rikki kasso

Transcription

rikki kasso

Transcultural Styles + Ideas
True beauty
us $5.99 can $7.99 uk £3.95 Fr ¤5.50
Photography MARC BAPTISTE
contents
photo CHITO YOSHIDA
MAIN
6
MASTHEAD
8
CONTRIBUTORS + LETTERS
54
INTRO
10
EDITOR’S LETTER
58
SHE’S COME UNDONE
CODE
74
ROUNDTABLE ON BEAUTY
82
TRANSCULTURAL BEAUTY CASTING CALL
94
TOKYO UNDRESSED
14
MODEL BEHAVIOUR JESSI
18
BEAUTIFUL
22
ART ETERNAL VANESSA BEECROFT
26
SCREENTEST HOLLYWOOD BODIES
32
INSIDER 24 HOURS IN NYC BEAUTY
44
FASHION DAVID LYNCH & CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN’S FETISH
CITISCAPE
104
NEW YORK The city that never sleeps bares it all
OUTRO
ISSUE No.
6 6
T RACE
photo MARC BAPTISTE
126
STOCKIST
128
LUCKY SEVEN ALEK WEK
T RACE 7
HUMANITY IN ACTION
masthead #80
CHAIRMAN & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF_CLAUDE GRUNITZKY
EDITORIAL
MANAGING EDITOR_STEVEN PSYLLOS
FEATURES EDITOR_YOLANDA SANGWENI
INTERNATIONAL EDITOR_ANICÉE GADDIS
ASSISTANT EDITOR_SELENA RICKS
EDITOR AT LARGE_STEPHEN GRECO
WEB EDITOR_LAURA MARCUS
EDITORIAL INTERNS_CAROLYN BRENNAN, DALIA DAVIES, SAMANTHA ETANE, ASHLEY HENRY, NYIJIA
JONES, NIKKO LENCEK-INAGAKI, KASAI RICHARDSON, ALEX STEED, SARAH WHITE
STAFF WRITERS_DEVIN “PAN” BARRETT, STEVE MASCATELLO
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTING EDITOR_RZA
ART
CREATIVE DIRECTOR_KATIE CONSTANS
DESIGNERS_CRAYON LEE, ANDY LI
FASHION
FASHION DIRECTOR_CHRISTINE DE LASSUS
FASHION MARKET EDITOR_Robyn V. Fernandes
FASHION INTERNS_KIRA ALVAREZ, DAPHNE DAVALIÉ,
SELMA JAKOBSSEN
UK EDITORIAL
UK EDITOR_PARDEEP SALL
PRINT AND PRODUCTION MANAGER_MARC BOLTON
FASHION EDITOR_DAVINA MASHRU
EDITORIAL AND FASHION ASSISTANT_MELISSA SIMPEMBA
ART ASSISTANT_SIMON AUCKLAND
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS_RIKKI KASSO
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS_MARC BAPTISTE, CHRIS CLINTON, ERNESTO GONZALEZ, RIKKI KASSO,
ANDY LI, DAVID LYNCH, SEAN MURPHY, NUTE NICHOLSON, ERIC TRAORE, MIKAEL VOJINOVIC
SHE’S COME UNDONE
CONTRIBUTING STYLISTS_AMBER GORDON
photography MARC BAPTISTE
FASHION AMBER GORDON
HAIR RODNEY GROVES @ JUDY CASEY
MAKEUP JENERIO @ JUDY CASEY
MODELS MELIDA @ NEW YORK MODELS;
TIAH ECHHARDT@ELITE;
LIU DAN @ MC2;
DOMINIQUE @ ELITE;
SAMMY JO @ MC2;
all shoes_Puma
all soccer socks_adidas
MANAGING DIRECTOR_ANDREW MCANGUS
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR_RAIHN SIBBLIES
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE_JEFF SUAREZ
MARKETING COORDINATOR_SIGOURNEY SALLEY
MARKETING INTERNS_SYREETA LOCKETT, SHERESE SHORTER
PUBLISHER UK_BEN MARTIN
OPERATIONS MANAGER UK_LANA DE MEILLON MALARD
UK INTERNS_MARQUITA HARRIS, MICHAELA NESSIM
WEBMASTER_ANDY LI
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©2007 TRACE magazine
programs are designed to promote and facilitate an ongoing transAtlantic dialogue about the challenges that democratic societies encounter as they experience new degrees and forms of diversity. The
goal is to reinforce the HIA Fellows’ commitment to democratic values and human rights; to encourage American and European students
to become leaders in these fields; and to foster a growing international community bound together by these commitments. The core
program culminates in individual research projects addressing prescient human rights issues in the host countries.
Prestigious international internships are available to those who successfully complete the American or European program. Internship
opportunities include the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the U.S. House of Representatives, the European
Parliament and many more.
Program eligibility
Applicants to the HIA core programs must be matriculated sophomores, juniors, seniors, or recent graduates (May 2006 or later) at
accredited, four-year colleges or universities in the United States. Fellows will be selected on the basis of academic achievement, evidence
of leadership potential, interest in minority issues and demonstrated commitment to human rights. To ensure participation of all qualified students, HIA pays for travel, housing and meals associated with the programs. Please visit www.humanityinaction.org for complete
details.
LEARN
COLLABORATE
LEAD
INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIPS IN HUMAN RIGHTS
THE HIA AMERICAN PROGRAM
NEW YORK CITY
Core Program: July 11 - August 15, 2008
Berlin Internship: August 23 - November 25, 2008
San Francisco Internship: August 21 - October 17, 2008
Fellows in the American program will explore how
Americans understand, practice and manage diversity.
Topics include:
• The legal, cultural, economic, religious and political
resources available to those who advocate a more tolerant,
inclusive and participatory society
• Contemporary debates over race, immigration, religion and
the role of public and private sectors in addressing social
problems
THE HIA EUROPEAN PROGRAMS
AMSTERDAM, BERLIN, COPENHAGEN,
PARIS & WARSAW
Core Program: June 3 - July 8, 2008
The European programs focus on three interrelated
areas of historic and contemporary importance:
• Current human rights and minority issues in the host
countries
• The development of international human rights institutions and doctrines in the aftermath of World War II and the
Holocaust
• Examples of resistance to the Holocaust
TRACE MAGAZINE (ISSN 1366-1752) IS PUBLISHED TEN TIMES A YEAR BY TRACE, INC. TRACE MAGAZINE IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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8 T RACE
contributors
LAURA MARCUS
Laura was born and raised in Montreal, Canada, leaving her beloved city for a Midwestern education in 2001. After
graduating, she made her way to New York City and has been here ever since. Interning everyone from Spin, to
Heeb, to TRACE, she ended her long unpaid journey to become Web Editor in May 2007.
KATIE CONSTANS
My Most Beautiful Experience? “Seeing my name in print for the first time.”
Katie was born in Mexico City, Mexico and now lives in Brooklyn, New York. She spent 10 years traveling as an international model all over Asia, Europe and Australia, making her a true transculturalist. A few years ago she decided to settle
in Paris and work as a fashion stylist pursuing her passion, working with top photographers creating amazing images
for French magazines. This is where fate met destiny and TRACE asked her to come to New York to “help out at the
magazine” She is now creative director of the magazine and is living her dream.
My Most Beautiful Experience? “The transcendental experience of love is always the most beautiful experience and
the most devastating.”
STEVEN PSYLLOS
Steven is a NYC native who walks the streets very confused during these long winter months. Perhaps it is the
Mediterranean in his Greek blood. Perhaps he’s like Superman, needing the sun to recharge his battery. Either way,
Steven finds warmth on the canvas and in the ink he lays, so all is right in the world.
My Most Beautiful Experience? “I find beauty in the moments when the mind is free to create new plots. Also, my
lady has this one speck of brown in her ocean blue eyes which is like my very own continent.”
ANICÉE GADDIS
Anicée joined TRACE as its Executive Editor in 2001. After serving in that position for more than five years, she moved
on to help found the new sister publication, Terrace. A dedicated world traveler, Anicee is currently the International
Editor of TRACE, and focuses on documenting citiscapes ranging from Buenos Aires
to New Delhi to Copenhagen.
My Most Beautiful Experience? “Beautiful experiences happen every day...there are too many to describe.”
SELENA RICKS
Selena was born and raised in Maine where she was a newspaper reporter for five years covering everything from
politics to music and youth culture. She moved to NYC three years ago, and has been at TRACE for two years. She
lives in Ft. Greene with two roommates and her adorable cat, Mo. Other than writing she likes to paint, run, do yoga
and go to concerts.
My Most Beautiful Experience? “Falling in love, and at the same time, learning to love myself...”
CRAYON LEE
Crayon came to the U.S. in 2001 from Seoul, Korea. Working as the creative director for Korean fashion label “Kiok”,
she also began working with TRACE in January of 2007. After graduating from Pratt in May, she set her sights on Trace
and is now part of the design team, while continuing to contribute fabulous photography to the magazine.
My Most Beautiful Experience? “I was at the beach around 4pm, not quite sober, reading my favorite book Between
Calm & Passion by Kaori Ekuni for the ninth time, and somehow there was lots of cash in my purse.”
YOLANDA SANGWENI
Yolanda worked for several South African magazines before setting her sights back on Brooklyn, NYC in 2003.
Raised partially in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa and Harlem, NY, where her family was exiled in the 80s,
she first started putting pen to paper after endless hours spent watching Beverly Hills 90210. She never saw any
black people, much less Africans, on the show, so she would create her scripts about a wealthy African ambassador’s daughter who moved into Beverly Hills and caused a ruckus. Her next and totally opposite inspiration for
wanting to write was reading Beloved by Toni Morrison.
My Most Beautiful Experience? “Cuddling in bed, with my one-year-old son trying to wrap his little arms around me.”
ANDY LI
Andy was born in Hong Kong, and has lived in New York City since the age of six. Andy dreams of someday becoming
a leading figure in the creative field. His passion and eye for graphic design won him many awards during his years at
Parsons School of Design, where he studied under world-renowned designers like Lance Wyman, Martin Solomon,
Jonathan Wajskol, Alvin Grosman and Leslie A. Segal. Andy now works as part of the design team at TRACE.
My Most Beautiful Experience? “When people are having a good time looking at my work.”
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editor’s letter
ISSUE No.
Now that we’ve accepted that this magazine needs to be what it should be, and what it’s always
been (in its best moments), we no longer chase after the latest celebrity rapper, or the creator
of the latest hit single, or the lead actress in the latest blockbuster, because, after all, TRACE
is TRACE and US Weekly is US Weekly and Cosmo is Cosmo. There comes a time when an
intuitive editor needs to accept the simple truth that thinking – and acting – differently from the
competition is actually a strength and not a weakness.
Still, we are not fools. We know – and accept – that in this new digital age, magazines
(in order to survive as print publications) need to be crafted into distinct objects of desire. So
when we started brainstorming around the concept behind the first issue of the new year (our
“True Beauty” edition), we agreed that all the talent featured should be naked, in the literal – and
metaphorical – sense of the word. When, at one of our editorial meetings last year, our assistant
editor Selena Ricks distributed issue plans that featured the word “Undraped” as a main rallying
point, we went ahead with the concept of nudity and never looked back.
Someone suggested that we call Marc Baptiste, the Haitian-American lensman (and longtime TRACE contributor) who has published (for the book publisher Rizzoli) three acclaimed
tomes dedicated to the beauty of the feminine form. In all honesty, Marc loves dangerous curves,
and we thought our readers would too. For the cover shot and main portfolio, Marc cast a wild,
transcultural bunch of lovely ladies from four continents who, in his mind, represent true beauty
in its purest form. The difficult part was editing the most risqué photos into a publishable set
of pages that would make it past our advertisers desks. We decided to be true to ourselves,
and allow a few (too many?) nipples into the issue. Come what may, TRACE is TRACE and we
will gladly suffer the consequences. Please judge for yourself. As the great Danish philosopher
Kierkegaard once wrote, “Face the facts of being what you are, for that is what changes what
you are.”
- CLAUDE GRUNITZKY
Contestants arriving at 41 Great Jones Street.
photography_JENNY BAPTISTE
CORRECTIONS:
In the “Screentest” feature on actress Melody Khazae
in the Music Uncommon issue (#79), it was incorrectly
stated that the director of the movie Crossing Over is
Wayne Katz. The director’s name is Wayne Kramer. We
regret the error.
We neglected to credit stylist Nathalie Saphier for
her work on our cover story on singer Lily Allen (Styles
Ahead, #77). We regret the error.
FASHION POLICE #79:
The Code Mode story page 30 to page 37 in the Music
Uncommon issue (#79) was photographed by Muriel
Vega, fashion and casting by Flora Zoutu. We apologize for the omission.
Australia > Austria > Bahamas > Brazil > Canada > Denmark > France > Germany > Greece > Hong Kong > Ireland > Italy > Japan > Lebanon > Luxembourg > Mauritius > Mexico > Netherlands > New Zealand > Norway > Pakistan > Philippines > Poland > Portugal > Puerto Rico > Singapore > South Africa > Spain > Sweden > Switzerland > United States > United Kingdom > Venezuela
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model behaviour
GIRL, INTERRUPTED
photo_MIKAEL VOJINOVIC
JESSI
AGENCY: Code Models
STATS: 5’9” 34-24-34
Where were you born? Lyon, France
Where do you live now? New York
What’s your nickname? Frenchy
How would you describe your look? Funky chic
What’s playing on your iPod right now? Robin Thicke
Were you popular in high school? Nope, and I didn’t care!
Who is your dream boyfriend? My boyfriend, Mike
What do you do when you get dumped? That hasn’t happened, yet
What are you doing tonight? Candles, dim light and a great book
What last made you cry? Last week I smacked my baby toe on a chair.
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If your house was burning down, what’s the first thing you would
grab? My passport and credit card
What three people would you like to meet, living or dead? Kunta Kinte,
Edith Piaf, Haile Selassie
What’s your ringtone right now? Some random Cingular tone
Sneakers or stilettos? Sneakers forever
Early bird or night owl? Night is my dawn, and dawn is my night
Cocktail or cappuccino? Red wine
Favorite city? New York for the fun, Hong Kong for the shopping and Paris
with my boyfriend
What’s always in your purse? My cellphone. I would die without it!
all t-shirts_Original Music Shirt
www.mikaelvojinovic.com
SPECIAL THANKS to Splashlight
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text_SELENA RICKS
photography_CHITO YOSHIDA
Your body is a wonderland
FULL-BLOWN BLOOM
beautiful
I
nspired by neon lights, early ‘20s cabaret, musicals and the chaotic energy
and colors of Coney Island, Brooklyn-by-way-of-Tokyo photographer
Chito Yoshida sought to implement a dose of sarcasm in her portrayal of
women and flowers on these pages. Using flower paintings by Saori Kanda,
Chito says the project reflects “plastic superficial beauty, which forms a thin
layer over a pool of mud.”
What is beautiful?
“Beauty for me is the structure and movement of the body, creating an
atmosphere which you can almost smell and touch.”
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art eternal
Vanessa Beecroft, VB 56, 2005. LVMH, Paris France. Courtesy of artist.
Vanessa Beecroft, VB 48, 2001. Palazzo Ducale, Genoa, Italy. Courtesy of artist.
EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES
Artist Vanessa Beecroft’s arresting performances find
meaning in our reactions to the naked body
text_STEVEN PSYLLOS
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photography_COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
O
ne of the most influential artists working today, Vanessa Beecroft,
places the female form on display yet turns the focus on the
viewer’s reaction. Her work is an experience, combining theater
and sculpture. The subject matter is a small (or large) cluster of nudes
whose combined aura fills the space and the spectators in attendance.
The performance begins with models standing frozen in position within
the site—which has ranged from the Guggenheim in New York City to the
Palazzo Ducale in Genoa, Italy. The audience finds its place, their eyes
examining the nudes, the living painting. Then, almost like ice melting, the
sexuality subsides, the shock of “nakedness” disappears, and one starts to
notice the subtle movements, the lines of the forms, the juxtaposition of the
natural body against the architecture, the overall composition, and it is so
beautiful.
Vanessa describes her models as individual aspects of her
psyche, the combined “army;” a snapshot of her mind frame at that moment.
Her first performance displayed her Book of Food – an obsessive diary of
everything she ate for a decade – along with 30 models coping with eating
disorders floating around the gallery. It is no secret that the artist herself
suffered from eating disorders. Her installations over the past 13 years have
included Amazonian alpha-females and “normal” everyday women. In the
female nude, one can find the blueprint of a society’s beauty ritual, fashion
trends and other cultural signifiers.
As of late, it seems Vanessa’s work has shifted from self-image
to cultural image, broadening from a reflection of one self to a reflection
of the world around her. For the opening of the Venice Biennial 2007,
she presented a work dedicated to Darfur titled VB61 that was horrifically
mesmerizing. As her work evolves, we witness the artist’s struggles and
experiences placed before us like a Greek chorus, silently expressing where
the plot is heading.
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Vanessa Beecroft, VB 48, 2001. Palazzo Ducale, Genoa, Italy. Courtesy of artist.
“Nudity is classical and pure and naked and rough, there is drama
but there is also a distance from it.”
How do you describe your work?
I display women in the place of an art object in a space that is an art
institution or museum. The women follow a set of rules of behavior of which
the most important is not to speak.
What themes do you explore with your female installations? I see
issues with identity, I see sexuality, concepts of beauty, I see a
return to the essence, solitude amongst a crowd, I see the voyeur
and the exhibitionist, I see humor...
I came to the realization that the performances follow an autobiographical
path. They aim to represent women in general but their specifics follow my
story line. Nudity is classical and pure and naked and rough, there is drama
but there is also a distance from it, there is loneliness but at the same time
the multiplication of it in a compact group…
What do you look for in your models/subjects?
Something I can identify with and something I cannot understand at all.
What comes to mind when you think of the nude form?
It truly depends on what body, but the first words that come to my mind are
beauty, vulnerability, abuse, shame.
Your work is very much about the reaction of the audience to the
installations. What was the most revealing reaction you’ve heard
about an installation?
One of vulgarity, where women are seen as sexual objects. This disturbs me
and has motivated many of my past performances.
What is beauty?
Truth, whatever that means. The opposite of a lie.
When was the last time you were overwhelmed by seeing or
experiencing something so beautiful?
In South Sudan, in a cattle camp during a wedding dance. Actually, South
Sudan, in general. It happens when I experience cultures and environments
that still have an identity and are permeated with culture and usually belong
to what is defined as the “third world.”
What are some of your instructions to the models before a
performance? Do you ask them to meditate on something
specific?
DO NOT SPEAK.
DO NOT WHISPER.
DO NOT LAUGH.
DO NOT MAKE THEATRICAL MOVEMENTS.
DO NOT MAKE MOVEMENTS THAT ARE TOO FAST.
DO NOT MAKE MOVEMENTS THAT ARE TOO SLOW.
BE PLAIN.
BE NATURAL.
BE DETACHED.
BE QUIET.
BE SILENT.
BE TALL AT THE BEGINNING.
TOWARDS THE MIDDLE RELAX AND BE MORE NATURAL.
BE STRONG.
BE CLASSIC.
BE REMOTE.
BE UNAPPROACHABLE.
BE LIKE A PICTURE.
BEHAVE AS IF NO ONE IS IN THE ROOM.
ACT NATURALLY WITHIN THE GIVEN RULES.
DO NOT BREAK THE RULES.
ACT WITHIN THE RULES UNTIL THE END OF THE PERFORMANCE.
YOU ARE LIKE A IMAGE, ANY MOVEMENT DETERMINES THE IMAGE.
THE MUSEUM IS AN INTELLECTUALLY SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
YOUR IMAGE IS PART OF AN ART WORK.
IGNORE PEOPLE WHO LOOK AT YOU TOO MUCH.
THE NUDITY IS NOT SUPPOSED TO AROUSE THE AUDIENCE.
THE NUDITY IS NOT MEANT TO MAKE YOU FEEL VULNERABLE.
THE NUDITY IS LIKE A UNIFORM.
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screentest
ALMOST FAMOUS
Not all of tinseltown’s actresses have to put their best face
forward – some are rewarded for their beautiful extremities
text_LAURA MARCUS
F
photography_SEAN MURPHY
or the thousands of sprightly hopefuls who make their way to
Hollywood, the prospect of becoming the next Charlize Theron is
the stuff dreams are made of. But what if your “money maker” could
double for the Oscar winner’s instead? For this month’s TRUE BEAUTY
issue we decided to take a deeper look at those young hopefuls who might
fall through the cracks. As body doubles and parts models, the triumphant
threesome we found are part of a less-glittery but equally vital part of
Hollywood – they grace the silver screen and the pages of your fave mags
and billboards with little recognition. Searching for our subjects, we came
across LA’s Body Parts Models Inc., owned by Linda Teglovic. Once a
model herself, Linda fell into the profession by accident. Print work turned
into body doubling for the likes of Rene Russo, Kim Bassinger and Gina
Davis. She hand-picks her models based on a few important credentials
such as great skin and a healthy physique, but most important is “a great
attitude and the ability to be both professional and dependable,” she says.
And her models aren’t stereotypical Valley Girls – her roster includes an
astronaut, a UCLA professor and an Olympian. Brains, brawn and beauty
– they’ve got it all!
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KATRINA NELSON
What do you double? I double hands and feet quite a bit, however, I am
more of a full body double. I have done legs, butt, back, arms – you name
it.
What’s your favorite feature? I think the part I get complimented on the
most are my legs, so I guess I would say legs.
How did you get into body doubling? I actually got into parts modeling
accidentally. I was sent into an audition for a Japanese company called Lux
Spa to double for Charlize Theron. I booked the job because apparently
I was a good match for Charlize’s body type, so they ended up using me
for three more commercials. [On] the last shoot there was a girl who was
a hand model and she referred me to her parts agent, which became my
current agency.
Why are you so comfortable in your skin? Well, lets face it, there are
days when I wake up feeling fat, like every other woman on the planet.
However, I am and always have been an athlete. I feel the most comfortable
and confident when I am strong and active. I play beach volleyball two to
three times a week as well as do Pilates a few days a week.
Are you secretive about your roles? Not really. I feel like you never know
what can come out of any job. There are always opportunities for networking
and making contacts for future work.
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ADELE UDDO
How do you prepare your body part for a scene? Well, preparing for a
scene usually requires a lot of waxing. You try to keep your body in shape all
the time, so the rest is up keep. Manicures, pedicures, body scrubs, waxing.
Just polished and put together.
Do you have insurance on your most prized body part? No, I don’t
have anything insured. It’s a bit hard when my “part” is my entire body. I am
also an actress, so if parts were my entire livelihood, then maybe it would
be something to consider.
How do you feel about the fact that you are making a career from
your physical beauty? I work hard, I show up. It’s a job. Some days it
goes your way, sometimes it doesn’t. You just roll with the punches and try
not to pay too much attention to that aspect of the industry. I’m just glad
that teachers and doctors aren’t selected based on these criteria.
What do you double? I primarily do hands.
What’s your favorite feature? I suppose my favorite feature would
probably be my hands – go figure.
How did you get into body doubling? My grandmother on my mom’s
side always told me I should be a “hand model” before I knew what that
meant. Soon after I moved to LA, I went on a casting for OPI [nail polish]
and booked a big campaign. And I thought to myself, “Maybe mawmee’s
onto something!”
How are you so comfortable in your skin? I suppose I’m ultimately
comfortable in my skin because I grew up on a commune in Northern
California, with a bunch of naked hippies – my mom taught me that “a body
is just a body.”
Are you secretive about your roles? I don’t really do body doubling so
I’m not secretive about my roles.
How do you prepare your body part for a scene? As far as “preparing”
my hands, I moisturize rather obsessively.
Do you have insurance on your most prized body part? No, I do not
have insurance, nor have I seen the Seinfeld episode about hand models –
two questions I get asked all of the time.
your physical beauty? As far as making a living modeling, I believe that as
long as I care for and tend to my internal self as well, I’m balanced.
SHAWN RICHARDZ
What do you double? Everything from hands to feet and everything in
between. Scratch your head on that one.
What’s your favorite feature? My face, but can I say my hair, legs, butt,
and my entire body too? I must say I have no favorite feature. I’m happy to
be me and very thankful.
How did you get into body doubling? I was shopping in a store, and
someone saw my legs as I was trying on some clothes. That someone was
the mother of one of my agency’s models.
How are you so comfortable in your skin? I was raised by my
grandparents and my dad, and I’m close with my uncles and male cousins.
I understand the male species better than most. I don’t need to impress
any guy (they usually are impressed anyway), and best of all, I don’t have
“daddy issues.”
Are you secretive about your roles? Yes, that is an unwritten rule.
How do you prepare your body part for a scene? As an actress this
is the most technical you ever go. Reading your script and communicating
with the director is a given.
Do you have insurance on your most prized body part? What do you
think? Does J-Lo?
your physical beauty? I am so blessed, and so proud that I, as an actress/
model can earn a fabulous living doing what I do and how I do it.
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insider
24-HOUR BEAUTY,
PEOPLE
3
She works hard for the money, but she doesn’t
look it. How New York’s night owlettes put their
best faces forward ‘round the clock.
text_SELENA RICKS
photography_NUTE NICHOLSON
6
26, New York City
Singer-songwriter
What time do you usually wake up? Usually early because of my two-yearold son, Nile.
How do you beat morning stress? I just keep telling myself: “Calm down!
Calm down!”
“Must-have” beauty products: Lip gloss and blush
Hair regimen: Moisturizer. I use a cream called Melkfett (a German brand.)
It’s all natural and very cheap.
Day look vs. night look: My day look is casual (jeans, boots, etc.) My night
look is casual as well, but it depends on the occasion, and I play more with
accessories (earrings, belts, etc.)
Is going out at night essential to your professional success? Yes, like
going to my own concerts, but not out to party. Parties are just for fun.
Favorite hangouts: I love Triptyque in Paris, and in New York I like to go to
Riverside Park with my son. It is so beautiful!
Average night’s sleep: Five to eight hours. It all depends on my son.
What’s your caffeine fix of choice? I don’t like caffeine, I drink herbal tea
How do you unwind? The only time I unwind is when I play my music
When do you feel most beautiful? When I’m in a hot country and don’t
need any makeup. The natural skin tone is already so beautiful!
www.myspace.com/ayosound
3 4 T RACE
T RACE 3 5
stockist
38, New York City
Designer, Claw Money; fashion director, graffiti legend
What time do you usually wake up? 7:30 a.m. or before if the cat
wants to tap my nose
Best way to beat morning stress: Set your alarm clock so you don’t
oversleep, and wake up a few minutes earlier to get in some good
snuggling with your honey!
“Must-have” beauty products: Weleda Iris day cream, Wet ‘n’ Wild
liquid eyeliner in turquoise, NARS blush in Taos, good old Maybelline
Great Lash mascara in royal blue (if you can find it) and Benefit oil-free
powder in tan.
Hair regimen: Wash twice a week (Frederic Fekkai) and use an ultra rich
conditioner (Terax), never blow dry, but do add hairspray (Dove pump) at
night for volume. Day look vs. night look: Day – a bit of lip gloss, no real make up and
hair in a bun or ponytail – kind of a mess! Night – bright eye makeup,
sparkles and big hair!
3 6 T RACE
Is going out at night essential to your professional success?
Yes, all big deals are done on the dance floor.
Favorite hangouts: Cherry Tavern, Beatrice, Home Sweet Home - but
only when DJ Free Simon is on the 1’s and 2’s.
Average night’s sleep: Five to six hours except weekends – then 10
hours!
What’s your caffeine fix of choice? Coffee - milk and sugar please!
How do you unwind? A joint, something fattening and some bad TV
When do you feel most beautiful? I guess really in the morning, when
my beloved and I are kissing, hugging and telling how much we love each
other.
www.clawmoney.com
T RACE 3 7
3 8 T RACE
22, New York City
Actress/stand-up comedian
27, Brooklyn
Founder and Creative Director, Culture Shock Marketing
What time do you usually wake up? Between noon and 3 p.m.
How do you beat morning stress? Chomp on a wheel of Brie.
“Must-have” beauty products: Rose water, Arcona skin care line,
Maybelline Great Lash in dark brown, MAC Mineralize Satinfinish makeup,
Bobbi Brown lipstick in bare and a microphone.
Hair regimen: I set my hair in the morning with this Remington twisters
hot curler set that I’ve had since the eighth grade, spritz it with a little
flexible hold hairspray and brush it out and blow-dry my bangs down. At
night I set it again but a little tighter, then brush it out, spritz it and tease it
up a little. The bigger the hair the smaller the hips – am I right, ladies?
Day look vs. night look: My day look is Goldie Hawn circa 1967 in a
wheat field and my evening look is Chrissy Snow meets Parisian Hooligan.
Bonjour!
Is going out at night essential to your professional success? Yes –
every show counts kids!
Favorite hangouts: My round bed
Average night’s sleep: 13 hours, otherwise I simply can’t function.
What’s your caffeine fix of choice? What are you implying?!
How do you unwind? Having a whiskey with fans after a dynamite show
then going home and watching Family Guy with some gummy candy.
When do you feel most beautiful? Honestly, when I lip-synch in the
mirror with a hairbrush – true story.
What time do you usually wake up? Between 8 and 9 a.m.
How do you beat morning stress? Gimme! Coffee [espresso bar]
“Must-have” beauty products: Black mascara, eyeliner, lip gloss and
Fresh Sugar lip treatment
Hair regimen: I shampoo every day and condition every other. I always
use a spray pomade or modeler to either enhance or tame the bed head
look. My boyfriend cuts my hair; I’m a lucky gal.
Day look vs. night look: My everyday look is relaxed and simple with
subtle, vintage flair. I alternate between black jeans, a t-shirt, a good pair
of boots and a more modish, feminine look. Going out at night I usually opt
for brighter colors, patterns and a little sparkle.
Absolutely. There is always at least one event during the week to go to, be
it a gallery opening, networking event or just to scope out what’s new and
continue to be inspired.
Favorite hangouts: I feel at home in cafes and coffee shops, beer
gardens and in parks or someplace where I can find a bit of nature. I’m
a fan of the local bars in Williamsburg where I can grab a pint and a
free pizza, or enjoy the video game nostalgia of Barcade, where I can
play Donkey Kong and Ms. Pac-Man and drink a beer that celebrates my
Swedish heritage.
Average night’s sleep: I’ll take what I can get, when I can get it, but it’s
usually around seven hours.
What’s your caffeine fix of choice? Nothing beats a delicious latte
steamed to perfection How do you unwind? A hot bath, cup of tea or nap helps me relax, I take
yoga classes to re-center and rejuvenate. A bottle of red wine paired with
some gourmet cheese
When do you feel most beautiful? When I’m most alive and healthy,
smiling, laughing and being with people I love. To me beauty is something
holistic in nature, when all my senses are engaged and I feel inspired and
expressive, respecting individuality.
www.cultureshockmarketing.com
T RACE 3 9
28, Jersey City, NJ, and Los Angeles
Creative Director/CEO, Hellz Bellz
What time do you usually wake up? 7 a.m.
How do you beat morning stress? Listen to my iPod or read the
morning paper
“Must-have” beauty products: Burt’s Beeswax lip balm – I can’t leave
home without it.
Hair regimen: I shampoo and condition my hair everyday with Dove hair
products and air dry.
Day look vs. night look: Comfort is key for both my day and night looks.
The only difference is my night look is just a bit more extra with more
jewelry, brighter lipstick and sometimes high heels. Is going out at night essential to your professional success?
Sometimes going out at night can be as productive as a full day of work.
You never know who you’re going to meet or what business “convos” you
may have that may change the course of your career.
4 0 T RACE
Favorite hangouts: None in particular, but anywhere where there’s good
food, music, free drinks and friends, is fine with me.
Average night’s sleep: Five hours
What’s your caffeine fix of choice? Chai tea latte
How do you unwind? With a glass of red wine or a fat blunt over a huge
dinner with my husband
When do you feel most beautiful? I wish I could say it’s when I have
no makeup at all, but honestly it’s when I’m all dressed up for a night out.
www.hellz-bellz.com
T RACE 4 1
31, Brooklyn
Designer, Tori Nichel Collection,
27, New York City
Founder and designer, MadeMe
What time do you usually wake up? 7:30 a.m.
How do you beat morning stress? A cup of Lipton caffeinated tea and
ignore fellow commuters
“Must-have” beauty products? Lancôme mascara, Lancôme Juicy
Tubes lip gloss and Black Opal translucent powder
Hair regimen: Steam treatments once a month at the salon and
KeraCare hydrating shampoo and conditioner once a week with a
15-minute deep condition under my tabletop dryer.
Day look vs. night look: For day I love a great sexy pant and at the
moment I’m all about the high waist pants, a great vintage belt and a
vintage-inspired Tori Nichel blouse and jacket. I’m a bit more glam at
night. Off goes the high waist pants and on goes the mini dress. Heels are
a must, day or night. Peep toes are my favorite. I just wish Manhattan were
more heel-friendly.
Is going out at night essential to your professional success? Yes.
It’s an easy way for me to expose the collection.
Favorite hangouts: Habana Outpost in Brooklyn or Tillman’s in Chelsea.
Average night’s sleep: Seven hours
What’s your caffeine fix of choice? Coke
How do you unwind? Weekly pedicures, monthly massages, eating
cupcakes and hanging out with friends
When do you feel most beautiful? After getting ready in the morning,
before the daily grind begins
What time do you usually wake up? 7 a.m. – work, gym, shower, work
again by 11 a.m.
How do you beat morning stress? No Blackberry
“Must-have” beauty products: COR Silver Soap
Hair regimen: I never rock my curls, so I wash/condition/blow dry/
straighten. It’s pretty intense.
Day look vs. night look: I must, must have my sunglasses during the
day. Vintage Balenciaga shades. Denim, sneakers or boots, tee or sweater
– and always an ill jacket. My night look – boots and jackets! Earrings and
anything with a hood.
No, being awake during the day to work is essential to my success. My
nightlife is essential for my inspiration.
Favorite hangouts: Cattyshack in Brooklyn.
Average night’s sleep: Seven hours
What’s your caffeine fix of choice? Coffee with milk and two Sugar in
the Raw three times a day
How do you unwind? I play basketball a lot.
When do you feel most beautiful? When I am around someone
beautiful
www.mademeclothing.com
www.torinichel.com
4 2 T RACE
T RACE 4 3
20-something, Brooklyn
Fashion writer, Styleaholics; new media personality
What time do you usually wake up? 7 a.m.
How do you beat morning stress? Two mile walk, throwing on favorite
CD, checking out my MySpace page
“Must-have” beauty products: Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser, T.N.
Dickinson’s Witch Hazel, Oil of Olay Hydrating Beauty Fluid, MAC Prep
and Prime, MAC’s Studio Finish, any fun shiny lip gloss, any fun bright eye
shadow and eyeliner and MAC’s Creme Colour in Flaming Fuchsia for the
cheeks
Hair regimen: Throw it up in a seriously funky ‘do and keep it moving
Day look vs. night look: Day look – very light makeup if I’m outside.
Clear or light-colored gloss, a basic eyeliner from super dark black to a
dark blue, cover-up under the eyes, very light blush creme. Night – no
holds barred. Full facial makeup, including very bright eye shadow in
gold, turquoises, purples, smokes and/or brilliant whites. My eyeliner also
reflects these colors. Cheeks can be strong shades of hot pink or lots of
glittery gold. Lips can be super glossy in tones of pinks, reds, golds or
clear. And my crazy, over the top earrings. Outfits will be anywhere from
short, flirty, glittery dresses to multi-layered, cropped, indie-designed
jackets paired with a fun skirt or jeans; fabrics include silks, satins, corsets
– it gets crazy! Shoes can be platforms, pumps or ankle boots.
Is going out at night essential to your professional success? Yes.
My motto is: Only in New York can you spend $2 to meet someone at a
fabulous party with free drinks that could change your entire professional
career.
Favorite hangouts: APT, The Box, Tillman’s and Habana Outpost
Average night’s sleep: Five hours
What’s your caffeine fix of choice? Green tea, ginseng, Mountain Dew
or Red Bull
How do you unwind? I take myself out on a date – movies and a rare
ethnic dish, hang out with cool friends, read fun novels and some other
things I won’t mention.
When do you feel most beautiful? Usually right before I step out of my
home to go out at night – just when I’m done with the makeup and the hair
and the clothes.
www.styleaholics.com
12
4 4 T RACE
3
T RACE 4 5
FLIRTY PRETTY
THING
Inside the fantasy-meets-fetish
collaboration of David Lynch and
Christian Louboutin
text_NEMIRA GASIUNAS
photography_DAVID LYNCH
David Lynch is the dazzlingly impenetrable director with a penchant for the
seedier side of beauty; Christian Louboutin the escape-artist shoe designer
for the rich and famous, who uses his legendary red soles to conjure up
fully-fleged sex sirens. Though their métiers may be distinct, their minds
meet on that terrain where fantasy and reality have irreversibly fused; where
glamour forms an obscuring veil and nothing is quite as it seems. Above all,
their minds meet through women; through the woman, that shadow of the
night who drifts from cabaret to cabaret, strong and vulnerable, empowered
and powerless, and always just out of reach.
Their shared ideal is unique enough to demand some kind of collaboration,
but Fetish, their exhibition at Paris’s Gallerie du Passage took things one
step further. As though emboldened by the presence of the other, each
man stepped outside the usual sphere of their creativity. Having refined
their visions over years, Lynch through masterpieces like Blue Velvet and
Mulholland Drive, Louboutin through his consistently covetable stilettos,
the pair of them are clearly looking for some new challenge, one which
frees them of the restraints of their day jobs. And so we see Lynch, the film
director, setting himself up behind the photographer’s lens and Louboutin,
the shoe designer, creating shoes that are all literally unwearable.
The result of this shared adventure is, quite simply, magical. Louboutin’s
surreal designs, which include 26cm spike heels (protuding well beyond
the front sole) and ‘siamese’ shoes (consisting of two shoes fused at the
heel), are brought alive on the bodies of Baby and Nouka, the two cabaret
dancers handpicked by Louboutin for this shoot. Lynch is reported to have
requested “no bones” on the models, since, according to Louboutin, he
wanted to get away from the mythical ‘size-zero’ body of commercial fashion
shoots which priorotizes the clothes and accessories at the expense of the
women themselves. Instead, each photograph tells a story of which the
shoe forms a part, but in which the woman takes centre stage. The layers of
the narrative are built up by shadows and spotlights, ambiguous poses and
expressions, and always the shoes, strangely natural on the feet of these
sirens despite their total impracticality as conventional footwear.
Fashionistas have gone wild for Lynch and Louboutin’s project, but it is a
testimony to their success that their biggest celebrity fans have also been
the clearest embodiments of their joint ideal. At the private reception held
for the opening of the exhibition, Sofia Coppola, Diane von Furstenburg and
Dita von Teese were amongst the last guests to leave. So popular were
the designs that the two men have agreed to sell five pairs and five images
of each style. It’s the final absurdity in this surreal tale: buying a pair of
shoes which could never actually be worn. It seems safe to say that the line
between footwear and art has been decisively and magnificantly blurred.
”Women, to me, are the most mysterious
things, and the most wonderful beings,
and that mystery that they hold really,
I think... They’re much more interesting
than men, and much deeper.”
–David Lynch
shoes_Christian Louboutin
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o put this special beauty issue into perspective, we talked with a
beautiful lady who has been thinking about the subject at least since
the ‘70s, when, along with Iman, Pat Cleveland, and Beverly Johnson, she was one of the very few African-American girls on the runway and
in fashion spreads. They had more than beauty, those girls: they had spirit
you could see, intelligence you could feel. The catwalk, in Bethann Hardison’s case, led straight to the business side of things: a modeling agency
of her own, Bethann Management, which she formed in 1984 and has since
transformed into a talent agency, with clients like Naomi Campbell, Tyson
Beckford, and Bethann’s own son, actor Kadeem Hardison.
The catwalk also led to activism. Through her agency’s work – signing
historically important (and lucrative!) deals between Veronica Webb and
Revlon, and Tyson Beckford and Ralph Lauren, among much else — she
has put color on the agenda in the modeling and fashion industries. And
recently, with grace and humor but also with steely clarity, she has been
asking overdue questions about the conspicuous lack of diversity in these
industries, in discussion events like “The Lack of the Black Image in Fashion
Today” and “The Absence of Color” — idea forums that have inevitably gotten people talking, both in and out of the press.
When asked about the goals she has set around diversity, Bethann
stresses that she’s not fighting a battle with anyone. “I’m trying to promote
an awareness,” she says — “a moment of consciousness.”
-STEPHEN GRECO
T RACE 5 7
ON THE TABLE
Beauty pioneer BETHANN HARDISON sheds light on
the ongoing revolution within the fashion industry
interview_STEPHEN GRECO
Stephen Greco: We saw so few models of color during New York’s fashion week this
year, Bethann. How entrenched is this problem?
Bethann Hardison: It’s gone on for decades. And to me, it’s no longer just about
someone’s “point of view” about design choices. When something goes on this long — as
long as a child’s life! — it becomes a problem.
SG: Do you see the same situation in Europe and Asia?
BH: Oh, absolutely. In Europe people say, ‘I think it’s better here,’ but it never is. And
Asia’s got its own problems! The more European an Asian model looks, the more work
she’ll get. The point is, when you start leaving out a whole race, the issue becomes very
interesting.
SG: You recently said something very interesting in Women’s Wear Daily — that things
were actually better for models of color, when you were modeling. Have things really
gotten worse since the ‘70s?
BH: I witnessed some breakthroughs [for models of color] in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s —
and the ‘50s were good, too, because everyone had their place and their time. But you
watch something grow over a period of time and then you step away, and when you come
back, it’s like it never happened at all…
SG: That’s scary.
BH: And I’m not just talking about black. I’m talking about designers who basically lack
a certain amount of true creative style — who don’t appreciate the model being an individual anymore. And practically no one is pushing great girls in their faces. As creative
and individual as designers think they are, they always do the same thing that the other
one does. And everyone is doing it and no one talks about it.
SG: It boils down to what designers want people to see on the runway, doesn’t it?
BH: Obviously, they don’t want much, because they’re not really going for much. You
can see when a designer tries to get girls that look the same — the same skin color. And
I’m not talking about the same race, now. I’m talking about the same complexion, the
same tone of skin, the same hair color — the same hair-do! You know they’re not looking
for individuality.
SG: Interesting.
BH: And if you interview a designer at the end of a show, you’ll get the run-of-the-mill
rap. At the end of the day, most of them can’t express what they want [from their models]
anymore, because they’re not even selecting the models anymore. They leave it in the
hands of stylists, so that choice becomes less and less personal. The designer used to
have his hands on it, all the way through. Yves St. Laurent — he knew what he liked and
it wasn’t necessarily the beauty of the girl. It was the spirit.
SG: What have you been doing to create awareness around this issue?
BH: You have to move in a very collective way. It’s almost like nudging a rock up a hill.
You keep nudging and stay focused, and then press people come in, and people start
talking about it. And then you realize you weren’t the only on thinking about it. All of a
sudden, when you start to become vocal — guess what? – so does someone in Paris, so
does someone in London.
SG: And the press is talking about this issue.
BH: Marie Claire did a cover story on it. Now someone at Fashion Ink is talking about
how fashion models no longer have any personality.
SG: What, if anything, can consumers do?
BH: I hear people say, ‘Tell them to stop!’ Boycott this and don’t buy that! You’re talking in a horn because, believe me, people are going to keep shopping. But raising their
consciousness about it… People start talking about it and it changes the energy. Things
start to change naturally.
SG: Well, we’re happy to do our part, at TRACE.
BH: Thank you very much for that. I appreciate it.
5 8 T RACE
Bethann Hardison, glowing gracefully
T RACE 5 9
The female
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When TRACE decided to do an issue on “True Beauty”; an issue we thought should truly reflect
the diverse beauties of the world, as we see them, who better to call than photographer Marc
Baptiste? Here the legendary photographer shares his thoughts (and lens) on his love of the
female form, in all shapes and color.
I
t’s been said – mostly by fashion designers – that the female
form is like a canvas. Is it the same for photographers?
I think the female body is a beautiful landscape. And I think it can
be a different shape, different form but still possess beauty, grace and
elegance.
What do you find beautiful about it?
I find everything about the female form attractive and beautiful in any shape.
To me at the end of the day, it all rolls down to confidence; knowing what
you have and embellishing it. To me that’s beautiful… that’s sexy.
You’ve been shooting nudes for so many years. Do you have a
favorite body part that you like to shoot?
I love legs; beautiful legs. Breasts have to be perfect and perky; they have
to fit the frame of the body... lips too. I mean everything about a woman’s
form, I love. If I have to pick one I think what people see first even if you’re
fully clothed is a great pair of legs.
Is there such a thing as the perfect body?
No. Close to perfect, yes, but not perfect. No one is perfect. If you ask
models like Kate Moss, are you perfect? They always think they have flaws.
We all have them. Everybody’s trying to camouflage it, you know, embellish
what they have to make you believe that they are perfect but deep inside
they know that they’re not. If they’re perfect inside then it doesn’t matter
what the outside looks like. It’s all an illusion, to make you believe they’re
perfect. ‘I’ll change this, I’ll change that,’ you know, sometimes they might
think some part of the body is not good or not adequate but in reality its
beautiful. Beauty is still in the eye of the beholder.
Recently Dove has come out with the “Campaign for Real Beauty”
and Procter and Gamble has the “My Black is beautiful” campaign.
Are these necessary? If so, do women need to be reminded theyíre
beautiful, as they are?
I mean every woman as a little girl loved to hear that. I’m raising three girls;
I know it helps their confidence levels. It’s always good to be reminded
you’re beautiful. If you don’t then they say ‘what’s wrong with me, why don’t
you every say I’m beautiful?’ Every once in a while I have to tell my wife;
remind her she’s beautiful. I work with a lot of beautiful women but my wife
is beautiful to my eyes. It’s an approval thing.
Do men need to be told they’re beautiful?
We kinda of say it differently, like, we don’t say ‘you’re handsome.’ We say
‘oh you’re okay’ to each other. From man to man it’s like a big compliment;
it’s like telling a woman, ‘you’re gorgeous.’ But we’re raised as completely
different beings from women so we react to each other differently. But I
don’t think men need to be reminded that they are handsome. Men just
want to be men.
Has having daughters affected the way you view women?
It made me appreciate women a lot more. I always did, I mean I was raised
by five women, but it made me really appreciate women in general... raising
them is like...wow! In 10 years they won’t belong to me anymore and then
they’re so bright and so articulate and beautiful, not just inside, but they’re
pure.
Some people feel women hide behind clothing. What are you trying
to reveal when you shoot them in the nude?
To empower them and to make them feel good about what they have; their
vessel. To embellish it; to create a beautiful image that they’re proud of and
can say, ‘oh wow I look good.’ So if can change one woman’s perception
of herself, like ‘no you’re not fat and no you’re not ugly,’ then I’ve done my
job. I’m always trying to embellish and make women see the beauty they
posses.
What makes people comfortable looking at your nudes as opposed
to, say, more pornographic images?
Because it’s two different approaches. I’m not about the shock value. I’m
trying to show the beauty of the woman. Sensual, not overtly sexual. Beauty
instead of shocking.
Sexy is…
Confident
FASHION Amber Gordon, HAIR Rodney Groves @ Judy Casey, MAKEUP
Jenerio @ Judy Casey, all sneakers_Puma, Copa scocer socks_adidas
models (from top left): Tiah Eckhardt @ Elite, Mellda Prado @ New York
Models, Liu Dan @ MC2, Sammy Jo Wilkinson @ MC2, Dominique @ Elite
T RACE 6 3
Mellda Prado
“Sexy is...confident”
Mellda Prado
6 6 T RACE
T RACE 6 7
Tiah Eckhardt
Tiah Eckhardt
I think the female body is a beautiful landscape”
Liu Dan
7 0 T RACE
T RACE 7 1
“Beauty is still in the eye of
the beholder.”
Liu Dan
7 2 T RACE
T RACE 7 3
“Sexy is…confident.”
Dominique
Sammy Jo Wilkinson
cap_EUGENIA KIM
Five New YWoENrk
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7 6 T RACE
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T RACE 7 7
RAQUEL CEPEDA
MARCUS LOGAN
Raquel Cepeda is an award-winning editor, multi-media journalist and filmmaker. She wrote and directed Bling: A Planet Rock, documentary about
American hip hop culture’s obsession with diamonds — “blinging” — and all
its social trappings, and how this infatuation correlated with the ten-year
conflict in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Raquel’s book And It Don’t Stop:
The Best Hip-Hop Journalism of the Last 25 Years, the first ever “Best
of…” anthology to win a 2005 PEN Beyond Margins Award and Best Arts
Book from the Latino Book Awards. She lives in New York City with her
daughter.
Marcus Logan was born and raised in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn to a single mother of Jamaican descent. After graduating from Virginia
State University, where he majored in Architectural Drafting, Marcus turned
his attention to music. In 1996 he interned at Columbia Records and later
went on to hold senior executive titles at Bad Boy Records, Star Trak and J.
Records. Additionally Marcus has produced tracks for ODB, Tupac Shakur
and Das Efx. In May 2007, he left the music industry to start his own marketing consultation firm, The CRM Group, focusing on creative marketing
solutions utilizing web 2.0 media and mobile initiatives.
DALIA DAVIES
ANNA GRUNDSTROM
Dalia Davies is an Afro-Caribbean writer with a passion for fashion, culture
and music. Born and raised in rural Binghamton, New York and a graduate of North Carolina Central University, Dalia has worked in various areas
of the television and fashion industry in New York City. Existing within a
supportive tight-knit and academic extended family, Dalia challenges the
misguiding media representations that contrast to her knowledge on black
beauty.
Anna Grundstrom was adopted from Indonesia when thirty-one days old,
grew up outside Stockholm, Sweden. She moved to New York in 1997 to
attend the Certificate Program at the Alvin Ailey American Dance School.
She has also studied Multicultural Literature/ Creative Writing, traveled to
various parts of the world, and worked in different media productions. Anna
is presently working as a pole dance instructor at New York Pole Dancing
studio. Pole dancing allows Anna to encourage everyday women to feel
beautiful, sexual and powerful within, while getting a great workout.
CRAYON LEE
Crayon Lee came to the U.S. in 2001 from Seoul, Korea. Working as the
creative director for Korean fashion label “Kiok”, she also began working
with Trace in January of 2007.
7 8 T RACE
R
ecently Dove has come out with the “Campaign for Real
Beauty” and Procter and Gamble has the “My Black is Beautiful” campaign. Are these necessary? If so, do women need
to be reminded they’re beautiful?
Anna Grundstrom: Maybe because it’s been so far to the extreme with
skinny models for so long. I feel like it’s not only these campaigns, it’s all
over TV, it seems to be like a wave of bigger girls, shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty… I don’t know if it’s just because it’s been so extreme the
other way for so long or is it done to be marketed to women.
Marcus Logan: I think it’s beyond women. Our society is such where inclusion is the constant and the defining terms for what those inclusion factors
may be don’t come from us. So when you see these campaigns on television, even in music, there are images that predominate and it’s our job to
facilitate those images. And even on a common scale with your friends;
there are plenty of people I know that are beautiful, not just on the inside,
but they’ll never have a shot at being a poster child for some of these campaigns because they don’t fit within those defining terms. It’s a challenge
just to fit in.
Raquel Cepeda: Most marketing is aspirational; you have to peddle an
image that people can not only aspire to, but more than aspire, can see
themselves in. Most of America is fat, and because of this, you have to say
“fat is beautiful.” I think Jill Scott is beautiful, I mean drop dead gorgeous,
but I don’t feel it necessary that when we see a model who is big that we
should celebrate that, or one that’s too skinny. Weight – especially in my
community, the Dominican-American community – comes with diabetes,
hypertension, even children are having heart attacks now. So I think it’s
almost presumptuous and naïve to embrace that kind of image. I think the
athletic image is healthy. What is smart about these campaigns is that they
know how to market; there’s a lot of self-hatred in the community, and that
comes out of fear. And when you peddle, when you tap into that fear and
self-hatred and start telling people that they’re beautiful because they’re
big, they become loyal customers. You let people know that they’re gonna
be alright. If Dove is going to make me feel like I’m pretty then I’m gonna
buy tons of it.
Do you often feel ignored by the beauty industry?
AG: Yes, but then again I’ve always felt like that. I also didn’t grow up
in America. I don’t think I thought about it growing up in Sweden. I was
adopted as a baby from Jakarta, Indonesia. I grew up with tall, blond, blueeyed people. My parents always made me feel like I was one of them so I
didn’t really feel like an outsider but I knew I looked different. I didn’t realize
until later – like with stuff that I put in my hair or how I cut my hair or makeup
– you know, that I had a different skin tone. Throughout my life I used my
parents products. It wasn’t until later on that I was like ‘I shouldn’t use
this because I look funny.’ It wasn’t that I felt I was ugly, because I always
felt Swedish at heart, but when it comes to representing something like
Swedish beauty, that was like out of the question. People are always super
surprised when I say I’m from Sweden. They’re like ‘Oh my God, you’re not
blonde, you’re not blue-eyed.’
RC: I only wear lip gloss. I’ve always had a very good self-image. Maybe I’m
an anomaly but I’ve never thought that blonde and blue-eyed was pretty. I
felt that they were icy and because I grew up learning a lot about history, I
didn’t want to identify with a group of people that were responsible for so
much destruction and misery around the world. And I think that we are so
naturally beautiful, whether you are Asian, or from the continent of Africa. I
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“Once you accept your body
you don’t want to hurt it,
like, you don’t want to get
big and not be able to move
around.”
– Anna Grundstrom
hate to use the word exotic, but there is so much beauty.
Dalia Davies: I grew up in Binghamton, New York and culturally it’s very
white: blonde hair, blue eyes. In high school that’s all you saw when it was
time to choose prom queens. You couldn’t get certain products; certain
movies wouldn’t play. They didn’t even get Dreamgirls and it’s only like two
hours outside of New York City. I look back at some photos of myself from
high school and my makeup is too light. A lot of the cosmetics that they had
when I grew up were not directed towards women with my color or features.
You do feel ignored and have to find your own way. I think that’s why you
see a lot of creativity coming out of the hip hop generation because you
didn’t have anybody saying you were beautiful so you had to find a way to
say, ‘well what I do is beautiful. How I’m gonna rock this; this is dope and
you’re gonna be on it next.’ My mother used to make sure we traveled often
so we could see how other cultures lived. But when I would come back to
school, it was like, ‘you’re to the side.’
models is the only way? Who says that looking up to this woman that’s
strutting down the runway is gonna set the standard for the rest of the
world?’ I’m saying this from a place where you have so much diversity so,
it’s almost like, if the powers that be gave an opportunity to that diversity,
who says that diversity doesn’t work. But if it’s never given a chance then it
will always be the way it is. That’s the unfortunate part. I don’t think you can
invest too much energy into the fashion industry unless you really want that
to be the deciding factor to who you are and what you represent. To me I
think the bigger challenge is… I don’t know if it’s a matter of empowering
ourselves to have platforms that go against these atypical platforms, or as
Bethann may be doing by creating some sort of catalyst to change within
it. I just don’t even look towards it. But in terms of the male clothing that’s
put on the runway. That shits not made for me so I can’t even relate. And
I definitely don’t look at myself like I need to go to the gym that hard to fit
within it.
Bethann Hardison has called attention to the lack of models of
color on runways. Are everyday woman affected by this?
RC: The clothes that are on the runway are not made for everyday women
and everyday women don’t go to see fashion shows, so, absolutely not.
Are there a lot of Asian models on the runways in Korea?
CL: We have the same amount of options to pick, either white or Korean.
But people prefer white models more than anything, for different reasons.
Different body shapes, and they’re taller so sometimes the clothes look
better on them.
Crayon Lee: 70% of the population in America is white and the rest, like
30% is minority. So if the money is the matter, how should they market it?
I don’t feel it has anything to do with racism because the whole market is
white. Most people looking at the runway are white people imagining how
they’re going to look with those outfits on. So I don’t know if they have to
have more models of color for whatever reason if they want t make money
out of it in the end.
ML: I think the bigger question is, ‘who says looking at statuesque white
8 0 T RACE
But does what happen on fashion runways trickle down and affect
the everyday woman at some point?
AG: I think as a teenager when you question all these things, that’s when
you will question it. But as an older person you create your own style. I
mean I don’t care. Those clothes are not built for me, it’s not really for me.
I’m 4’10” and I ‘m not gonna grow any taller anytime soon. As you get older
you care less.
Do you think formulating a positive self-image and beauty is harder
for young people of color right now? And I’m mainly speaking from
the perspective of the media playing such a large role, it seems, in
how young people negotiate their identity.
RC: I think that it’s too much pressure to put on the media. I think that it
starts in the home. We should be pointing the finger more at the parents
than at the media. They’re just doing their job. I think there’s definitely more
people of color in the media, but how they’re looking is very sad. You watch
shows like “Flavor of Love”… when I spoke to the people at VH1, they have
the numbers. Black women watch themselves being metaphorically lynched
on television and they watch it week after week. For the television executives, it’s about the numbers. So if you want to change that, you’re gonna
have to start in the home. It’s very easy to point a finger at the media but it’s
harder to be introspective and point the finger at yourself.
DD: I definitely always stand up for the media, however I do feel like [for] my
generation and the younger set after me, the option of media has grown so
much. The way the internet rules now, YouTube, podcasts, etc… It’s now
an added on example towards ways of connecting with what other images
of beauty would seem like. I don’t want to blame the media either because I
feel like a lot of people’s families, they don’t raise their kids…
RC: Well I think that’s an issue that deserves it’s own panel. I’m a parent
of a pre-teen and I’m in the media and she doesn’t have a low self-esteem.
She doesn’t think, ‘oh wow, women of color wear thongs and fight over men
who suck chicken grease off their fingers like Flavor Flav.’ It’s not like that
at all because you have to start empowering the little people that you’re
raising. Even if it’s not your child. There are definitely more people of color
now on television than there were when I was growing up. We had violent,
racist cartoons and Archie Bunker and all these terrible, subliminally racist
shows. There’s still a lot of terrible and violent stuff on TV and the movies,
but now, people at the networks are supplying a demand. And what people
are demanding to see of people of color are images that are not so positive.
It’s about creating a balance.
ML: Coming up in the 80’s and 90s, we still had black power movement in
our system and that translated into hip hop; like the energy of hip hop. The
Africa Bambatta’s and Zulu nation really transcended the Latino and black
cultures. That shit all went out the window and it became about making that
paper and Scarface became the idolizing figure that hip hop is now emulating. So when you really look at the kids, I can’t fault them for understanding
what they understand because a lot of them come from the crack era; a lot
of them have generationally dysfunctional families and they’re just products
of the environment. So now the media is being laid blame for the natural
progression of their lives by default. Going back to what Raquel said, the
key is balance. In hip hop, if you had N.W.A you had KRS-1. Now its just
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flatline; no balance. The big question is whether or not we will have a broader range of information to funnel through the media that we do have.
DD: For example on my block in Harlem, I don’t think a lot kids know where
to look to know about their beauty. I don’t think they know which books,
which TV shows. Even though there are a lot of representations of black
people on television they’re not necessarily good representations. So I do
think there has to be a variety.
RC: But that comes from the home. Again, they’re supplying a demand. I
like watching TV. I like Dance with Me, the movie and sometimes “Dancing
with the Stars”, it moves me. At the same time it starts with us. We have to
empower the young people. And we have to give young people today credit.
They know what’s going on. They’re smarter then we are; they know about
the Internet… I just can’t put it all on the media.
ML: I think its just dressing. It needs to be dressed properly so that it can
be articulated to the kids.
When we talk about beauty, we immediately start thinking of women. Do men go through the same issues with their self-image?
ML: Only when it weighs against a woman. At this point in my life, I’m kinda
settled with my flaws, like the things that I do are for my own personal integrity. When I go to the gym I do it for me. But I think generally speaking men,
like everybody, we do things based on the expectations of accolade. We
want someone to say, ‘damn you look really nice,’ or ‘that’s a nice haircut.’
We want that. As men we get it, probably not as bad as women but you have
your own processes for moving on and dealing with it.
more important to be smart and that the shit she sees on TV is bullshit. I’m
not doing anything special, I’m just talking to her.
In this issue we decided to ask everyone to be naked, or rather,
“undraped.” How comfortable are you with your bodies?
RC: When I was an editor at One World magazine, we went to the Dominican Republic and took two models, Ana Paulo and Melida. It was funny to
me because they had a really hard time taking their clothes off and from
the time I walked in to the time I reached the pool I was completely naked
because I was in my country and I love being naked. I think it’s sexy for
a woman not to look like a man. I think there’s something sexy and sultry
about curves. I think it’s great to be naked and healthy to walk around naked
in front of your kids. I mean I have a daughter… but a lot of elders have told
me to never be ashamed of walking around naked in front of your children
because then they start to see that you worship your body and start treating
their bodies like temples. And they start to embrace their flaws. We’re not
perfect, I mean nobody is, even the models, I know because I’ve worked in
the industry; we have to do a lot of touching up for covers and stuff. And
people that you think look perfect. They don’t.
AG: I’m pretty okay with my body. I used to dance modern dance and had
more issues with my body than I do now but discovering pole dancing just
kinda changed me. It’s just great to have women come in for a session – we
don’t like get naked – and they’re super shy. It’s just great to encourage
them to stand in front of the mirror and be like, ‘You’re beautiful, You rock!
You have to feel you have a great body; it’s your instrument.’ Once you accept your body you don’t want to hurt it, like you don’t want to get big and
not be able to move around.
Does the media inform how some men perceive women?
ML: I think it just reinforces, at times. It doesn’t set the standard. The media
is just capitalizing on something that already exists. It’s hard for me to identify with it because I’ve always had respect for women. So it’s hard for me
to identify with how you can call someone a bitch or a ho, like on a regular
basis. You have pimp movies; like The Mack is some of the funniest shit in
the world to me. But it’s within the context of The Mack, it’s not real life. You
have to, at some point, say to yourself, this is “movie” and this is “life.”
A lot of issues have come up on this panel in terms of self-acceptance. As contrived as this question may be, are there any solutions? Is there anything to that can be done to make women feel
more okay with themselves?
ML: To me it’s just knowing you and loving you as best as you can and not
looking or referencing any outside sources to define that. When you can do
that you’re an instrument, in the same way that Raquel is an instrument to
her daughter. We’re instruments to the same process to the people that are
in our lives. Just being as comfortable in your skin as you can be.
DD: A lot of kids don’t know how to draw that line though. I think it needs
to come from the home, as has been said, that you need to enforce in them
what they need to know about their own personal beauty but a lot do not
know.
DD: I would say travel and reading. I think that’s the thing that people in my
age group definitely need. I believe that opens up the world and you can
see how other people are confident. If I didn’t have that growing up I would
have been lost.
Raquel, how do you reinforce your 10-year-old daughter’s beauty?
RC: I think traveling is a very good way. She’s been traveling since she was
three. She’s been to many countries and seen how people live. I tell her…
well obviously you have to tell people that they are beautiful but that it’s
AG: I think travel is a great way but a lot of people won’t be able to afford
that. A lot of people’s confidence stems from the home. If you don’t have the
time to travel, there’s the Internet, sit down with your kids and Google Map.
Spend that little bit of time and it’s more than images coming and going.
8 2 T RACE
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ELAINE HARGROVE
Age: 20s
Occupation:
Documentary photographer
What makes you beautiful?
Honesty. And I’m always looking to improve myself. I think what makes people beautiful in the pretty sense is trying to make the most of what you have
you have, to accentuate your strengths and your natural beauty; recognizing
that makes you beautiful.
Background:
I’m of African descent and both my parents are from the South.
8 6 T RACE
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L
ess than 24 hours after the news escaped over the ethernet that
TRACE was calling transcultural women to its first open call for “The
New Face of Transcultural Beauty” in New York City, we were already
getting requests for a second one. Could we add another shoot so the Los
Angeles-based could fly in? Would we consider calling again, but in Paris?
We had counted on dedicated TRACE readers for this one – giving them
just a week to tap into the limited announcement – but we hadn’t expected
this. We thought it would have been harder to get girls naked.
Getting naked, after all, is not easy. Ideas of “beauty” and “the beautiful” are
fickle and dangerous, helping to keep us clothed in commodities. Describing “beauty,” we know, slips poisonously into defining it, prescribing traits
and culturally specific ideals that leak onto self-images like post-colonial
viruses until everyone feels just awful. Hippie messages that everybody is
beautiful notwithstanding, asking people to bare themselves to the world is
still a tall order. And since most of the world is so, so fond of sexualizing any
female part it can glue its eyes to, well – naked is tough.
Yet, our open call, thanks to the ladies who graced our NoHo headquarters, was a beautiful experience precisely because all those dangers
of disrobing were moot. As they exposed their own unique looks, the girls
effortlessly shrugged off every pre-packed prescription and body anxiety.
We just wanted to see a handful of head-turning transculturals proudly “undressing” their self-proclaimed, natural beauty. What we got was a shoot
showing these girls’ naked confidence, unabashed comfort and easy irreverence – things that cut the daily pretty from the truly beautiful. What
we got was a study in self-acceptance, revealed by these girls with naked
confidence, unabashed comfort …
TRACE New York
46 minutes to shoot
The on-hand TRACE staff is loitering outside the office. A few are smoking
cigarettes and most are deeply engaged with their coffees. Ernesto Gonzales, the photographer, is on his way, and the firefighters across the street
are already curiously staring. Why are we working on a Saturday morning?
32 minutes to shoot
With the windows open and the fan humming along, it’s hard to be anything
but ultra-chilled out. Even the street outside is muted. Ernesto is unpacking
his gear in one corner while someone else spreads a few copies of the latest “Black Girls Rule!” issue around the waiting area. Girls, we hear from
one of our smokers, are already gathering downstairs.
21 minutes to shoot
We can’t help it – we’re putting on some Barry White.
Zero minutes to shoot
The first five transculturals arrive, casually but impeccably stylish. They
move cautiously for about 30 seconds, excitedly roaming their eyes over
the TRACE office.
RAISA NOSOVA
Age: 18
Occupation: Visual fine arts student
To me, beauty is a natural thing that people in our society try to hide. In our
society it’s more a commercial beauty that’s acceptable and to me beauty
is more unique and individual. I feel like I am beautiful in that way and I show
it and I am proud of it.
Background:
Russian, from the Black Sea region.
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SHERESE SHORTER
TATIANA SMITH
FAMATTA FALLAH
STEPHANIE CECERE DECARLO
Age: 25
Occupation: Circulations Manager
Age: 20
Occupation: Model at Abercrombie and Fitch
Age: 21
Occupation: Sociology and pre-law student; model
Age: 20
Occupation: Advertising and Marketing student
My personality – I’m always bubbly, I love to help out and give advice. I’ve
got that mother instinct and I just love life and that makes me more motivated to rock on!
Background:
I’m Jamaican!
I’m just plain, I never wear make up and I don’t do much. And my hair – it’s
curly and it’s big!
Background:
Panamanian and Jamaican.
I think my personality makes me beautiful. I’m open to a lot of different types
of people and I’m always willing to speak with someone and get to know
them.
Background:
Liberian
I’m just me and I’m OK with that!
Background:
100% Italian from the city of Foggia
9 0 T RACE
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5 minutes into the shoot
Two girls autograph their model release forms while another undresses in
the bathroom. Whitley is comfortably baring her beautiful for the photographer and Syreeta sits down to bare hers with me, telling me about what
makes her beautiful.
48 minutes into the shoot
The girls are endless – it’s hard to get a breather. The crowd downstairs
has tripled and the firefighters have gotten savvy to the goings on upstairs.
Stepping out for a cigarette, I overhear a firefighter fumbling his was through
introducing himself to one of the ladies in waiting. His fully uniformed buddies across the street have clearly voted this guy over to make first contact.
“Y’know,” he says, “me and the guys, if you’re hungry later, I mean, we’ve
got some burritos, maybe we could hang out later, or we could get some
tacos if you’d like, y’know, if you’re hungry later.” The lack of “Hey! Baby!”
today is stunning, especially considering the view they have into our office.
1 hour, 6 minutes into the shoot
Bodies are buzzing upstairs. Our iPod is shouting out to Alicia Keys and
someone is absently singing along. Various states of undress fly through the
office as young women are snagged straight from camera clicks to video
interviews [check those out on the TRACE blog] and asked the inevitable,
“What makes you beautiful?” Awkwardness never made it past the door.
Why don’t I have an hour to interview each girl!? By the time they’ve finished rattling off the five or six heritages that they can claim, I’m already late
to be impressed again. I want to know more about everyone. Can we do this
again next weekend, please?
We’ve moved on to Missy Elliot and, although there’s still a world of women
downstairs, the upstairs is getting some heavy cell phone useage. The girls
in the office are trying to spread the vibe, calling up their friends to come
down to TRACE and strip off. We knew our readers would pull through on
our underground, week-of announcement, but wow. Just, wow.
2 hours 7 minutes into the shoot
Someone streaks past me, smiling grandly and holding her breasts. Everyone breaks into applause, laughing. One girl hoots good-naturedly. Neck
deep in beautiful women, casual and comfortable in their bodies, its hard to
think of this as work.
2 hours 56 minutes into the shoot
The last flood of true beauties has slowed and Mary J. Blige is wrapping
things up for us. We all get a minute to breathe and find more coffee. A few
of us are a little dazed, but the photographer, guiding a small crowd through
his developing Polaroids, is talking excitedly. Next weekend might be too
soon for round two, but here’s to hoping that it’s not to far away!
9 2 T RACE
ANGELA LEE
Age: 19
Occupation: Painting, sculpture, and fine arts student
Being natural, smiling. I believe in inner beauty. I think I am beautiful when
I’m doing something that I really love like painting or sculpture, when I get
to express something inside of me, even though it’s a very small, little thing.
That I get to express it makes me beautiful; I feel alive and I feel natural and
a part of the world, changing.
Background:
Korean
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WHITLEY HAYES
Age: 19
Occupation: Fitness trainer
How culturally mixed I am – my physical features, especially my eyes!
Background:
Puerto Rican, Black, & Chinese
GENNYLEE ARRUDA
Age: 20
Occupation: Real estate sales; portrait and fashion model. I’m also a professional trouble-maker.
I love myself. Of course physical features matter, but if you love yourself on
the inside it comes out. And I love to have fun, I guess that’s beautiful.
Background:
Portugeuse from the Azores, Brazilian, and French.
9 4 T RACE
SYREETA LOCKETT
Age: 21
Occupation: Advertising student; intern
My booty! And my personality
Background:
My father’s family is from Barbados and my mom has Black Foot Indian
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text and photography_RIKKI KASSO
Fantasy meets reality when photographer Rikki Kasso undresses Tokyo
“
an individual understanding and acceptance of the truth. These bodies are
the packages; we create the content. Unfortunately a flower has no idea how
beautiful it really is, and fortunately does not alter itself for the sake of beauty.
When questioned of the concept of nudity, the word can be explained through
many understandings. If in the case someone is usually shy and tells a joke to a
group of friends, he/she is in a nude state. And this as well is to be considered
sexy or beautiful. So the word nude is an adjective used to describe something,
as the word in itself has too many descriptions. To be comfortable within your
body is another issue in itself.
The body as a figure, and the human that exists inside each have an identity that
can be exposed nude and represent true beauty. The Japanese word Hadaka
is the used to describe “body” not male or female adult or child, just the human
body; the word also means “without”. In my reality I am always as nude as
the girls I photograph so it is an even exchange. The camera is over my eyes;
my world exists in a telescope to reality 3ft in front of me. The camera never
remembers what the heart will, as I am with my body and she is exposing hers
the beautiful feeling of nudity is remembered in my on going story only to be
described as Megabytes of Life…And because at the Rikki Mouse Club there
is only one dress code………..undressed.”
Some people take photos to remember special moments, I create special
moments to be remembered. My complexities become simple when I
realize the simple complexities of the body; the vehicle for pleasure, the
catalyst for pain, the animated figure with thoughts and a smile. If we could only
be as simple as the body it would give me the pleasure I would love to deny.
Just as we would want to be comfortable in our homes and beds we want to
be comfortable in our own bodies. So it is natural to seek that certain comfort,
and it is also natural to be influenced by the “standard” of comfort. It is all
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t the closing ceremony of New York City’s legendary CBGB’s,
rocker Patti Smith performed a tribute showcase of her work. She
did a medley of “Horses” and “Gloria,” among her other beat-punk
anthems. As she ended the three-and-a-half hour show with her ballad
“Elegie,” she listed some of the famous musicians and fallen spirits she
had shared the limelight with over the years. They included band members
Joey and Dee Dee Ramone, singer Helen Wheels, guitarist Robert Quine
and the rock critic Lester Bangs. When someone from the audience called
out “You missed one,” she pointed out that CBGB was expiring at 33 – the
same age as Jesus. When the set and the excitement simmered, the downtown diva returned to the stage where she reached into a bag and handed
out small black pins that read, “What remains is future.”
In many people’s minds, New York City – that cosmic wonder of selfmanifestation – is still the future. Beginning with its “European discovery”
by Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524, followed by Henry Hudson’s landing
on Manhattan Island on September 11, 1609 (the date the area was officially mapped), the infiltration of Dutch fur traders, the British invasion,
countless political revolutions, artistic counterrevolutions, crimes waves
and culture wars, it is a young city with more depth, contradiction and nuance than some of the kingdoms of ancient civilization. On the one hand, it
is a port city and the entryway to the experiment of America. On the other,
it has always been a kind of astrological magnet for mavericks, moguls,
soothsayers and aspiring everymen from the world over. From its inception, the city has been a cauldron for ideas and possibilities reflected on
a canvas vast enough to span its 13.4-mile length. And during its nearly
500-year lifespan, the energy, desire and relentless spiritual force that define it has manifested itself in ways that its early Lenape Native American
tribes might have had trouble imagining. In short, New York remains the
future because it has worked so hard to get there. The city is more than an
island of metropolitan dreamers; it is “the dream,” the urban centerpiece,
the axis of America’s past, present and future. As H.G. Wells noted, “To
Europe, she was America. To America, she was the gateway to the earth.
But to tell the story of New York would be to write a social history of the
world.”
For naysayers who would argue that the city is too American, or too
narrow in cultural scope, you have only to look at the demographic makeup to realize that “the world” is indeed represented by the city’s five boroughs. Local planning officials estimate that 2.1 million of the city’s eight
million residents are from abroad. There are more Haitians (225,000) than
anywhere outside of Port au Prince, more Dominicans (350,000) than in
any city but Santo Domingo and more Greeks (100,000) than anywhere
but Athens. It is estimated that New York has more Jamaicans (275,000),
Russians (100,000) and Chinese (200,000) than any city outside of Jamaica, the U.S.S.R., China and Taiwan. Los Angeles and Miami have a higher
percentage of foreign-born residents, but neither can match the breadth
and depth of New York; not only does the city have every ethnic group
imaginable, each group is quite large. Even the smaller ethnic communities
are sizable; the city has more Ethiopians (3,000) than several states have
black people.
I am not a native New Yorker, but having lived here for 13 years now,
I consider the city to be my home. More than that it has become my root
system and barometer for measuring other cultures around the world. It is a
place where everyone is in his or her way, an alien, but no one is alien. It is
a delicious cocktail, a revolving landscape and a constant and oftentimes
“Even if a trend starts somewhere else, New
York always defines it, makes it credible.”
-Ricky Kenig
Ricky Kenig, owner of Ricky’s NYC, at home in Park Slope.
T RACE 1 0 9
combustible feast. For this Citiscape, I talked to everyone from an El Salvadorian hair stylist to a set of African via Nebraska twins, to a five-year-old
half-Indian, half-Luxembourgian born-and-bred New Yorker. They say that
hybrids are always stronger, in terms of racial make-up, mental capacity
and pure character. In my view, New York is the definition of hybridization
at its best. Where else do you see so many surprising and unidentifiable
mixes wallpapering the streets? Where else do you hear the crosscurrents
of some 40 languages being spoken side by side, every day of the week?
My first subject was Ricky Kenig, a New Yorker from Rockland County, whose father is the founder of the famous Love chain drugstores. (One
of the first Love stores was called “Linda Love,” in homage to the actress
Linda Lovelace from Gerard Damiano‘s famous 1972 X-rated film Deep
Throat.) Ricky came to Manhattan at age 13 to work for his father. By
age 27, he had opened his own chain, Ricky’s; the first store was at 1718
Broadway back when Soho was an urban wasteland, save for the pioneering installation of a Dean and Deluca’s. He now has upward of 22 stores
in and around Manhattan, including one in East Hampton and Miami. “My
store was originally called Ricky Love because I had worked for my dad
so everyone assumed my last name was love,” Ricky explained. “When
my dad sold his shares, I just dropped the ‘love.’ His partners were pretty
upset with my success, but he was happy, of couse.”
“New York has all the best trends in fashion,” Ricky said when I asked
why he’d chosen to keep his boutique retail brand rooted to his native soil.
“Even if a trend starts somewhere else, New York always defines it, makes
it credible. Once your product makes it here … that’s really all you need.”
We were sitting on the ground floor of his Park Slope brownstone, which
was recently renovated by the architect James Slate. A reporter from The
New York Times who was writing a story on Ricky had just left, and a John
Legend CD ebbed up through the speaker system that filters as far as the
three bathrooms. His two 13-year-old twin daughters, Max and Dylan, appeared from one of the upper floors and introduced themselves. “It’s New
York and L.A., and everything in between is just this big bread basket,”
Ricky continued. “I’m considering opening up stores in Boston, near the
universities. It’s a no-brainer really. We’ll see.”
We talked for some time about mobility. “As a New Yorker you have
to move around a lot, to the L.E.S., Tribeca, Brooklyn. That’s how you start
to understand the rhythm of the city,” Ricky commented. The conversation
moved on to how much the moral and physical landscape of Manhattan
changed during Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s term. Ricky explained that Giuliani’s insistence on the 60/40 law (at least 60 percent of merchandise had
to cater to the general public, while 40 percent could fall under the classification of pornography) significantly shifted product placement. “We took
it to heart at the store,” he said. “We made it so that you could buy a tube
of toothpaste and a dildo in the same shop and not feel like you were in a
place that sells DVDs covered in brown paper. We made these products
mainstream so that they were less shocking, but we had to place them on
separate shelves.”
It was a bright, sun-kissed Saturday afternoon when I left Ricky’s and
made my way to another brownstone in Bedford Stuyvesant to meet Cassi
and Nicolette Gibson. They are 19-year-old twins who were conceived in
Maputo, Mozambique, during the 1987 Civil War. According to Nicki, their
father, who is from Hastings, Nebraska, met their mother, a local of the Mozambican seaport Quelimane, while performing at a blues club. “He didn’t
know he’d knocked her up until he was in Brazil partying with friends,” Nicki
noted. The twins live in a large brownstone owned by an Indian couple that
occupies the first floor. Past tenants have included the filmmaker James
Spooner (Afro Punk) and his girlfriend. During my visit their houseguests
included a Capoeira trainee from Alabama, a young Columbia University
One of artist Keith Haring’s seminal NYC works.
1 1 0 T RACE
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“To tell the story of New York would be to
write a social history of the world.”
- H.G. Wells
The New York Yankees logo epitomizes the spirit of the Big Apple.
student and a friend visiting from Michigan. To my mind, the house alone
represented a unique but not unusual microcosm of the fluid integration
that is New York.
The twins named their favorite ports (Seychelles, Quelimane and
Zanzibar), their favorite musicians (Kanye West and Ayo) and their mutual
goal (spreading the vegan mantra). As we proceeded to the photo shoot,
I couldn’t help think how accurately and profoundly their multi-national,
multi-lingual, multi-tribal upbringing represented the future of New York, if
not the world. With their discerning open-mindedness, elegantly tattooed
bodies and world-wise insight into the untapped potential of a future society that represents the right kind of growth and evolution, they are among
the brightest voices of the next generation. Having just completed high
school, they plan to take a year off to “absorb more life” before heading
to college. Nicki is moving to Cape Town, South Africa, where she will
work as a volunteer with urban youth and explore her dream of becoming
a food critic. Cassi will spend time in Angola working on a documentary
on a genre of music known as Kizomba, which is a blend of Portuguese
verse with African rhythms as its foundation. The sun was setting as we
said our goodbyes. Their fellow housemates were sitting on the front stoop
enjoying an unusually balmy fall afternoon. Glancing back at the setting, I
thought the check-in station for the new “gateway to the world” might look
something like this.
1 1 2 T RACE
Early the next morning I met with Fredi Torres, the original “smoker of
wigs.” A native of El Salvador, and a naturally gifted hair stylist, Fredi cuts
hair with the precision and inventiveness of a four-star chef. He claims he
fell into his profession accidentally, thanks to a friend. One of his first New
York experiences involved working with the renowned guru of coiffure, Oribé. “He was covered in tattoos and smoking a cigarette while he was
styling a client’s hair,” Fredi remembered. “If that’s not badass I don’t know
what is.” As the story goes, Fredi approached Oribé and said, “I don’t have
anything to show you but I’m a confident motherfucker and I’m good.” To
which Oribé responded, “Ok, you’re hired.”
Fredi moved to D.C. from El Salvador at age seven, and has been
working in New York for the past 10 years. Aside from Oribé’s salon, he
has worked at Soho’s Laicale, Headroom and is currently stationed at Arte
Salon in the Noho. He draws inspiration from old gas stations, beautiful
women and rock n’ roll. But his point of entry is always classic beauty.
Fredi gave props to Hugo Paez, Oribé and Wayne Wheat, all of whom form
a low-key clan of some of the best hair talent in the city. He then admitted that he’d been thrown out of more than one Lower East Side bar with
Wayne, to the surprised rejoinder of, “Wait a second, you guys said you
were hair stylists?”
During the photo shoot on the intersection of Lafayette Avenue and
Broome Street, Fredi hailed up his neighbors, including a middle-aged
Chinese man who made multiple salutations in Mandarin, and an older
Dominican gentleman who asked Fredi if he’d been hired as a Calvin Klein
underwear model. Fredi’s Wild West anecdotes – he is never without his
cowboy boots – and constant string of jokes make spending time with him
an adventure in entertainment. Before leaving, we made a date to meet for
burgers at the Corner Bistro in the West Village, promising to wash down
the meal with shots of José Cuervo.
There were more inspired encounters: with Kiernan Costello at his
aNYthing Hester Street shop, at five-year-old Milan Matthes Kale’s Bay
Ridge backyard and at the INA designer consignment boutique on Prince
and Elizabeth streets with shop owner and partner Khadijah Kesten. The
lasting impression from these oddly magical interludes was that the city
continues not only to survive but to flourish, based on blood-and-guts realism commingled with the starry incandescence of impossibly possible
dreams.
My final New York interview occurred on a Ludlow Street rooftop on
a Tuesday afternoon. I was talking to Nedjelco-Michel Karlovich, a halfSerbian, half-Sicilian Pittsburg native and now New Yorker, as he stood
naked in front of an autumn sun [Dear reader, although the editorial theme
of this issue is “Undraped,” we tried to spare you the technical details].
After dropping out of school twice, working as a diesel mechanic and renting a hotel room with his younger brother for the sole purpose of “making
enough art to move to New York,” Ned made the leap at age 24. He got
accepted to the School of Visual Arts, where he studied with Stephan
Sagmeister and Milton Glaser, the originator of the “I (Love) NY” logo. After stints at the U.K.-based design company Attik and Fahrenheit 212 (an
experimental division of Saatchi & Saatchi), Ned decided to start his own
design studio, Santos & Karlovich, which he founded with partner Virgilio
Santos, who is Portuguese. Along the route, Ned met the street artist WK,
whom he counts as a good friend and important influence.
Ned’s first New York apartment was in a Mexican neighborhood in
Bushwick, where “no one spoke English.” “There was all this shit like
stuffed animals and leather belts in the streets … and a lot of halfway
houses,”. He described the neighborhood as an industrial area, the perfect
depot for an aspiring artist because he had endless access to a storehouse of “beautiful trash.” “I started making these assemblages that had
so many back stories.” He claims he didn’t intend to stay there forever, but
it was a great backdrop for his work. Living in Bushwick gave him a new
creative direction, as well as exposure to a new culture. “You would go to
a restaurant and there wouldn’t be any menus.” said. “These ladies would
just start bringing out plates of Mexican food.”
“It was such a long journey for me to get to New York,” Ned admitted as we smoked cigarettes – he was fully clothed now – after the photo
shoot. “And I met so many real people along the way. The things you make
yourself do for those people who have no idea you’re doing it for them …
even if it’s only a few shared moments of inspiration. Design is a vehicle
for me, but it’s not the ultimate reason. It’s just what I like to do, what I’m
good at doing.” He paused to light another cigarette and seemed to lose
the thread of our conversation momentarily. “When I first got to the city, I
came by car. My friend was driving and I was sleeping. So we’re heading
over the Brooklyn Bridge toward Manhattan and I wake up and I’m like,
‘You’ve got to be kidding me…’”
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NICOLETTE GIBSON
CASSI GIBSON
Age: 19
Occupation: Aspiring food travel columnist
Number of years in New York: 11
Age: 19
Occupation: Freelance photographer and world traveler
What makes you a true New Yorker? My molding has been here. It’s
who I am. It’s home. It’s everything I come from.
What is your family background?
My dad is from middle America, but he wanted to get out so he went to
Africa. He met my mom while he was performing at a blues club in Mozambique. He didn’t know he’d knocked her up until he was in Brazil partying
with friends.
How would you define passion?
It’s what drives you. It’s your essence. You find that thing you love, whether it’s a person, a thing, a place, and you follow it.
Describe your dream life.
To own a vegan restaurant in Cape Town. A couple of cats. Retirement
home in Seychelles.
What have you done for love lately?
I went to Zanzibar with my significant other Daniel and fell in love 1,000
times over. We were going to take a bus all the way from Uganda to
Tanzania and I would’ve done that for him, but his mom ended up buying
plane tickets.
If you could rename New York, what would you call it?
When you think of the city, you think of New York. It’s the city.
What makes you a true New Yorker?
I’m basically able to deal with things that may seem overwhelming to others. The city is a meeting spot for people who connect on the world traveling tip. Things happen here that don’t necessarily happen elsewhere.
My mother is from Quelimane, Mozambique. My father is from Hastings,
Nebraska. My parents met in Maputo during the Civil War in 1987.
It’s a longing, a curiosity that’s with me everywhere I go. I’m ultimately kind
of boundless and hope to stay that way.
To pick up whenever I want to go, to never feel attached – hopefully the
grass will always be greener on the other side.
I’ve learned to be more open and vulnerable with the people I care for. As
I grow as a person I can say more and hear more.
Sonhos em Perspectiva (Everything in Perspective).
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KIERNAN COSTELLO
Age: 36
Occupation: Artist and owner of aNYthing
Number of years in New York: whole life
For me, there’s no escape because this is all I know. I was born into it.
I’m half-Irish, half-Eastern European, Russian-Polish Jewish.
A work ethic, an obsession, a single-mindedness, the risk of failure, of
being alone, abandoning practical concerns. It’s about confidence in your
belief and abilities, also endurance. There has to be some light-heartedness too and fun.
Painting in the studio for most of the day and also working with a community movement, whether it is social or political, on the redistribution of
resources.
Worked hard at communicating with my wife.
I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t even conceive of it. If I was God maybe, otherwise I’m staying away.
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NEDJELCO-MICHEL KARLOVICH
Age: 28
Occupation: Designer
If you start at the bottom, where the heart of things are, you can see what
makes the city real and beautiful, as opposed to coming here from Connecticut and moving to Midtown to work as a stockbroker.
My parents are both teachers. My father is Serbian and my mother Sicilian.
I’m from Pittsburg.
I think passion is when you feel you have to do something.
It’s all about the journey, the process. The most beautiful part is waking up
in the morning and thinking, “anything could happen today.”
I’ve just started my own design studio.
Everybody, everything, always, forever and now.
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KHADIJAH KESTEN
Age: 36
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Number of years in New York: whole life
I was born and raised here so it’s in my blood.
My mother is Italian-American. My father is Jewish-American.
The drive to get to the finish line.
Freedom
I live for love.
I like it just the way it is.
RICKY KENIG
Age: 45
Occupation: Founder of Ricky’s NYC
I don’t think there’s any other place but New York.
My grandmother on my mother’s side is Russian. My father’s side is from
England.
I use the word lust, so lust is the new “love.”
I’m pretty close to it but I could use some more currency – some cash and
a couple of inches in width.
Gone to 14th Street between 6th and 7th avenues to buy a DVD for $17.99.
The girls tell me exactly what I want to hear and leave when I’m done.
I would call it America because New York, to me, is everything. It’s also
where Columbus landed.
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MARGARET MOY
FREDI TORRES
Age: 24
Occupation: Costume assistant
Age: 32
Occupation: Hair stylist
I can tell people off in their native languages.
Chinese
The drive that makes life worth living.
Living in a world full of peace would be nice. But I’d also love to live on my own
island with friends and have my favorite DJs spin all the time.
Avoided it like the plague.
I wouldn’t, but if I had to it would probably sound similar to an obscenity.
My scrapes and bruises. I’ve been beaten up by New York but I hit back hard.
I was born in El Salvador and moved to D.C. at age seven. I came to New York as
soon as I realized what I wanted to do in life.
When your soul hurts.
To be able to have everything I want without struggling.
I ran to the airport and missed her ass!
City of dwellers. You’re not a true New Yorker until you’ve marinated in it.
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MILAN XAI MATTHES KALE
Age: 5
Occupation: Life explorer
Number of years in New York: since birth
I like the playgrounds, my friend Aimée and my school [the Brooklyn Free
School].
Papa is Indian and Mama is Luxembourgian.
Playing with my best friend Aimée.
Giving my pet rabbits a piggyback ride and going on an endlessly long
camping trip with my friends at Fire Island.
Hugged Papio and gave Mama a kiss.
Princess State.
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New York.
o
t
t
e
g
o
t
e
m
urney for
jo
g
n
lo
a
h
c
way.”
u
s
e
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lo
“It was
a
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p
ny real peo
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I
And
-Nedjelco Kar
lovich
A canvas within a canvas backed by the Manhattan skyline.
photo_MIKAEL VOJINOVIC
Adidas
Christian Louboutin
Eugenia Kim
www.adidas.com
www.christianlouboutin.fr
www.eugeniakim.com
Original Music Tees
www.originalmusicshirt.com
Puma
Y-3
www.puma.com
www.adidas.com
lucky 7
MODEL CITIZEN
Sudanese-born supermodel Alek Wek on the seven experiences that shaped her life.
text_LAURA MARCUS
photo_MARC BAPTISTE
The seventh born of nine children, Alek Wek has made her mark as a fashion
icon and now as an author. Her recent book Alek: From Sudanese Refugee
to International Supermodel takes readers on a journey through the inner
thoughts and struggles encountered on her rocky road to stardom. From her
humble beginnings, to the haute couture runways, Alek’s journey has taken
her around the globe. With a strength and humbleness that is unmatched
in the industry, Alek’s journey is far from over, proving time and time again
that her beauty isn’t just skin deep. Here she shares seven experiences that
changed her life, for the good or the bad.
“Growing up in Sudan, watching and learning from the way my parents
raised us; watching how they persevered despite the economical and social
challenges was very inspiring and has helped me make decisions in life.”
“[My father’s] health was compromised because we simply didn’t have
access to proper medical care. All that he taught me I can see clearly now,
although it does sadden me at times that he didn’t get a chance to see us
grow and become successful healthy adults, all nine of us.”
“We always struggled as a family, so having to leave my mother to go to
England was the most difficult thing. Not knowing if she was going to make
it out of Sudan, or how long it would take; not knowing that it would take
two years for me to even be able to talk to her. I really started to become an
adult and that’s something that I didn’t think I would start to feel at 14.”
1 3 0 T RACE
“I used to have psoriasis and I don’t remember ever not having it. So when
it cleared up I would have to say that was really a moment I would never
forget. Having clear skin was just amazing. It terrorized me as a young
person.”
“Trying to establish a career in modeling was really hard at first because it’s
not like a normal job interview; there were no guarantees and, obviously,
there’s no handbook. I had a full scholarship at the London Institute, and
education was always a big part of my family’s lives, so to leave college
was a hard departure. That decision gave me more incentive to not take
modeling lightly and really be consistent with what I’m doing.”
“Moving to New York was a big change. For the first time I didn’t have the
support of my friends in England and my family. It was another culture, and
I always say New York is such a unique city, not just within the US, but in
the world.”
“Continuing to evolve as a person. I would have never thought I would have
started my handbag business six years ago that I named after my father’s
birthday. My mother always said: “It’s painful giving birth to a child, but
that’s nothing. Once it’s popped out it’s raising that child into adulthood
that’s the hard part.” Evolving and having the industry embrace me and
watch me grow into the woman that I am. It’s something you can’t buy or
ask for, and so I use it to give back.”
Transcultural Styles + Ideas
us $5.99 can $7.99 uk £3.95 Fr ¤5.50
Photography ??????????

rikki kasso

Transcription

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