VOL. 20
FALL 2013
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GENERAL QUERIES hello@chaos-mag.com COVER photographer Livia Alcalde stylist Pablo Patané grooming Grazia Carbone model Leebo Freeman @ why not
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THE CHAOS TEAM REESE HERRICK FOUNDER + EDITOR-IN-CHIEF /
reese@chaos-mag.com
FALLON KERR ASSISTANT TO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / fallon@chaos-mag.com MAXIMILLIAN ODEN PHOTO EDITOR / photos@chaos-mag.com CHARLIE HIMMELSTEIN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / charlie@chaos-mag.com LAURYN STONE ASSISTANT FASHION EDITOR / lauryn@chaos-mag.com KATIE EDER CHIEF COPY EDITOR
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COPYRIGHT & DISCLAIMER: Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission by CHAOS is strictly prohibited. All information and credits are accurate at the time of publication, but are subject to change. HTTP://chaos-mag.com © 2008/2013 CHAOS MAGAZINE
ANNA BELOUSOVA DESIGNER
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This is our 20th installment and we are super excited to present this issue in both digital and print form. The Grunge Issue is our take on grunge from the 90s to today. The issue is full of fashion editorials that mix 90s alternative style and punk. Inspired by the grunge vibe, this volume exudes the attitude and nonchalant mentality that the 90s grunge youth movement was best known for. Our cover features American-born Brit Leebo Freeman, lensed by Livia Alcalde. The cover depicts Leebo in a darker version of the grunge-punk style. Be sure to read up on the full transcript of my interview with Leebo for some juicy details about this cool bloke. With that said, put on some Nirvana, kick up those Docs, and sit back and enjoy this epic issue as CHAOS goes Grunge! Much love, Reese Herrick Editor-in-Chief
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Most success
doesn’t happen overnight, but it might seem that way in some cases. Just a few days after launching Black Rat in December 2012, Norwegian designer Siri Sveen Haaland received the news that she was going to be presented with the honor of “Newcomer of the Season” during Oslo Fashion Week the following February. However, that wasn’t an easy accomplishment achieved without any hard work, because the reality was that Haaland was driven and dedicated to taking her vision and passion in order to build and produce the Black Rat clothing line. Haaland was born in 1987 in a small place called Sveio on Norway’s west coast. Knowing that she wanted to be a fashion designer at the age of 15, Haaland graduated from international fashion academy Moteskolen AS ESMOD Oslo in 2009. While enrolled in school, she specialized in menswear and received an award for “Best Menswear Design” with her graduation collection called “Electric Voodoo.” Using that same collection, Haaland became a finalist in competitions all over Europe, including Designer’s Nest during Copenhagen Fashion Week in 2009, as well as the incredibly sought-after Italian competition called Mittlemoda in Gorizia in 2010.
The following year, she was chosen to present a collection under the MOMENT event in Tallinn, Estonia. Her career then came to a crossroads where she had to choose between an amazing job opportunity at H&M’s headquarters in Stockholm or the dream of creating of her line. As a result of her ultimate decision, the Black Rat brand was born. Black Rat was created for guys and girls who “neither feel old or young; who don’t want to sleep, don’t want to get up, and has a fascination for culture and define quality as something unique,” according to Haaland. The concept behind Black Rat is the dark and obscure side of the Norwegian culture and
focuses on supreme quality and perfect fit. The name of the brand came from the idea that rats are colorblind and can only see variations of black, gray, and white, and that they’re immortal in a way. In a recent interview, Haaland explained that “rats are one of the most survivable mammals in the world.
Rats live underground and they are highly intelligent. This is perfect for a designer’s expression.” The fall/winter 2013 Black Rat collection called “Mutiny” is the point where Haaland claims she returned to her roots. “My grandfather was a sailor his entire life. I didn’t know him that well myself, but when I was young, my father told me a lot of stories about his travels,” Haaland says. “When you are a kid, those kinds of adventure stories float free in the imagination, and a lot of great images are made.” It was through those stories that Haaland found inspiration for “Mutiny.” She explained her vision as “a sailor with a wool coat and longings meets up at BLÅ,” the best underground concert scene in Oslo.
words Amanda Frechette photographer Kristoffer SkjĂŚringrud
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“There, he meets an Indian who has grown up in Oslo, which means he has his classical loose-fitted native clothing: Just in black,” Haaland continues.
“They drink a beer and discuss life experience and long lost mutinies.”
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“Mutiny” was presented back in February 2013 when Black Rack received “Newcomer of the Season” during Oslo Fashion Week. Models were posed next to artwork created by American artist Matthew Barney as underground music was played by Norwegian band ALTAAR at the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art. After receiving the award, Oslo Fashion Week set up photos for their magazine, and Black Rat made the cover. “Mutiny” is outfit 12-outfit collection consisting of six menswear and six women’s wear looks of high-end street style crafted from different variations of wool. As Haaland has explained, pieces in the collection include water-repellent wool fleece jackets to reflect the sailor-inspired outerwear, as well as low-slung pants reminiscent of long johns and soft merino wool jersey snoods. The collection has a classic feeling with a sense of androgyny. As the pieces revolve around a mainly black color pallet, it’s easy to assume that the collection is dull; however, Haaland’s eye for detail and her use of interesting fabrics adds definition to each piece. The combination of rock and roll with streamlined pieces creates an interesting juxtaposition of hard and soft. Aside from the homage to a sailor’s wardrobe, Haaland seeks inspiration for Black Rat’s collections through Norwegian underground music. To her, music and fashion go hand in hand, so both are part of her creative process. “I always start out with music, then create or search for the visual inspiration that has been created in my imagination by listening to that specific band, album, or song,” Haaland
explains. This is evident in her graduating collection, as she drew inspiration from the same methods Jimi Hendrix utilized when he made music. Even in “Mutiny,” sleeveless tees with “Black Rat” written across the chest give a nod toward the edgy rocker look of band tees. “To me, fashion is a form of art. Just like music, it’s all about expressing a feeling or a story,” Haaland says. “As I am not fond of visual inspiration sources, I always use music as my main source. This gives me a unique starting point to create my own untouched universe of shapes and colors unequal to anything else.” It’s evident that art is important to Haaland as a designer, because even in her lookbook for “Mutiny,” models Joao Friezas and Emma Louise Stridh are styled in a way that gives off a sense of artistic ambiguity. Each piece is neither too masculine nor too feminine, which leaves the boundaries of style limitless. Since music lends so much inspiration to Haaland’s creativity, it’s only fair that she gives back to the music world by producing graphic tees featuring up-and-coming bands, which are printed in Norway at the studios of Norway Rat Records. Every band T-shirt is limited edition and comes with a number, making each piece truly unique. The featured bands are artists who are not currently represented in the mainstream media; thus, the shirts give them exposure. In addition to the publicity, half of the proceeds from each tee go directly to the promoted band.
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Four bands are currently being featured on the Black Rat website — including CCTV, Mmm, The Megaphonic Thrift, and Tomorrow We Move to Hawaii — but Haaland says she’s also listening to a Norwegian band called Deathcrush.
“They are a great inspiration. The next big thing,” she says. But when it comes to her musical guilty pleasure, she is a bit hesitant to admit it. “Guilty pleasures should stay secrets. But, OK, John Bon Jovi. My teenage crush,” she relents.
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Besides music, Haaland uses other means of Norwegian culture to influence her work.
“My mother and I also run our family business, which makes Norwegian folk costumes, called ‘bunad,’ she explains. “They are made with strict traditional techniques and in high-quality wool qualities. I am not influenced by their looks,
but I actually use many of the same wool qualities in Black Rat clothing.” 13 CHAOS
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However, Norwegian culture is not the only culture Haaland deems influential. “I think I was a Native American in my past life,” she says. “Indians appear in most of my inspirational work.” After grasping her inspiration, Haaland tries to create timeless pieces, as opposed to focusing on seasonal trends. She only believes that she has created a successful collection when her friends get excited about what she has made and say they would wear it.
“I think I often look stressed out, but the truth is, I almost never am,” Haaland says. “I just in high time on time on
love to do stuff speed; use less routines, more creativity.”
Haaland’s friends are not her only support system, as her boyfriend is also a major source of encouragement and “he helps me keep my feet on the ground and to enjoy life in general,” she says. Spending enough of her spare time with her boyfriend and friends has been one of her biggest struggles since she first created Black Rat, and of course, there’s always mum, who “helps me to stress down and reminds me to never stop dreaming,” Haaland says. Haaland’s dream has seemingly always been to become a fashion designer. Her favorite Norwegian designers are STABEL and AÚMA, who she calls “quite fresh” newcomers, though she also admires Danish designer Asger Juel Larsen. But when it comes to the designers she would like to collaborate with in the future, Haaland exclaims, “Versace! I think that would be an exciting combination with dark, Scandinavian simplicity combined with Italian extravaganza!” Although she once dreamed of becoming a rock star, Haaland says that if she wasn’t a fashion designer, then she would still make her living working on clothing “as a tailor full time.” But her fashion design career with Black
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Rat is just beginning. Her five-year plan includes establishing production and store contacts, and perhaps, opening a store of her own in the near future. Speaking of the future, the next Black Rat collection is called “Mitt Oslo,” which means “My Oslo,” and because of Norway’s long winters, Haaland focuses on this season with one fall/winter collection each year. Even though she didn’t reveal anything other than the line’s name, she hopes that Black Rat will feature shoes in its future collections. In August 2013, Oslo-based designer collective Designerkollektivet opened a new store in central shopping center Glasmagasinet, which will be selling Black Rat clothing. When it comes to Haaland’s personal style, she says it’s understandably very similar to that of Black Rat: “Dark, simple, and a tad rock ‘n’ roll.” She also has a serious passion for wearing jeans, which she claims to be “genius.” Asked about her fashion faux pas, she says,
“Non-functional trends like glasses without lenses.
BUT WHY? I just don’t get it.” In addition to hipster glasses, Haaland would love to see the fur trend disappear. She’s also not a big fan of the red she has been seeing all over the runways for fall 2013, but, of course, she favors all of the black tones. When it comes to the one personal style Haaland admires, American DJ and model Leigh Lezark make the cut, and for menswear, she thoroughly enjoys Johnny Depp. Not only does she enjoy the personal styles of Lezark and Depp, but she would also love to see them dressed in Black Rat apparel one day, which honestly seems to ring true for both of their individual looks. Most recently, Black Rat entered into MUUSE x Vogue Talent’s fashion design competition, where votes are casted
via Facebook and email, and then the 50 participants with the most votes advance to the semifinals. The winner of the contest will receive production, promotion, and sales covered on the collection, which would be highly beneficial for the emerging brand. For someone who has only been in the real game for less than a year, Haaland has built quite a successful fashion resume for herself.
“I love that fashion is a never-ending story — constant change and constant innovation,” Haaland says.
But as much as she loves the fashion industry, she doesn’t stand for the “shallow wannabes” or anyone who wants to get into the industry just for the money. However, for those who aspire to be a fashion designer for all the right reasons, Haaland advises, “Don’t rush. Listen to the people who want you to do good, and close your ears for those who don’t.” It’s this trust in her own voice, vision, and passion for the art she loves that will give Haaland and her Black Rat brand longevity in this industry.
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PREVIOUS ear-cuff URBAN OUTFITTERS jacket STRENESSE THIS PAGE bracelet BANDE DES QUATRES
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earrings B ANDE DE SQ button-up STYLIST’S UATRES suspenders OWN swe VINTAGE ats BYCO RPUS
Kyla wears bandana URBAN OUTFITTERS tee LIP SERVICE CULT corduroys BIG STAR 1974 booties PRIVILEGED necklace STYLIST’S OWN jewelry BANDE DES QUATRES
Gintare wears sweater LINE dress BAND OF GYPSIES platforms DOC MARTEN jewelry BANDE DES QUATRES
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coat STRENESSE beanie URBAN OUT FITTERS tights AMERICAN APPARELbackpac k STYLIST’S OWN jewelry BANDE DES QUATRES
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LEFT/RIGHT sunnies URBAN OUTFITTERS jacket RAG UNION tee JUNKFOOD shorts URBAN RENEWAL necklace CLUB MONACO jewelry BANDE DES QUATRES
ERS TFITT ’S OWN U O N T URBA ts STYLIS W h nnies W ig u t S s E N + R hat ASO S QUAT E R r e E t swea BANDE D y jewelr
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Kyla wears beanie URBAN OUTFITTERS flannel BELLA DAHL tank + body-suit ONLY HEARTS boots H&M jewelry BANDE DES QUATRES
Gintare wears hat + sunnies URBAN OUTFITTERS sweater REASON tights STYLIST’S OWN shoes ANGELA SCOTT jewelry BANDE DES QUATRES
CHAOS 28 LEFT/RIGHT hat URBAN OUTFITTERS jewelry BANDE DES QUATRES suspenders VINTAGE button-up STYLIST’S OWN sweats BYCORPUS
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Gintare wears dress STRENESSE tee TRULY MADLY DEEPLY belt URBAN OUTFITTERS jewelry BANDE DES QUATRES bag FREE PEOPLE socks H&M shoes ALDO Kyla wears hat PROFOUND AESTHETIC COMPANY sunnies URBAN OUTFITTERS top REFORMATION backpack STYLIST’S OWN sweater LINE belt URBAN OUTFITTERS denim BDG loafers ANGELA SCOTT jewelry BANDE DES QUATRES
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