1AM Issue 27 'Breakout' Taja cover

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BREAKOUT

TAJA 'OUTLAW' COVER

‘OUTLAW’ COVER STAR TAJA @ IMG PHOTOGRAPHED BY CYBELE MALINOWSKI

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WEARS ON COVER AND CONTENTS FATHER SUPERIOR TOP, NIS NECKERCHIEF, BRIXTON HAT FROM GLUE STORE STORY PAGE 10

EDITOR/ CREATIVE DIRECTOR GLENN HUNT

PHOTOGRAPHERS SEUNG ROK BAEK DAVID K SHIELDS BONNIE HANSEN CYBELE MALINOWSKI PETTER KARLSTRØM FASHION NICOLE ADLER ANGELA LIANG CHRIS LORIMER LAUREN DIETZE MAKEUP & HAIR JESS CHAPMAN DOLLY MICHELE WARD DIANA DJURDJEVSKI ANNETTE MCKENZIE CAT SMITH KRISTYAN LOW WRITERS CHRIS LORIMER

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1 AM ISSUE 27 CONTENTS

04) 1 AM kurt 06) 1 AM father superior 08) 1 AM kakopieros 10) 1 AM FENCED IN 28) 1 AM zoe 38) 1 AM homies 56) 1 AM dani 66) 1 AM outlaw 82) 1 AM shadowboxing 96) 1 AM emily

Meet KURT JOHNSON, self-described on Instagram as “The boy who rejected Christianity and embraced the hardcore bondage scene’. With an epic breakout like that there is little doubt we can expect exciting things to come from this young talent with 16.4K followers (and growing) - definitely one to watch.

TEXT CHRIS LORIMER PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID K SHIELDS

ONCE UPON A TIME at dance school, Johnson realised a life of ballet was not for him, (“they all have eating disorders”) and eventually found himself perfectly positioned buying and working the floor at iconic Sydney store Estate of Mind, an Oxford St. boutique known as a fashion wonderland showcasing underground designers from around the globe, cultivating a cult following of “unapologetic dressers – eccentric, a little insane but mostly fucking awesome”.

Finding himself with exclusive access to designs from the likes of KTZ, Emma Mulholland, Lazy Oaf and Daniel Pallilo (r.i.p. sad face), he was out on a shoot with his boss one day and saw a glimpse of what a career in styling could be like – lets just say things have taken off from there.

Estate of Mind is no longer with us, but Johnson’s dedication to the craft of styling has endured. Now with a number of editorials under his belt, published internationally, his philosophy of “Fuck what’s “on trend”, create your own. Be yourself. Be unapologetic” is taking him places.

At MBFWA, we spotted Johnson backstage at the Di$count Univer$e Resort ’17 show, reveling in his role as stylist of the heavily sequined and badass collection thick with punk, fetish, glam rock and camp influences from a label who’s mantra is “do what you want”. He lists his inspirational go-tos as “Berlin. Marilyn Manson film clips. The hardcore bondage scene.” It’s clearly a match made in heavenly hell / hellish heaven.

Johnson is never short of a quip or an opinion, but is so disarming/charming with it that I get the feeling he can get away with a lot and this has helped rather than hindered.

Putting this to the test he is soon to, husband in tow, leave our fair shores for NYC. “One of my mates really believed in me and put me onto the right person. Its where all my opportunities seem to be. I’ll be working harder than ever and paying even more exuberant rental prices (but also smoking cheap-as-fuck

durries and living in NYC). I want to style dogs from a pet casting agency and put them in Philip Treacy hats.”

The aforementioned Instagram account has played its part too.

“I have had some of my most treasured collaborators and professional relationships spark up and flourish because of Instagram. It’s my most valued professional tool. [Social media has] led to amazing opportunity, magazines have found me through Instagram and I have been asked to direct and style a show in Paris later this year through Instagram.”

Johnson is a big believer in the power of fashion to influence, “People need to open their minds, but it’s easier said than done. 2k16 marks the year that we realised how far we have come, but how far we have yet to go. Fashion isn’t just for the skinny white girls, it’s for everyone.

And there it is, that quip…

Quick fire round… Kurt Johnson, your time tarts now!

Styling is editing – how do you know what to leave in/out?

Leave in the drama; leave out the sports luxe.

What’s important in fashion right now?

ALESSANDRO MICHELLE! And why is fashion important in the grand scheme?

Have you ever slept with someone who is poorly dressed? LOL What is bad taste? Does it matter?

Bad taste can’t be described, it can only be seen. I think bad taste is the root of all evil.

What is so now?

BLACK What is so next?

BLACK Your last word?

PUT YOUR ARMS IN YOUR FUCKING SLEEVES FFS!

KURT on Instagram

1AM Kurt

> 1 ST UP BREAKOUT STYLE

> 1 ST UP BREAKOUT WEARABLE ART

1AM Father Superior The Unimmaculate Conception of renowned Sydney based artists Jodee Knowles and Gerard Cranney (aka Creon), FATHER SUPERIOR continues to convert a growing flock of followers with its ‘dark pop-art meets high fashion’ gospel since first braking out during the recent MBFWA. TEXT CHRIS LORIMER

PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID K SHIELDS

IT’S A BIG ASK TO STAND OUT amongst the now well-documented peacocking phenomenon happening outside at the yearly gathering of Australia’s fashion industry known as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia, yet one duo of artists-turned-designers did just that this season with their distinctive work worn (literally) on the backs of a veritable army of the hottest off-duty models at the Carrigeworks venue.

It felt that these unique hand-painted jackets were just everywhere and impossible to ignore - and that was exactly the plan: Father Superior had arrived.

Already known for their individual works found on both canvas and walls across Australia and internationally, painters Jodee Knowles and Gerard Cranney (aka Creon) have come together as Father Superior to create an uncanny hybrid of a jacket that references high fashion, cult ‘90s film and the legacy of painting all at once. The name itself a subverted reference to both the film “Trainspotting” and the Beatles’ song “Happiness is a Warm Gun”.

“It’s wearable art,” says Knowles “Each piece is a one-off, so it’s personal and very limited. Taking artwork out of frames and onto the streets. An exhibition that is constant and available for the viewing of everyone.”

Collaboration is central to this brand, with Knowles sourcing the vintage jackets for Cranney to paint. These include unearthed designer treasures from luminaries such as Vivienne Westwood or Ungaro, while others are chosen puely for their great shape or fabric. The garments themselves are not generic – whether it be a long-line double breasted jacket in mint green with gold buttons carrying a homage to master creature maker Ari Kolkontes or a pretty floral blazer with yellow lapels and a huge zombie face emblazoned on the back to a classic cropped leather Perfecto depicting the Exorcist.

“It was Jodee’s idea to put one of my paintings on a jacket. So we discussed it and decided we should do a whole range,” says Cranney “We both had the same vision. The first range started with every decision made together from colour schemes, images and which jackets were correlating with each image. The results were always a little different yet exciting as it maintained the same direction for the collection through trust of our shared views.”

Knowles agrees: “I saw one of Gerard’s paintings and fell in love with it, I couldn’t stand just seeing it in a frame, and I wanted it on me always.”

Once created, the way to launch the collection seemed like a no-brainer – with the pair knowing they had so many fashion friends who would wear and therefore promote the pieces in front of the perfect dedicated audience. This guerilla attitude and their experience in the art scene culminated in an off-schedule show during fashion week at Sydney’s Ambush Gallery, an epic freshly-opened space on the fourth floor in Chippendale’s new ‘living mall’, replacing living models by draping the jackets over tall brooding crucifix sculptures “like the burning of witches or something really dark and cult-ish”.

Father Superior one-off pieces sell from $500 - $1200, and with their business in mind and an awareness of price points and brand access, the pair have also drafted a third into their collaborative family for this first season. Fellow designer Murfy, known for his well-observed wordplay, has created a limited run of slogan tees emblazoned with such arch puns as “Dumb Kids, Smart Phones”, “Wealth Goth”, “Comme As You Are”, and “Homme Wrecker”.

Further collections are already in the works, with Cranney taking a step back on the next with plans to return for number three. Pop-up stores and an exhibition in Perth are imminent too.

“I will be creating some jackets for our next collection alongside some amazing artist such as Zack Dunn, Patrick Doherty and Anthony Lister!” says Knowles. “My dream? I want to see a living, moving gallery on the backs of all who dare to wear them!”

Shot on location at AMBUSH GALLERY, Sydney FATHER SUPERIOR on Facebook

> 1 ST UP BREAKOUT FASHION ACTIVIST

1AM Kakopieros Making her runway debut at this year’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia as part of the esteemed FDS Innovators show was an important breakout moment for designer DEMETRA KAKOPIEROS - not just for her fledgling label, but also in communicating her singular vision and messages of activism.

TEXT CHRIS LORIMER PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID K SHIELDS “I AM AN ACTIVIST, OF BOTH human and animal rights.

I can’t create meaningless ranges or meaningless shows.

It is actually impossible for me.”

Demetra Kakopieros is a fashion designer with something to say – and it’s not about seasonal trends, hemlines or capsule dressing.

“The Kakopieros wearer is a risk taker, a free spirit… a dark and mysterious nomad, with no clear direction… intelligent, yet slightly self-destructive. An old soul.”

Her label has quickly gained a reputation for both this ardent point of view and an undeniably strong aesthetic, ever since her TAFE Fashion Design Studio graduation show just last year where models, both male and female, paraded an all black collection (“Colour for me is not needed. It distracts, it shallows my vision”) created from a disparate mix of foam rubber, organza, peacock feathers and Perspex.

“Pushing the boundaries of what we can use in fashion gives me an opportunity to create something that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to achieve with just fabric.”

Don’t expect to see any animal products in her designs though, as an activist animal rights are extremely important to her. “I have seen some horrific footage of how animals are treated in the fur and leather trade, and I do not intend to support that in any way. There are great alternatives, and it is an absolute necessity to expose the truth, until the use of these products is abolished.”

Breaking out with her latest collection at MBFWA recently, closing the highly esteemed FDS Innovators show, Kakopieros shone her dark light onto the current global Refugee crisis, also connecting it to the life of Anne Frank, the young Jewish girl who’s diary of her time hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam during WW11 is one of the world’s most widely known books.

“I have always had a fascination with Anne Frank and her story. She pieced in well with the current refugee crisis as I focused on children. [The] circumstances differ greatly, but share innocence, and the compromise of potential beyond measure in common: Who knows what talent we

are losing off our shores in refugee boats and camps?

Every child should be given a fair chance at life, they are not to blame for mankind’s indifference.”

The show also provided Kakopieros with an opportunity to show off her more commercial side, creating new pieces in bonded silk velvet and digitally printed silk satin.

“I felt that in order to push the brand forward at this time, I had to push it back, to show I was capable of designing wearable pieces. Business is something that young designers must tap into to survive. Ultimately you need sales in order for your creative vision to continue.

In saying that, I will not compromise my creativity on the runway. The runway must be left to expose my brand’s DNA. That performance for me is just as important as the clothes themselves.”

As potentially commercial as some of the new pieces were, one model wore a breast-baring top, while others had their sternums or spines exposed, “Nudity for me expresses vulnerability, nothing sexual at all. Without it that expression is lost. Nudity adds a lightness to my clothing - baring the chest isn’t controversial anymore - it is an important aspect in my design process.”

Another chance to push both the wearable and performative sides of the collection has arisen as Kakopieros has taken up an invitation to show at Vancouver Fashion Week in September with an extended and evolved new collection, focusing more on Anne Frank and her story. From there she is slated to travel to Amsterdam with plans to work for the nouveau couturier Iris Van Herpen, the current queen of digital 3-D printed fashion.

And from there? “Who knows? One thing I have learnt is things change - you can never be too certain. Nothing at all to lose. We are all headed the same direction. Life is a wild unpredictable ride. Also, everyone should go vegan!

Peace!

KAKOPIEROS on Instagram Facebook

1 AM outlaw taja @ IMG Photographed by CYBELE MALINOWSKI fashion by NICOLE ADLER ASSISTED BY Juliana Seiguerman MAKEUP & HAIR by Cat Smith @ Union Management USING MAC & MR SMITH

FATHER SUPERIOR jacket, stylists own jewellery (worn throughout).

KATERINA NIS baby doll dress and neckerchief, CELESTE TESOREIRO long sleeve top, HOUSE OF CARDS t-shirt, G-STAR cap and shoes.

HANSEN & GRETEL t-shirt, KATERINA NIS camisole, PUMA shorts, BEAU COOPS sandals.

THURSDAY SUNDAY t-shirt, FATHER SUPERIOR jacket.

This page and opposite: ISABELLE QUINN bodysuit, HOUSE OF CARDS top, AMERICAN APPAREL swimsuit (underneath).

LONELY bra, ALKEMI mesh top, PUMA shorts, G-STAR sneakers.

FATHER SUPERIOR top, NIS neckerchief, BRIXTON hat from Glue Store

FATHER SUPERIOR jacket, LONELY knickers over KATERINA NIS briefs, AMERICAN APPAREL socks.

OAKLEY jacket, SHAKUHACHI top, KATERINA NIS briefs.

TS t-shirt, G STAR black skirt, HOUSE OF CARDS pants, BEAU COOPS sandals.

G-STAR cap, KATERINA NIS dressing gown and neckerchief.

DANIEL AVAKIAN cami, SHAKUHACHI prairie ruffle top over LONELY SWIM black longsleeve top, stylists own earings.

1 AM ZOE

ZOE Â BARNARD @ IMG Photographed by BONNIE HANSEN fashion by NICOLE ADLER makeup & hair by Diana Djurdjevski @ DLm using MAC Cosmetics

AVIU silver sequin turtleneck top, HANSEN AND GRETEL dress, KALIVER plastic vest.

KATE SYLVESTER leather dress, DANIEL AVAKIAN sleeveless black mesh dress, THIRD FORM turtleneck sweater dress.

NO 21 lace top, STANDARD ISSUE knit dress, SHAKUHACHI thigh length boots.

GEORGIA FRASER & RU YENN KWOK jacket.

DANIEL AVAKIAN white jumpsuit, INTERVAL black jumper, AELKEMI leather corset.

NO 21 long-sleeve top, LILLIAN KHALLOUF cap-sleeve top, ISABELLE QUINN pants.

BMB knit dress, SHAKUHACHI bustier top and flared sleeve shirt.

OSCAR knit cardigan, HIGH white denim jacket, LONELY knickers

1 AM HOMIES Breaking out comes first from looking in, deciding who you are, and then being it.

It’s this ethos of individuality and self awareness that we’re all about, applying it to fashion with our candid ‘portrait’ style approach to shoots. Featured here being themselves in true 1 AM style, we present an intimate series of portraits showcasing 17 breakout faces of the moment, cast from local modeling agencies not on looks alone, but for attitude, character and presence. david K shields fashion by samara wilson makeup by Annette McKenzie @ union

photographED IN SYDNEY by

using Nars for Mecca

hair by

Chris Coonrod @ Union using Sacha juan

Ariki @ VIVIENS

wears OFF WHITE jean shorts at Matches Fashion.

Atty @ Priscillas

wears WRANGLER jumpsuit

Elinor @ Priscillas

wears all model’s own

Ellie @ img

wears BARDOT suede coat, CALVIN KLEIN bra

Daniel @ Five Twenty

wears TRENERY sweater and pants.

Iris @ Chadwicks

wears WRANGLER jacket, VETEMENTS dress.

Dani @ Five Twenty

wears WRANGLER top, CUE flares, CALVIN KLEIN bra.

Ruby @ Priscillas

wears RM WILLIAMS shirt, WRANGLER jeans.

Faye @ Chadwick

wears RYDER jacket, MARNI skirt at Matches fashion, NEUW top.

Angus @ Five Twenty

wears THE HATMAKER hat, WRANGLER jeans.

gigi @ Priscillas

wears NEUW sweater, models own knickers.

Ilana @ img

wears BEVILACQUA shirt at Matches Fashion, NEUW DENIM jeans. CALVIN KLEIN bra.

jack @ Five Twenty

wears RAEY polo shirt, TOMMY HILFIGER jeans.

Subah @ img

wears DODO BAR OR dress at Matches Fashion, necklaces from KERRY ROCK JEWELLERY.

Sabrina @ img

wears MARY KATRANZOU jacket and top, PLEASURE STATION briefs, stylist own blanket

india @ Chadwick

wears KOLOR dress at Matches Fashion.

Alexander @ img

wears TOMMY HILFIGER suit.

Introducing 1 AM breakout star DANI SOPALSKI. Scouted recently behind a Sydney Bunnings checkout by 1AM photographer David K. Shields, it wasn’t until it was revealed to him in a call back later that he had any idea the beauty he had discovered was transgender. Now signed with IMG wordwide, Dani shares her inspiring breakout story of self discovery and transition in this exclusive interview and photoshoot for 1AM.

1 AM dani dani @ img Photographed by david K shields fashion & interview by chris lorimer makeup by Annette McKenzie @ union using Nars for Mecca hair by Chris Coonrod @ Union using Sacha juan

RAEY jacket from matchesfashion.com, DUSKII bodysuit.

CELESTE TESORIERO denim all-in-one, THURSDAY SUNDAY top.

ALIX HIGGINS dress

DESERT DESIGNS hat, ZHIVAGO top, RACHAEL MILLS dungarees.

It’s the wildest day anyone can remember in Sydney for a long time, with rain at times horizontal, the neighbourhood streets are mostly deserted and a small, dedicated crew armed with a number of black umbrellas could be seen shooting a fashion story under a bridge in Darlinghurst.

It’s an eye opener for model Dani Sopalski on one of her first shoots ever.

Finding the light in the strong wind, changing outfits in a car parked around the corner - glamorous it is not but everyone is there to get the picture – such is the world of modeling.

Originally scouted by photographer David K. Shields while working at her day job at Bunnings, Sopalski is a natural – ethereal with a visible inner strength – and the images come easily despite an environment that might have sent another team packing inside.

“I noticed a tall, fine, slightly nerdy looking girl behind the checkout, and my first thought was “do they raise the floor behind the counter here like they do in bars? I’ve found a few prospective models in clubs before and had this disappointment be real”, says Shields. He gave her his card, she called back and now, Dani is signed worldwide to IMG. Little did Shields know that he’d discovered more than just a great face, Sopalski is an out trans woman, and following in the footsteps of the likes of Andreja Pejic (Storm) and Hari Nef (IMG) is breaking through as part of the new wave of contemporary diverse beauty, using her platform of visibility to reveal her story with characteristic openness and honesty.

Lets start right at the beginning, where are you from originally?

22 years ago I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, but raised in Alaska and moved around every few years from state to state: Alaska, Minnesota, Washington State. My parents are travelers, and so am I. When I first moved to Sydney, I remember an older couple saying to me, “Wow, Sydney must seem small to an American!” Truthfully, I grew up in small towns.

Despite how often we moved my parents always provided my sisters and I with a stable household. I feel pretty lucky, really. I was always given great opportunities and the freedom to explore what I wanted out of life as I was growing up.

One thing I wasn’t very good at while growing up was having close friends. At one point in high school I realized I hadn’t had a friend over in more than two years.

Of course that was largely because of my gender dysphoria. It’s really difficult to feel comfortable around anyone when you can’t feel comfortable with yourself. When you can’t express yourself as the person you

want to be, it makes it really hard to create genuine relationships with other people. That being said, I think part of it was also that, from around age 10 to when I graduated high school, I lived in a military town. That meant people came and went all the time.

When did you realise you were different to the other kids around you?

This is a moment I remember very clearly.

I was in the fifth grade and it came time for all the kids in my class to be given “the talk.” We were all separated into two groups: boys and girls. The boys were all put in one room and were taught about what would happen to them through puberty. The girls were in an adjacent room, and I remember looking through a window into their room and thinking that I was in the wrong group, that what I was being told sounded and felt very wrong.

From there, it took me a few years to find out what it meant to be transgender. Until then, I just sort of stewed in my thoughts, trying to figure out how to reconcile what I was with what I more and more desperately wanted to be. Eventually I did find out that there were other people like me, and, maybe more importantly, that there was something I could do to find some peace. There was a path I could take. It took me a couple more years to work up enough courage to actually take steps toward that path.

Did you always feel uneasy in your male body and also being expected to carry out those traditional “boy” roles?

For me, one of the worst things about adolescence was feeling and watching my body grow progressively more masculine.

Meanwhile, I had to watch the girls at my school get more and more feminine. That was really hard. Seeing your peers naturally attain something you’re certain you’ll never be able to have is absolutely crushing. It’s not a quick kind of pain, either; it’s the kind that’s realized over years. Day after day, month after month, year after year of feeling like a monster. Like you’ll never be happy.

Like you’ll never be beautiful. You’ll never have those curves. You’ll never have her feminine charm. I think that’s something absolutely every trans person can relate to.

Even after finishing transition, it can take a very, very long time to start to believe that you’ve finally made it. I’m certainly still working on that.

As far as traditional roles go, I don’t think I was ever really forced into them very much.

Now, as a woman, I sort of revel in bucking traditional gender roles and showing people that, yes, I do know how to do that. Yes, I do know why your computer isn’t working. Yes, I can lift the heavy thing.

So, when and how did you come out to your family?

Before coming out to my parents, I would lay in bed at night wishing I could wake up the next morning transformed or even in a different life completely. I had this idea that maybe just maybe, if I could let this life go completely, I could pass from it and be reincarnated into a new one. It makes me really happy that I don’t have to think that way anymore.

When I was 14, I decided I had to do something. I was too afraid to come out to my parents face-to-face, so I wrote a letter to my mother and left it with her one morning.

She wrote a response back to me. At first she was skeptical. She said that a lot of people have feelings like this, and that if I still felt them when I was 18, I could do something about it. Secretly though, she and my dad started doing their own research, and eventually about a year later, they decided I was depressed enough that we all had to do something about it. I definitely have my parents to thank for getting me started on the path to transition.

Did you use puberty blocking medication as part your early transition?

The “puberty blocker” I took is a really common antiandrogen called Spironolactone.

It helped stop male puberty and keep me from developing an even deeper voice or more masculine muscles. An antiandrogen on its own actually won’t do anything too interesting, but I also take estrogen by intramuscular injection, and that’s what really has a feminizing effect. Estrogen and antiandrogens can’t change what male puberty has already done. If your voice has already dropped, it’s going to stay that way. If you’ve developed large bones, they’re going to stay that way. But when your body has such a dramatic shift from high testosterone to high estrogen, soft tissues change. Fat moves around. Metabolism changes. Those soft tissue changes can actually have a really surprising effect.

I wanted to ask you about assuming femininity - How do you define femininity? Is feeling feminine important to you?

From the beginning I was definitely more aware of how I didn’t fit into relationships the way I wanted to rather than who it was I was attracted to. I wanted to be the girl in a relationship, no matter if it was with a man or a woman, and no matter if it was an intimate or a platonic relationship.

Feeling feminine is definitely important to me, but exactly what that means is something I’m still figuring out. Right now I’d say I’m definitely a tomboy, but who knows who I’ll be a couple of years from now? A big part

RACHAEL GILBERT fur stole, ALIX HIGGINS top, LIMEDROP trousers.

MONSTER ALPHABETS top worn over KATE SYLVESTER top, CELESTE TESORIERO trousers,

For me, one of the worst things about adolescence was feeling and watching my body grow progressively more masculine. Meanwhile, I had to watch the girls at my school ge t more and more feminine of why I’m a tomboy is because I’ve always been too afraid to explore femininity.

I’ve felt too ridiculous to really try to use makeup or wear nice clothes. With that feeling starting to wane, I imagine I’ll start to broaden my horizons.

On the other side of the coin, I’ve been too afraid to be overly masculine, too. As I start to feel more comfortable in myself, I’m feeling easier about exploring that side of life too!

Do you have any role models?

I’ve always looked up to any strong female protagonist. I love science fiction for that. I can think of so many female protagonists in movies and shows like Alien, Stargate, and my recent favorite book series, The Expanse.

They’re strong, intelligent, quick-thinking leaders and they’re everything I hope maybe I can be someday.

Beyond fiction, there are a lot of strong women in my family, too. In particular, my mom and my sisters are a huge influence in my life. They’re all university-educated leaders who take an active role in helping their community and trying to leave the world better off than when they came into it.

That being said, there are a lot of men in my life I look up to, too. Growing up, I watched both of my parents change the community we lived in for the better. They’re a tough act to follow.

Did you ever see yourself modeling?

Not at all! Growing up, there was no way I could ever picture myself doing something like modeling. Just thinking about it hurt.

It’s still a little unbelievable to me that it’s happening. I love joking with my friends that they’ll have to go through my agent if they want to talk to me now.

When David first made contact with you at Bunnings, what were your first thoughts and reactions?

To be honest, David isn’t the first person who’s scouted me. In fact, this isn’t the first time I’ve been scouted at work, but David approached me at a time when I was starting to be a little bit more open about myself, so when he handed me his card, I guess my first thought was, “Okay, this time, let’s do it.”

And now you’ve had a couple of shoots?

I’m itching for more. It’s exciting, affirming, and intimidating all in one. Modeling is so different from anything I’ve ever tried to do and anything I’ve ever been good at. It’s a completely exotic world for me, and it’s new and challenging. I’m learning to be someone I’ve never been, and I’m challenging my ideas of what aspects of myself I should and shouldn’t be proud of. I’ve never been proud of how I look, and that’s starting to change.

Gender fluidity is really in the spotlight right now - How important is trans visibility in Australia – and worldwide?

No matter where in the world, I think the same thing applies: The more visibility trans people can have, the more quickly young trans people can realize they’re not alone and there’s a way for them to come to feel comfortable in their own skin. Because of how much more accepted transgender people are becoming, we’re seeing more and more people able to transition at younger ages. It’s a subject of hot debate, but beginning transition at a younger age can make a massive difference to a trans person’s quality of life. I owe my success in transition to how early on I was allowed to start my journey.

How do we increase awareness?

We just have to keep talking. I think one of the worst mistakes we can make is to try to silence people who disagree with us -- even people who hate us. The best thing we can do is to listen, approach them with open arms, and try to show them our side of the argument. We’ll never have everyone on our side, but if we do things like try to make people feel guilty for disagreeing with us, we’ll only stir resentment. Keep the conversation open.

What has made gender transition easier, if anything?

It used to be a lot harder for any trans person to start hormone treatment. The recommendations of two psychiatrists were required to begin. That created a very expensive gate to treatment, and if you were only able to see one particular psychiatrist in your town and the two of you didn’t get along

well, you could be in for a rough ride.

These days, a new wave of informed consent clinics is changing things. Informed consent means that you make the decision to begin treatment based on the knowledge of exactly what you’re getting yourself into. Whereas under the old system it was assumed that the patients couldn’t make the decision for themselves, the idea is now beginning to take hold that the patient is the only person who should be allowed to make such an important choice.

Particularly in countries like the United States without a public health care scheme, there are still huge economic barriers to beginning transition. Hormones are expensive, and so are the regular check-ups and blood tests that go along with them.

Sex reassignment surgery can cost tens of thousands of dollars -- even more for femaleto-male transition -- and while it’s gotten much better, it’s far from perfect.

Socially, we have plenty more to do.

Society can still feel very threatening for a trans person. A lot of trans people just want to quietly live their lives after transition, and I’m definitely that way… But that might be changing now.

Let’s talk along more theoretical line, Are genitals gender? Is it important to explore deconstructing classic gender binary?

I think the gender binary is there largely because it’s something most people are fairly comfortable within. It’s something that’s constantly shifting and changing, but I don’t think it’s the evil paradigm some people think it is. I think it’s okay for things to be gendered.

If the binary gender had no meaning, I’m not sure I’d feel the way I do about my own gender. I’m not sure I’d have felt the need to pursue transition.

Are genitals gender? No, I don’t think so. I’ve known plenty of trans people who transitioned without undergoing sex reassignment surgery. They’re comfortable with their bodies the way they are, and that’s awesome. I’ve also known non-trans people who desperately wish they could have the genitals of the opposite sex. It doesn’t undermine their gender.

Thank-you so much Dani, any last words before we finish up?

To anyone reading this, transgender or not: Push yourself beyond your own comfort zone.

Don’t let yourself stagnate. Don’t be afraid to embarrass yourself. We all embarrass ourselves, and not just from time to time; Face that fear you want to get past. Take that leap and push yourself ever further.

RACHAEL MILLS coatdress, DUSKII bodysuit, MONSTER ALPHABETS skirt, RM WILLIAMS boots.

NEUW sweater, KALIVER flares, WINDSOR SMITH heels, WITCHERY belt.

1 AM FENCED Ilana & Â Lucy @ img Photographed by Seung-Rok Baek fashion & creative direction by Angela Liang makeup by Jess Chapman @ Network hair by Dolly Michele Ward @ Union location 57 Hotel

IN

LIMEDROP jacket and skirt, GUESS chambray shirt.

MIJ KIM jacket, ONE FELL SWOOP slip, vintage CHANEL pants from LOVE STORY.

WITCHERY sweater over GORMAN knit top, KALIVER skirt.

UNREAL FUR jacket, ONE FELL SWOOP dress, LIMEDROP culottes.

INTERVAL kinit, KALIVER top, vintage CHANEL pants from LOVE STORY, UNREAL FUR stole worn as cuff.

MIJ KIM top, ONE FELL SWOOP dress worn as singlet, KALIVER skirt, WINDSOR SMITH sandals, STANC socks.

LOVE STORY jacket, MLM LABEL dress, cOOGI BY GORMAN skirt.

this page and opposite: Ilana wears KALIVER top, BETH THOMAS knit, vintage CHANEL pants from LOVE STORY; Lucy wears LIMEDROP dress, I LOVE MR MITTENS dress

M A 1 w o d a sh g n i x o b CHARLIE Â @ WILLOW @ IMG Photographed by PETTER karlstrOm fashion by NICOLE ADLER ASSISTED by Yvonne MorriS makeup & hair by Jess Chapman @ Network using Armani beauty and Oribe Australia

Charlie wears MANSTORE top and DOS SANTOS collar from MAX BLACK, OAKLEY shorts; Willow wears TIBI shorts, STUSSY crop top, WILLIAM WILDE gloves from MAX BLACK.

this page: Charlie wears MANSTORE top and DOS SANTOS collar from MAX BLACK, OAKLEY shorts; opposite page: FRANCIS THE LABEL dress over SERPENT AND THE SWAN dress, LONELY bralette, PUMA sneakers

opposite page: MAISON CLOSE Nuit Infinie bodysuit from MAX BLACK; this page: TIBI top, MALENE BIRGER skirt, PUMA sneakers, WILLIAM WILDE latex gloves from MAX BLACK.

FRANCIS THE LABEL top, IRO jacket, LONELY briefs, DOS SANTOS collar from MAX BLACK, SERPENT & THE SWAN ring, SYLVESTER boots.

this page and opposite: ROLLAS singlet and shorts, stylists own studded dog collar.

this page and opposite: THURSDAY SUNDAY sweater, TIBI skirt, VAN shoes, SERPENT & THE SWAN choker, BY NYE ring.

Opposite page: Charlie wears ROLLAS t-shirt, NIKE sweatpants, LE COQ SPORTIF sneakers; Willow wears LONELY dress, NEUW jacket, SYLVESTER boots.

This page: MANSTORE mesh singlet from MAX BLACK, ROLLAS overalls, BRANDO sneakers.

1 AM EMILY

Emily @ London MGT Photographed by Michelle Tran @ hart & CO fashion by Lauren Dietze @ Vivien's Creative makeup & hair by Kristyan Low

Y

FAUSTINE STEINMETZ X CHEAP MONDAY jacket and jeans at SLOW WAVES, NEUW t-shirt, HAKUTAKU choker (worn throughout) at SHIFTING WORLDS, MARYAM NASSIR XADEH shoes.

FRAME denim jacket at GRACE BOUTIQUE, NEUW DENIM pants.

CLAIRE BARROW top at BLONDE VENUS, LEVI’S B-SIDES jeans at SHIFTING WORLDS

MARQUES ALMEIDA cropped denim jacket and jeans at BLONDE VENUS, PAGEANT top.

FAUSTINE STEINMETZ X CHEAP MONDAY tassel denim vest at SLOW WAVES, ROLLAS jeans at SERVICE.

JACQUEMUS top, CLAIRE BARROW jeans both at BLONDE VENUS.

PAGEANT denim jacket and jeans, VIKTORIA & WOODS denim shirt.

ROLLAS denim overalls, PAGENT top, MARYAM NASSIR XADEH shoes.

1am

f o e r o M m A r fo ything 1 , s r e w ev ding ne s, u o l c e in ion, vid h s fa ries and o: t e l l o ga y pics g t r pa mag.com m a 1