaves the house 'to spend more time with her family', as stated in the official press-release. The time has come for Chloe to fall in the arms of the third blonde British, who succeeds in upgrading with her subtle style the efforts of her predecessors. The foundation of the cult has already been layed. The time is expected for it to blow full-scale and to clean up the closets of millions of women of their million unnecessary stuff. in 2009 as creative director of Celine, with her impeccably cut collection, featuring iconic clothes like the coat, the tuxedo and the black trouser. 'The best way to re-proclaim yourself is to stake on classics, while everybody else is into innovative design. It's remarkable how much you can perfect already available clothes. It's all in the details – the cuff-length, the shoulder lines, the buttoning. The destiny of a collection is decided in millimeters.', says Phoebe. The catalyst is Phoebe Philo. 'Today, all I want to create are things I would want in my warderobe', claims McGibbon. She returns to the fashion scene In result, this fall we have the perfect balance between elegance and modesty, for which we envied for so long the men, wearing bespoke from Savile Row. In all three collections we see the ideally flattering trousers. The coats, reliable like armors. And cozy as our favourite t-shirt dresses. All three of them give us exactly what we need and want, and we'll continue following the cult, even though we risk unifying ourselves. And the best part is, we don't have to jealously peek in the boys wardrobe. www.stellamccartney.com www.celine.com www.chloe.com 72 75 It is a chilly autumn night in Gramercy Park, New York. In a small room on the second floor of Hotel 17 - an old-world auberge that once housed an unknown singer named Madonna, Amanda Lepore applies the finishing touches to her look. Shortly, Nico Iliev will arrive to shoot her in what will become, perhaps, her most intimate fashion story to date. Holding a tiny, rhinestoneencrusted mirror before her famously pouty lips, she smiles approvingly: There is no team of invisible elves here to orchestrate Ms. Lepore's latest take on Hollywood bombshell glamour. Tonight, and on most nights, Amanda does her own hair and makeup, and is her own stylist. This shoot will take place in her own bedroom, as it might look on a typical night. Moreover, she studded that swath of rhinestones onto that little mirror - and matching clutch, lipstick case, and Christian Louboutin pumps. She uses a similar technique to embellish many of her already-fabulous dresses, one of which can be seen ‘It’s done. I’m ready.’ on her in her new music video, 'Marilyn'. This hauntingly campy tune, produced by French-Welsh electroclash duo Risque, is the lead track on her upcoming fulllength album, 'I... Amanda Lepore'. 'I go to the garment district and buy bags of Swarovski crystals, different colors and shapes and sizes. I love to coordinate accessories.' I take a closer look at the clutch and am impressed by its weight, and the intricate arrangement of small and large stones on its sides. 'If I can't get it in a store, I hire someone, or just do it myself. Some people think it's crazy to spend that much money, or it looks cheap, but I don't care. I'm all about what works for me.' The results of Ms. Lepore's efforts this evening suggest, and are in fact, anything but 'cheap'. Dripping in fur, three-of-a-kind runway baubles, bespoke designs and coveted European couture from head-to-toe, Amanda Lepore is a mythic fashion presence. The value of this ensemble easily tops $25,000. Far more costly than the above-average editorial look, an 'outfit' of this quality is de rigueur in Ms. Lepore's fantastically stylish universe. Though she's about to shoot, she hasn't taken any particular precautions. 'This is how I dress when I go to a party. I'm really into fur right now, and crystals, so I'm working-in these elements too.' Amanda checks herself again in the mirror. 'I've created 77 76 this illusion, this persona, and it's my job to keep it going. It gets expensive.’ Eschewing novelty and trendiness in favor of preserving the integrity of her iconic look, Ms. Lepore falls in a line of hyper-glamorous self-stylists and beauties that includes Audrey Hepburn, Jackie O, and of course her own great muse, Marilyn. 'I'm obsessed with Marilyn Monroe, Jane Mansfield, you know, over-the-top blondes, classic Hollywood types. There's a darkness to having that kind of beauty, extreme beauty, and I embrace that.' A painting of a reclining Pre-Raphaelite nymph, very much in this mode, decorates the space just above her smaller armoire. 'But I'm always looking for something new, a new twist on classic. I'm always working with new designers, trying new looks and ideas. And I meet the most talented and inspiring people all the time.' Even though we have very little time to chat tonight, I spend a few minutes catching up on downtown gossip - one of Amanda's favorite topics. On this point she perks up and recalls a recent evening spent with Daphne Guinness, one of the world's most revered self-stylists. 'She is really cool right now. I had dinner with her on Sunday, before the GLAAD awards, and I got to check out her closet. It was sick.' Like Ms. Guinness, Amanda is a consummate shopper who actually knows quite a lot about clothes. 'She has the Nina Ricci shoes, all these Phillip Tracey hats. She wears extreme things, but makes it look effortless - like everything is just thrown on. I always like to see what she's wearing.' The two globe-trotting icons recently shot a campaign for NARS, and often spend time together when David LaChapelle visits town. 'She knows how to accessorize. Little details - the shoes, the scarf, the combination of materials. Plus, she's incredibly sweet, and there's such good energy in her apartment.' I ask Amanda about the concept for this shoot. 'There really isn't a concept. To be myself, I guess. After I get ready, this is how I look.' I ask her how many looks she's planned. 'None. I mean, the one I have on now. That's all.' She glances to a stack of dresses on the bed and laughs. 'You know, I have a lot of options. And I love to change. But the point, I guess, is that this is me.’ Amanda’s cell phone rings. ‘Nico is here. I’m so excited! Do I look good?’ Coming from Amanda Lepore, this might sound like a trick question. Mr. Iliev’s photos, at the least, show that Ms. Lepore is looking historically fabulous right now. With nods to Helmut Newton and Madonna’s ‘Justify My Love’ video, shot in Paris by Jean-Baptiste Mondino exactly twenty years ago, the photos capture the frosty sumptuousness of an enchanted boudoir. Amanda’s body has never looked better, and the only ‘flaw’ in her complexion is a strategically placed mole. We continue chatting, and Nico begins shooting. Perhaps the most photographed personality in New York, Amanda is positively awakened by the presence of the camera. In many ways a photographer’s dream, she is also a judicious model with a keen sense of how she wishes to be represented. Pausing between poses to examine Nico’s captures, she takes a closer look at one of the more revealing shots. Not surprisingly, designers around the world shower Ms. Lepore with gifts. One of Amanda's most telling fashion encounters - one I witnessed, in this very room, four years ago - involves Marc Jacobs who sent her a Grecian goddess dress made for Louis Vuitton. Unfortunately, it was not quite made for its intended goddess, Amanda Lepore. 'It was the nicest gift, and it looked incredible on Gisele, but on me, it was just unflattering. I tried taking it in Nico has collaborated with here and there, like I do with most Amanda on merchandising things that aren't tailored for my projects ranging from a limitedbody, but it didn't work. I ended up edition calendar sold at Patricia giving it to a friend, this tall, skinny Field to a campaign for her transsexual girl.' Amanda glances perfume, 'Amanda,' which was toward her famously overstuffed featured at Art Basel in Miami. closet, then turns to me. 'I mean, This powerful floral scent, with look at me: I have this tiny waist distinct traces of lipstick and and a big, heart-shaped ass. How champagne, perfumes the entire am I going to fit in a model's second floor of Hotel 17. sample size? I don't have room for things that don't fit. This girl tried 'I love working with Nico. We it on, and she looked amazing. So I kind of do the same thing each gave it to her.' time, but with a twist. There's always a twist.' Their first shoot, It’s not quite 10 PM, and memorably, took place in this very room, and produced the cover for Amanda's single-remix album, 'Fierce Pussy.' 'His work is decadent, and really, really beautiful. This is how I see myself. I work with a lot of amazing photographers, but Nico takes pictures of me as I actually see myself.' Amanda stows the mirror into her purse and sits casually on her bed. The small but ornate room, a fantasy of French toile and red velvet, suddenly feels like another of Amanda's magnificently constructed accessories. Just before midnight her cell phone rings again. The car will be here in five minutes. Always pressed for time, Amanda knows how to summarize. 'It's great to work with so many big artists, famous people and amazing designers, but I am not a designer, or an artist. I'm definitely not a performance artist. I mean, I perform on stage, but that's different. I'm a singer, and a model, but that's different to me.' Referring to her days as a burlesque performer, she claims that 'the only performance art I've ever done involved blowing balloons up into funny animal shapes.' She continues: 'I am myself, and what I do is all connected to this illusion, this glamour. I mean, I don't wear stilettos to the gym - I could never work out in those,' she confesses, and laughs. Ms. Lepore's candid selfassessment conceals the fact that she's remained a constant fixture in elite artistic circles, and a muse to an innumerable number of prominent artists, photographers, and musicians. Her famed collaborations with David LaChapelle hang in galleries and important private collections throughout the world. Nico continues shooting, and now Amanda is outside her door, holding a large rhinestoned clutch to her chest. Though she is wrapped in layers of diaphanous fabric, she appears naked from a short distance. Nico takes a shot, and her jewels send a trail of sparkles down the hallway. Whether or not Amanda Lepore is an artisit, it seems, is besides the point. No one alive does quite what she does, quite as well as she does it. 'I've made myself into something ideal, over-the-top, fantastical,' she opines, as she prepares for a close-up. 'It's all about beauty, extreme beauty. My life is my job, and it's my job to make myself look flawless every time I step outside this room.' ‘I... Amanda Lepore’ will be released in April 2011. 79 80 81 82 83 85 84 How did the modeling happen for you? I was discovered by Jean Paul Gaultier in 1992. He asked me to walk for his Paris Fashion Show and after, what seemed to be so quick, I was everywhere as a model. He made me an overnight 'supermodel'! much at such a young age. It also helped me tremendously with my deejay career, I play for fashion shows and after parties, etc. It's a very demanding career, I always was jet-lagged and never had time to eat or take a vacation, but I personally felt right at home being a model! Before that, have you ever considered a model career? Never. I was a little punk from a very small town in Canada and although as a teenager I followed a bit of fashion through magazines, it had never occurred to me that I could be a fashion model. Do you consider yourself as an unisex model? I know I'm androgynous… What was your first impression of the fashion industry? Crazy! And fast too! I loved the lifestyle even though it's an extremely demanding career! I also very much loved the eccentricity and artistic side of fashion. What are the differences between Quebec and Paris? North America and Europe. Although there is a lot of European flavor in Québec… And it's my home. What are the best and the worst sides of modeling? Modeling allowed me to learn so After so many years, what do you think of the modeling business? I don't really know what modeling is now. I'm sure things have changed since I was a model. For me it was a great career I was lucky enough to have! Do you consider your modeling career for over? Yes. Did the modeling changed your life? What would it be if you haven't done that? I was studying to become a graphic designer. I would've probably continued in that line if it wasn't for my modeling career. So yes, it did change my life! It led me to a new career as a deejay which I am ever so grateful for! I had a great time being a model and I couldn't thank Jean Paul enough for all he has done for me! What started your interest in music, and especially DJing? I always was fascinated by music in general. I love the fact that music reaches beyond language and that listening to an older a song can bring you back to that day you heard it for the first time. It always felt really natural for me to DJ. From the first time I tried it, I knew this was 'it'. What kind of music inspires you? I love anything Latin. From Celia Cruz to Pitbull and even the Gipsy Kings. It makes me feel very happy for some reason, it makes people want to dance. There's not many genres of music I would play or be inspired by, but my heart always sing when I hear a good Latino song! Which is more 'you' - to be a model, or to be a DJ? I think both are 'me'. Really! www.djevalicious.com 86 89 88 There’s a new star at the center of attention. It caused disturbance and provoked endless commentaries with its appearance on the catwalks of Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, Paul Smith and Raf Simons. ‘It’ is actually a ‘he’, and his name is Andrej Pejic. Andrej Pejic is the model, who undoubtedly marks the new fashion decade, with his appearance at the spring fashion weeks, and his angelic face, gentle skin and endless legs drive the most influential names in the industry crazy. The young Australian, who was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina is new in business. His first serious engagement with the industry begins from February 2010, when he signs with Storm Models. For the short time he is modeling, Andrej appears in one of the most important magazines like Arena Homme Plus, Wonderland, Dazed & Confused, and on the cover of Oyster. And more – he poses in front of Mert Alas & Marcus Pigot’s camera, to become part of a Vogue Paris editorial, inspired by Juliette Greco and Ziggy Stardust, as well as for Steven Meisel for Vogue Italy. Andrej is also part of the infamous second issue of Candy Magazine, and Luis Venegas, publisher of the magazine says: ‘Andrej’s success is another triumph for the androgynous look, as an extreme expression of beauty, and he fits perfectly Candy’s interests and image.’ The nineteen-year-old androgyne is also featured in an exclusive editorial for the new issue of Tush. In it, photographer Armin Morbach and stylist Ingo Nahrword explore the boundaries between masculinity and femininity with archive clothes from Maison Martin Margiela, and Andrej is their tool for the purpose. Andrej Pejic emerges at the international scene at a moment, when androgyny is idolized and worshiped, not only in fashion. He is main subject of debates, commentaries and questions, the most important of which is: ‘Where were you before?’ 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 129 128 Even though our timeline theme this month sounds contemporary, the unisex actually takes us to its roots centuries ago. The interaction between the male and female, and breaking the boundaries between them, has its appearances in the ancient world. Without neglecting those examples – dignified examples of the subject, we are going to show characters and events from the foreseeable past. That’s why in passing we give honor to the ‘unisex’ Goddess Athena, the woman-warrior Joan of Arc, the scandalous for her time George Sand, and focus on the unisex puzzle in the last century, which formed the world as we know it today. 1930 Lili Elbe becomes the first male-to-female transsexual person. 1923 Magnus Hirschfeld invents the term transsexuality. 1910 Coco Chanel opens her Rue Cambon boutique in Paris. She is the first coturier to constantly use her menswear inspiration in her collections for women. 1914 Charlie Chaplin stars in the short movie ‘A Busy Day’. In it he plays as a wife, filled with jealousy of her husband’s new trick. 1930 Movie goddess, noted anti-fascist, and the best ‘present’ from Germany to USA, Marlene Dietrich leaves a shining trail as fashion icon as well. In her first Hollywood movies – ‘Morocco’ and ‘Shanghai Express’ she almost institutionalizes the male suit in the woman’s wardrobe. 1935 With her movie ‘Sylvia Scarlett’, Katharine Hepburn consolidates the a la garcon look and the menswear trend for women. 1959 In the Hollywood classic ‘Some like it hot’, directed by Billy Wilder, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon play as Josephine and Geraldine, thus making the crossdressing less scandalous in the eyes of puritans. 131 130 2000 Hilary Swank wins an Oscar for her role as the transgendered Brandon Tina in ‘Boys don’t cry’. 1960 Vidal Sassoon resurrects the ‘Bob style’ – an universal hairstyle for men and women. 1964 Pierre Cardin presents a collection for men and women. 1966 The star of the 16-years-old Twiggy rises. She will be remembered as an international supermodel and the first model with the adjective androgyne nexto her name. 1982 Dustin Hofmann stars in ‘Tootsie’. 1970 David Bowie releases his album ‘The Man Who Sold the World’. On the cover, he’s wearing a dress. 1977 Grace Jones releases her album ‘Portfolio’. 1982 Culture Club release their debut album and the single ‘Do You Really Want to Hurt Me’ becomes an instant classic. 1984 Michael Alig takes the Club Kids movement in the mainstream, and creates icons like James St. James, Amana Lepore and Sophia Lemaire. 1992 Tilda Swinton stars as the immortal man Orlando, in the movie with the same name. 1992 Jean Paul Gaultier discovers Eve Salvail, the first supermodel with shaved head. 2001 People Magazine includes the model Omahyra Mota in its ‘most beautiful people’ chart. 1994 Calvin Klein releases his first unisex eau de toilette - CK One. 2003 Jean Paul Gaultier releases the first makeup line for men. 1994 On 15 November, Mark Simpson first uses the word ‘metrosexuality’ in an article for Independent. 2009 MAC cosmetics unify makeup with their slogan ‘All ages, all races, all sexes. 1998 Dana International wins the Eurovision song contest. 1969 Yves Saint Laurent presents the female tuxedo. 2010 James Franco appears in drag for the cover of Candy Magazine, the first fashion magazine for transvestites and transsexual people. 2010 Lea T. is featured in Givenchy campaign and appears naked in Vogue Paris. photography and styling philipp jelenska models joerg and jochen at wienermodels 147 146 How did all start? First, I was doing clothes and bags, and then the leather bracelets. In 2005, I went for the first time in Barcelona, for the Bread&Butter fair, and I was quite amazed and inspired by the Freitag bags. Those bags are made from recycled truck tarpaulins. The whole recycleJulian describes himself as ‘self- culture impressed me a lot, and it teached idiot-virtuoso’ and is eventually came to Zona Urbana. doing wonders with recycled The first bags were from old materials for some time now. billboards. Julian is the name behind the successful project Zona Urbana. Apart from that, he owns the Kervan Hostel, and is promoting, lately, the very comprehensive Sofia Cartoon Map – a must-have, must-know map of Sofia, that every foreigner should have. We met in an extremely rainy day, Are all the materials recycled? to ask him to tell us his story. Well, the zippers and the buttons were new, but apart from that – yes. The handles were made from old seatbelts, everything else was vinyl. At first I was dissapointed, because the bags were selling pretty bad, no one talked about recycling in Bulgaria yet. After that, in 2006 we released the first dolls. Are they recycled too? Yes, all of them are former sofas, or chair, or just scrap from furniture factories. Which one was the first? Lyubcho, the dog. Then came the bear – Mundi, and after that, the pig Krassi. Each of them has its own story. Are they inspired by real characters? Yes, the pig Krassi is named after a friend of mine, full-blown freak. /laughs/ It has a hole on its butt, and its tail is a headphone jack, 149 148 which you can plug in the hole. Which is the bestseller? Lyulin-5, the anteater, and his girlfriend Mata Kosmata. I see that every doll has its own profile. Let’s see what Lylin-5’s says: ‘He doesn’t wear underpants, drinks and smokes a lot. Never invite him over, because he steals. He doesn’t have a driver’s license, but he drives a VW Golf 3. He loves pumpkin seeds, foosball, betting and fighting, and he hates ear swabs.’ /laughs/ Yes, and he has this snap buttons, on his hands and body, he can touch himself, he can smoke...he can perform an autofelatio. /laughs/ And grab his girlfriend by the nipples. When did you continue with the accessories? We released wallets made from cement and flour bags in 2007. They sold nicely. Did the ecological movement influenced the clients? Oh yes, definitely. But it was also smaller products, on a lower price... And everything is unique, except the dolls. That’s not true, the dolls have the same cut, but each and every one of them is unique, we use different materials every time. Same with the accessories. We use antique newspapers, magazines, which most of the time are one pieces, and even if they’re not, we cut them differently. We also use milk and coffee packaging, inner automobile tires... I see that most of your bags are made from newspapers. Yes, old socialist newspapers. They’re quite the hit. We also use musical score sheets, tailoring patterns, hundred-years-old homeworks, and the next year we’re releasing a line made of comics from the beginning of the last century. How do you strengthen the paper? We laminate it and press it. The foreigners probably don’t recognize newspapers like ‘Rabotnichesko delo’ or ‘Duma’? Oh, they are our best customers! They find those bags very interesting, and they even ask me to translate what’s written in the paper. Most of your accessories are unisex, but there are also strictly women’s stuff, like this score sheet clutch. Yes, it can be worn by three different ways, it sells very, very good. It’s the bestseller bag. You can find the whole collection of Zona Urbana on 24 Angel Kanchev street, or www.zurbana.com 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 173 172 When was the last time you saw a decent movie about ballet dancers? Yes, we couldn’t remember either. Miss Foxman is not your typical New Yorker. other planets with the hugely successful Hercules & Love Affair and has finally decided to preview The 33 year old is the reason her own single, with a little help why we can’t get fed up with the of her friends. extremely addictive alternative Produced and written with disco of Hercules & Love Affair. Andy Butler, ‘Creature’ is a But her voice is not her only asset. promising first single, which delivers a naughty acid beat with Before she struck up with Hercules’ recurring vocals. Andy Butler, Foxman was a regular In her own words, Foxman grew fixture on the deejay scene, up on the sounds of English playing house, disco and techno. ex-pats the Wicked Crew, Acts like her and The Rapture Los Angeles legend Doc Marten defined the scene in the recent and the many Chicago house years and made it cool again. deejays that came through San Francisco during the period. Enough of that. Foxman and Butler has already said that they don’t want anything Kim lives in Brooklyn, designs that sound pre-'85 or post-'94 and jewelry, is proud to be a lesbian, ‘Creature’ is a good indication. The doesn’t admit to be a dyke style only problem is that some will icon, has toured the world and comment that the single is more of the same Hercules stuff but that’s negligible. The revival of old-school house might not be the newest discovery in pop music, but Kim Ann Foxman might just be its most talented and forward-looking messenger. Creature EP is out now. Check out the video at www.vimeo.com/16438164 Kim Ann Foxman is at www.myspace.com/ kimannfoxman ‘Black Swan’ is Darren Aronofsky’s /Requiem for a Dream/ latest drama, which follows the story of Nina /Natalie Portman/, a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life is completely consumed with dance. When artistic director Thomas Leroy /Vincent Cassel/ decides to replace the prima ballerina Beth Macintyre /Winona Ryder/ for the opening production of Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. There’s a fierce competition in the face of new dancer Lily /Mila Kunis/ along with some terrific costumes, created by Rodarte. ‘Black Swan’ is a story about two young dancers’ rivalry and twisted friendship. ‘Black Swan’ is out now. 175 174 It’s long time since we have heard something from Vanessa Paradis. That French little lady is the epitomy of Parisian cool. So it’s no surprise she has been serving as a long time muse of Karl Lagerfeld. During the summer of 2010, Vanessa Paradis gave a series of twenty acoustic shows in France. Repertoire classics like Joe le taxi, Divine Idylle and Be My Baby were reinterpreted with eight acoustic musicians and a string quartet. Fortunately, it was all carefully recorded and turned into a live album and a movie of the full-length concert at the Royal Opera of the Palace of Versailles. The Deluxe collector edition comes in limited and numbered copies featuring the portfolio Une nuit à Versailles – 56 pages with some exclusive photos of Vanessa Paradis by Karl Lagerfeld. In 1935, DC Comics founder Major Malcolm WheelerNicholson published New Fun No.1, the first comic book with all-new, original material. 75 years later it has become one of the most successful industries in the entertainment world. What began as a cut out from newspapers is now a multimillion dollar business, which is far from regarded as a kid's play. It's part of the mythology of modern times – the twentieth century answer to Greek gods and super humans. 75 years later comes the the most thorough and comprehensive anthology book on DC Comics – an XXL edition, measuring close to 15 pounds and spread over 700 pages. It's really big - more than 2,000 images, covers and interiors, original illustrations, photographs, film stills, all reproduced using the latest technology. Even if you are new to DC Comics, you won't have trouble navigating to the enormous different characters and story lines. Year-by-year timelines and biographies of the DC legends make ‘75 Years of DC Comics’ the holy bible of any comic book fan. And if you are not one, you will be converted, that's for sure. Une nuit à Versailles is out now and can be bought at www.amazon.fr '75 Years of DC Comics' is out now at the best bookstores and online at www.taschen.com 176 ann demeulemeester www.anndemeulemeester.be comme des garcons www.comme-des-garcons.com haider ackermann www.haiderackermann.be jean paul gaultier www.jeanpaulgaultier.com maison martin margiela www.maisonmartinmargiela.com rick owens www.rickowens.eu are available at all u re, 9 saborna street. 3.1 phillip lim www.31philliplim.com gaetano navarra www.gaetanonavarra.com lost&found www.lostandfounddesign.net marios schwab www.mariosschwab.com are available at farenah concept, 1a saborna street, www.farenah.com boss orange www.hugoboss.com hugo boss www.hugoboss.com kenzo www.kenzo.com van laack www.vanlaack.de are available at vayk, 16 graf ignatiev street caran d'ache www.carandache.ch filofax www.filofax.com van cleef & arpels www.vancleef-arpels.com are available at kult, tzum floor 1 patrizia pepe www.patriziapepe.com daniele alessandrini www.alessandrini.it are available at volume one, tzum floor 2, and serdika center ground floor john rocha www.johnrocha.ie yigal azrouel www.yigal-azrouel.com are available at love/labels, tzum floor 2 chloe www.chloe.com yves saint laurent www.ysl.com are available at garde robe, 4 saborna street max mara www.maxmara.com sportmax www.sportmax.it are available at max mara boutique, 74 vitosha boulevard agent provocateur is at www.agentprovocateur.com casadei is at 147 rakovski street and www.casadei.com christian louboutin is at www.christianlouboutin.com comme des garcons shirt is available at /+/sklada, 11 benkovski street and www.doverstreetmarket.com dsquared2 is at www.dsquared2.com gio diev is at 84 vitosha boulevard and www.giodiev.com john galliano is available ат r.e.d.s , 53 patriarh evtimiy boulevard and at www.johngalliano.com karen millen is at serdika center, ground floor and www.karenmillen.com la perla is at 10 tzar kaloyan street and www.laperla.com marc by marc jacobs is available at salon shoes, 145 rakovski str. www.marcjacobs.com m-a-c is at the mall, ground floor and serdika center, ground floor, and www.maccosmetics.com nine west is at www.ninewest.com sisley is at serdika center, ground floor and www.sisley.com stefanel is at city center sofia, ground floor and www.stefanel.com topman is at www.topman.com topshop is at www.topshop.com valentino is at 4 saborna street and www.valentino.com zara is at www.zara.com GIA MAGAZINE WILL BE BACK SOON. THE DILLEMA ISSUE IS OUT ON THE FIFTH OF JANUARY.