BASIC Magazine Rebel Issue

MEMO FROM BASIC BOSS

Basically Yours, CEO & Editor-in-Chief 2

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viktorija@basic-magazine.com @viktorija_pashuta

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CEO & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Viktorija Pashuta

viktorija@basic-magazine.com // @viktorja -- pashuta Chief Financial Officer Managing Editor Art Director Supervising Art Director Fashion Stylist Beauty and Accessories Editor Advertising Manager Copy Advisor Advertising Enquiries

Jackson Chong jackson@basic-magazine.com Amanda Vandenberg amanda@basic-magazine.com // @amanda_mary_vandenberg Brieona Cornelius brieona@basic-magazine.com // @brieonacornelius Roberta Hall roberta@basic-magazine.com // @robertadeehall Oye Decova decova@basic-magazine.com // @odcova Lisa Wayne lisa@basic-magazine.com Launy Rhem +1 (310) 461-7049 Joshua Toenjes info@basic-magazine.com // +1 (657) 269-0160

INTERNS

Lizzy Li, Morgan Mantilla, Cris Bueno Publisher International Distribution

BASIC MEDIA COMPANY LLC Pineapple Media // www.pineapple-media.com Printed in the UK by Logical Connections www.logicalconnections.co.uk

FOLLOW BASIC ON

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www.basic-magazine.com @basic_magazine @basic_magazine www.facebook.com/basicmagazineus

SPECIAL THANK YOU

BVLGARI Deseno Jackson Chong DELILAH West Hollywood

David Lee From H.W.L Jewelers Egard Watches Anderson Group Public Relations Slash PR

John Terzian & Arnold Bustamante Maison Prive IEG Models Norman & Judah Silverman

BASIC HEADQUARTERS

BASIC ORANGE COUNTY

BASIC HONG KONG

9100 Wilshire Blvd, Suite #210 Beverly Hills, CA 90212 USA

2424 East Katella Ave Anaheim, CA 92806 USA

10/F. Woon Lee Commercial Bldg.

7-9 Austin Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui Kowloon, Hong Kong

No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without permission from BASIC. The views expressed in BASIC Magazine are those of respective contributors, and are not necessarily shared by the magazine or its staff. The magazine welcomes new contributors but can assume no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations.

All rights reserved by BASIC Media Company LLC

ISSN 2470-153X (print)

ISSN 2470-1521 (online) WWW.BASIC-MAGAZINE.COM

COVER CREDITS

CONTRIBUTORS PHOTOGRAPHERS

(IEG Models), Monika Mech (Undcover Models Warsaw), Weronika

Viktorija Pashuta, Dasha Matrosova, Vera Sadovskaya, Ammy Berent, Sarah

Zebrowska (Undcover Models Warsaw), Sara d’Ettore, Sierra Sisti

Piantadosi, Lillie Eiger, Ekaterina Belinskaya, Juan Pablo Castro, Jasmine De Silva, George Favios, Gian Andrea di Stefano, Domenico Donadio, Diana Gomez, Aldona Kaczmarczyk, Elle Sillanpaa, Debora Barnaba, Sequoia Emmanuelle, Cameron Noel Dunbar, Heath Grout

DESIGNERS Bjorn Van Den Berg, Michelle Mason, Murmur, Twisted Lingerie, AMI Clubwear, YVY, Biana Armer, JF London, Armature, Rinaldy A. Yunard, Norisol Ferrari, Aura Tout Vu, Kaimi, Bruno Carlo, Cecilio Castrillo

SET DESIGNERS AND PRODUCERS

Martinez, Little Rooms Jewelry, Quentin Veron, Luciana Balderrama, JF

Jackson Chong, Oye Decova, Hatty Ellis Coward, Lauren Ford, Freddie

London, Manuel Albarran, Lalita, E.L.F. Zhou London, Egidio Alves, Le

Bonfanti, Lola Alesandrova

Snob, Judith Leiber, Diane Law, Marzook, Iri, Enji Jewelry, CG Luxury,

ART DIRECTORS

Nora Ink, Stradivarius, South Beach, Bershka, Zara, H&M, Ammy Berent,

Brieona Cornelius, Roberta Hall, Ben Freeman, Jasmine De Silva, Domenico Donadio, Diana Gomez, Justyna Mysior

Danny Reinke, Simone Breu, Topshop, Nicole Hayduga, H.W.L. Jewelers, Cartier, Piaget, Rolex, Chopard, Dolce & Gabbana, DKNY, Rochas, Prada, Dilara Findikoglu, Yana Markova, 4 Icon, N21, Louis Vuitton,

WRITERS

Versace, Girl Power, Fernando Garcia, Charles Jourdan, Christian Dior,

Amanda Vandenberg, Xenia Leo, Aiden Arata, Carly Bush, Elizabeth

Anne Marie of Paris, Paulette, Guinet, Shehastwosmallmoons, Velvet

Hazard, Morgan Mantilla, Justyna Mysior, Emily Nimptsch, Juliet Bennett

Eccentric, George Gurung, Daseul Kim, Marlene Albrecht, Silvana

Rylah, Courtney Wilkins

Tedesco Couture, Ainee Suhaidi, Norman Silverman Diamonds, Cesare

STYLISTS

DSquared2, Trussardi, Marithe Francois Girbaud, Etro, The Trend Haus,

Paciotti, Steven Khalil, Another Stories, Balmain, Moshino, Tom Ford,

Oye Decova, Marian Nachmia, Hanna Yatsko, Roman, Kristine Kilty, Samantha Burkhart, Kevin at Kraftwerkstyle, Jas Khaira, Thomas Petraccaro, Barbara Mamot

Agent Provocateur, Amore, Charlie Lapson, Sarmy Studios, Marihannah H, Nasty Gal, Ann Demeulemeester, Sophia Webster, Ryan Lo, Jun Takahashi, Junya Watanabe, Delpozo, Naf Naf, Wolford, Stonefly,

MAKEUP ARTISTS

Accessorize, Le Carose, Just Cavalli, Valentino, Isabel Marant, Aldo,

Oye Decova, Olga Nikitina, Alexandra Rozhkova, Simone Breu, Ellie

Kway, Zeynep Kartel, Cheap & Chic, 2nd Day, Tatty Devine, Mrs. Miller,

Grace Cumming, Gala Borzova, Jasmine De Silva, Jessie J. Collections,

Christian Louboutin, Mawi, Vivienne Westwood, J-Won, Noel Stewart, A.

Mahfoud Laaziz, Carmen Incarnato, Sabrina Henry, Jessica Huerta, Jiv D

Morir, Fyodor Golan, BACK, Zeynep Tosun, Burberry, Gosia Baczynska,

MAKEUP & NAIL ARTIST

Olympia, Faustine Steinmetz, Fitarani, Tommy Hilfiger, Pebble London,

Varvara Dediukhina, Olga Nikitina, Michelle Almanza, Maria Barrios, Simone Breu, Anna Malakhovskaya, Isamaya Ffrench, Adam Slee, Luba Litoshko, Eddy Munster, Shona Adele, Jerry Avila, Juan Jaar, Jennifer Malasczuk, Giulia Ronzoni, Claudine Blythman, Pebbles Aitkens, Aurora Galarza, Pilar Lafargue, Martyna Nowak-Sadowska, Asta Gost, Francesca Maffi, Julie Brooks, Ezio Diaferia

Michael Van Der Ham, La Perla, Philosophy, Lele Sadough, Charlotte Cornelia Webb, Paint it Red, Natasha Zinko, Ossie Clark, Ashish, Paul Andrew, Shourouk, Paule Ka, Anne Sofie Madsen, Dead Lotus, Leather Designs, Majestic Black, Thom Solo, Daydream Nation, Ewa Polkowska, Justyna Mysior, Black Lotus Clothing with Michael Aiello, Jivomir Domoustchiev, Iro, Weekday, Boudicca

ILLUSTRATORS & ARTISTS

HAIR STYLISTS

Nora Ink, Molchanova, Elizaveta, Lizzy Li, Shibo Chen, Maria Veronica, c7/

Hilda Flores, Atma Hari, Varvara Dediukhina, Simone Breu, Anna

Hiroko Shiina, Tran Nguyen, Allen Williams, Marina Mika, Patricia Ariel

Malakhovskaya, Cyndia Harvey, Luba Litoshko, Eddy Munster, Chris Grimley, Tre Major, F. Wayne, Selena Acost, Giulia Ronzoni, Marcia Lee,

VIDEO PRODUCTION

Lachanda Gatson, Asta Gost, Francesca Maffi, Victor Mendoza, Ezio

David PH Hyde, Patricia Vilani

Diaferia

EDITORIAL INTERNS, PHOTO, PRODUCTION, SET & STYLIST ASSISTANTS

MODELS Polina Barbaren, Valeria Kynecova, Jenna (Aston Models), Aleksandra

Cameron Noel Dunbar, Lizzy Li, Tonya Monique Hale, Estee Iwaniski,

(IEG), Sarah (Aston Models), Anna (IEG), Paula (IEG), Kat Campbel,

Black, Elouise Hânakene, Elouise Froehly, Lisa Kin, Melissa Goy, Stanley

Elina Kouli, Sarah R. (talentsmodelsmunich), Viki Lemke, Amber Davis

Macdonald, Poppie Clinch, Jordan Duddy, Alicia Howitt, Ben Breading,

(NEXT), Claudia Cooper (Wilhelmina), Sienna King, Rosie Semple, Mar

Harry Burner, Chelsea Jackson, Cristian Bueno, George Adams, Estee

Sujin, Daniella, Sadie Pinn, Freyja, Sita Abellan, Lana Mcgrath, Anthony,

Iwaniski, Liam Prior, Maciej Nimojewski, Zofia Kulig, Monika Bana sinska

Maja Korneilia Somalia, Isabel Reynolds, Mari Bel (Agency Look Models), Roxy Kulynych (Front Management), Dephi McNicol, Cristina Piccone, Irina Dedyuk, Lexie (Ice Models Milan), Hilda Lee (Next Models), Nete

BASIC HEADQUARTERS 9100 Wilshire Blvd, Suite #210 Beverly Hills, CA 90212 USA

SPECIAL THANKS David Lee from H.W.L. Jewelers, John Terzian, Arnold Bustamante, Norman & Judah Silverman

BASIC HONG KONG 10/F. Woon Lee Commercial Bldg.

7-9 Austin Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui Kowloon, Hong Kong

BASIC ORANGE COUNTY 2424 East Katella Ave Anaheim, CA 92806 USA

No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without permission from BASIC. The views expressed in BASIC Magazine are those of respective contributors, and are not necessarily shared by the magazine or its staff. The magazine welcomes new contributors but can assume no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations.

All rights reserved by BASIC Media Company LLC

ISSN 2470-153X (print)

Shiva Safai Photography Viktorija Pashuta Producer Jackson Chong Art Direction Roberta Hall Styling Oye Decova Makeup Jerry Avila Hair Tre Major Photo Assistant Cameron Noel Dunbar & George Adams Executive Assistant Estee Iwaniski Special Thank You John Terzian & Arnold Bustamante Intern Cristian Bueno

ISSN 2470-1521 (online)

WWW.BASIC-MAGAZINE.COM

Women Superheros Photography & Concept Viktorija Pashuta Producer Jackson Chong Art Direction Brieona Cornelius Styling Oye Decova Makeup Michelle Almanza & Maria Barrios Hair Hilda Flores & Atma Hari Models Kathryn Campbel Photo Assistant Cameron Noel Dunbar

C O N T E N T S Based in Beverly Hills, BASIC Magazine gives tribute to the most striking talent from all over the world.

BASIC BEAUTY 34 154 8 38 30

Hot Tropics by Dasha Matrosova Connect the knots by Debora Barnaba Mercurial Moments by Dasha Matrosova Honeyed Amber by Viktorija Pashuta Funtastic by Ammy Berent

BASIC ACCESSORIES 22 Harvest Festival by Amanda Vandenberg 42 How Autumn Blooms by Courtney Wilkins 72 See you at Midnight Jewelry by Marlene Albrecht

BASIC FASHION 112 46 92 120 148 66 54 24 172 134 102

Red is Sexy! by Domenico Donadio Crime & Crimson by Ekaterina Belinskaya Lone Wolf by Gian Andrea di Stefano Reinas De Belleza by Diana Gomez Searching for the self by Justyna Mysior Mascarade by Jasmine De Silva Spills & Spells by Juan Pablo Castro Tattoo My Heart by Vera Sadovskaya Color Evocative by Heath Grout Nullus In Verba by Viktorija Pashuta Basic Rebel by Viktorija Pashuta

BASIC VIRAL 14 Women Superheros by Viktorija Pashuta

BASIC CORE 128 Builders of Worlds by Amanda Vandenberg

BASIC DESIGNERS 44 Precious Purgatory SS 2017 Lookbook by Dilara Findikoglu

BASIC PROJECT 144 Invisible world of Ewa Polkowska by Amanda Vandenberg

BASIC ARTIST 162 The Illusionist 99 Popovy Sisters by Emily Nimptsch

BASIC INTERVIEWS 80 Shiva Safai by Amanda Vandenberg 158 Tess Holliday by Sequoia Emmanuelle

BASIC ILLUSTRATIONS 106 This Season on the Runway by Shibo Chen

BASIC HEROES 168 H.E.R. before HIM by Juliet Bennett Rylah

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Photography & Retouching Dasha Matrosova Makeup & Styling Olga Nikitina Models Polina Babaren | Valeria Kynecova

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Photographer // Weronika Mamot Make-up // Lisa Marie Model // Jess Davis Stylist // Barbara Mamot

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VIRAL

Photography Viktorija Pashuta Producer Jackson Chong Art Direction Brieona Cornelius Styling Oye Decova Makeup Michelle Almanza | Maria Barrios Hair Hilda Flores | Atma Hari Models Jenna @AstonModels | Aleksandra @IEG | Sarah @AstonModels Anna @IEG | Paula @IEG | Kathryn Campbel Photo Assistant Cameron Noel Dunbar Intern Lizzy Li

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Green toxic corset Bjorn Van Den Berg Green silk trench Michelle Mason Prison gloves Murmur Silk oversize choker Michelle Mason Lingerie Twisted Lingerie Knee high boots AMI Clubwear

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VIRAL

"Star" skirt & crop top YVY Cleopatra metal skirt & top Bianca Armer Suede boots JF London Accessories Armature

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Leather military hat Rinaldy A. Yunard Red leotard Murmur Blue suede jacket Norisol Ferrari Crystal, gem & chain bib Aura Tout Vu Leather camo chaps Kaimi Boots AMI Clubwear Leather gloves Bruno Carlo

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VIRAL

Gold spike mask Cecilio Castrillo Martinez Suede choker Little Rooms Jewelry Fur jacket Quentin Veron Gold gloves Bruno Carlo Blue suede skirt Luciana Balderrama ZIG ZAG mesh heels JF London

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VIRAL

Gold body armor Manuel Albarran Gladiator heels Bjorn Van Den Berg

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Mask Cecilio Castro Martinez Leather choker Lalita Black corset Cecilio Castro Martinez Midnight lingerie set E.L.F Zhou London Leather croc boots Egidio Alves Leather gloves Le Snob

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ACCESSORIES

HARVEST FESTIVAL Words by Amanda Vandenberg

Autumn is traditionally a time of harvest - reaping what was sowed, taking stock of what's around, and making plans for the future. But what does that mean when it comes to fashion? For BASIC, harvest means investment. Our round up of accessories interprets that investment a few different ways, ranging from sustainability to carefully curated minimalism to even elevating outfit add-ons to sublime works of art. Decide what investment means to you and you alone – and harvest with purpose.

DIANELAW 3 D

P R I N T

B A G

The electric precision and specificity of 3D printing isn’t just for gadgets and machinery.

Those looking for elegant edges and geometry will welcome Diane Law’s Voyager handbags with open arms. Rest easy in doing something good for the planet with a zero waste means of production and eco-friendly print on demand.

J U D I T H

L E I B E R

S T A T E M E N T

B A G S

Judith Leiber is a living legend. Collected by Hollywood heroines, first ladies, and even the Smithsonian, these indulgent statement bags are perfect for those who like to wear their art on their arm.

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E N J I R I N G

M A R Z O O K C O R S E T

B A G

A melding of Eastern and Western cultures, the sibling duo behind Marzook uses the richest of materials to construct each item as a modern day objet d’art. Influenced by surrealism and the Art Deco movement, sporting their collection is sure to channel history while retaining significant architectural interest.

&

J E W E L R Y N E C K L A C E

If the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, then the quickest path to our hearts (and our wardrobes) must be a piece from Enji Jewelry. Effortlessly cool, these modernist adornments pull double duty, bringing the edge with their simplicity as well as their commitment to fair trade, recycled metals, and ethnically sourced gems.

C G L U X U R Y R A

I R I

B R A C E L E T

If you prefer your Italian craftsmanship to have a cerebral bent, the new Ra collection

by CG Luxury explores the conceptual representation of Ancient Egypt.

Completely customizable, this bracelet stack can be tailored to each and every individualistic goddess.

S H O E S zap! pow! wham! Heeled boots designed by iRi from the “Playing on Paper” Collection are inspired by drawings and paintings created by children. Add a little whimsy to your walk for when you need every step to count.

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Photography Vera Sadovskaya @verasa.dovskaya Art Nora Ink @nora_ink Styling Alexandra Rozhkova @alexandra_rozhkova Model Elina Kouli @elina.kouli Makeup & Hair Varvara Dediukhina Location St. Petersburg, Russia

Image leftHoodie Nora Ink Skirt Stradivarius Image rightHoodie Nora Ink

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Image leftHoodie Nora Ink Image rightCoat Nora Ink Body South Beach Skirt Bershka Knee socks Nora Ink Shoes Zara Accessories H&M

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Image leftHoodie Nora Ink Skirt Stradivarius Knee socks Nora Ink Shoes Zara Image rightHoodie Nora Ink Cap Nora Ink

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FUNTASTIC Photography Ammy Berent @ammy_berent Retouching All Eyes On You Styling, Makeup & Hair, Nails Simone Breu @simone_breu Model Sarah R @talentsmodelsmunich

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Image leftSkirt Danny Reinke @clycommunication Earrings H&M Image rightEarrings Ammy Berent

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Image left & rightCap Simone Breu Parka Top Shop Smiley-Vest Nicole Hayduga

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Hot Tropics Photography & Retouching  Dasha Matrosova Makeup & Hair Ann Malakhovskaya Model Viki Lemke 34

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Poet Alda Merini once wrote, “I don't like Paradise / as they probably don't have obsessions there.”

Desire becomes divine in a hyper-pigmented paradise where sultry embraces the sculptural.

Consider it our tribute to all that is high voltage– think Dan Flavin, fever dreams, and ocean sunsets fractured through a kaleidoscope of tears. Obsessions welcome.

Words by Aiden Arata

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HONEYED AMBER Presented by Yor Health

Photography Viktorija Pashuta Producer Jackson Chong Styling & Set Design Oye Decova Executive Assistants Tonya Monique Hale & Estee Iwaniski Makeup Maria Barrios Models Amber Davis @NEXT |Claudia Cooper @Wilhelmina Special Thank You David Lee from H.W.L Jewelers

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Image Left: All Jewelry David Lee @ H.W.L. Jewelers Watches Cartier & Piaget Image Right: On Amber- All Jewelry David Lee @ H.W.L. Jewelers Watches Rolex & Cartier On Claudia- All Jewelry David Lee @ H.W.L. Jewelers Watches Chopard, Cartier & Piaget

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Earrings, bracelets, necklaces, & rings David Lee @ H.W.L. Jewelers Watch Rolex

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Watches Chopard, Cartier & Piaget Rings, earrings, bracelets & necklace David Lee @ H.W.L. Jewelers

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ITEMS

DKNY This sweet honeysuckle ‘Nectar Love’ is catching the attention of more than just bees. A warm, lavender -honey aroma begs to be drunk up whiff after whiff.

Reap what you sow with this sunny of-the-earth blend.

Dolce & Gabbana Plucked fresh from the Dolce & Gabbana Fall/Winter 2017 runway, these jewel-kissed shoes join headbands and crowns as a decorative touch to a floral collection. With fresh eyes, Dolce & Gabbana has once again immortalized botanicals.

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Illustrations by Molchanova Elizaveta Words by Courtney Wilkins

ROCHAS Rochas trinkets are shimmering with pastel satins and floral brocades on Paris catwalks. With a touch of 40s and 50s retro, Rochas Fall 2017 Ready-to-Wear Collection is dedicated to elegance. These picture-perfect pumps are a tale of modern romance, embellished with buckles, jet beads, rhinestones, and sequins.

PRADA “The Prada woman is not one, she is many.� Let La Femme Intense guide you through its woody, white floral scent to discover who you may blossom to be this season.

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DESIGNERS

DILARA FINDIKOGLU Autumn/Winter 2017

Worlds collide in rebel designer Dilara Findikoglu's fall collection. Aptly named New World Order, Findikoglu teamed with Marilyn Manson to present their vision of what the two imagine the future of the world to look like as we stand now in the midst of unrest and inhumanity.

Stuck between the sins of the past and the hopes of the future, this land of limbo melds cultures, identities, genders and ideals. Withstanding travesties, wars and more, Post Apocalyptic fashion, it turns out, is bold, richly-hued, jarring and intricate. Patterns, colors and texture meld together just as worlds did in this complex, uninhibited, new world order. Edwardian sleeves, tartan plaids, sequins, embellished tapestry-like patterns, rich greens and reds, all meld together in the Turkishborn designer's collection for fall 2017. A New World Order awaits in this most precious purgatory.

Words by Elizabeth Hazard

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Styling Ellie Grace Cumming Photography Sarah Piantadosi Art Direction Ben Freeman Set Design Hatty Ellis Coward Producer Lauren Ford Sales Harley Almond Hair Styling Cyndia Harvey Makeup Isamaya Ffrench Nails Adam Slee Models Sienna King | Rosie Semple | Mar Sujin | Daniella | Sadie Pinn | Freyja | Sita Abellan | Lara Mcgrath | Anthony | Maja Korneilia Somalia | Isabel Reynolds Lighting Consultant Freddie Bonfanti Additional Photography Lillie Eiger Studio Assistant Black Interns Elouise Hânakene | Elouise Froehly | Lisa Kin | Melissa Goy Production Assistant Stanley Macdonald Styling Assistants Poppie Clinch | Jordan Duddy Set Assistant Alicia Howitt Photo 1st Assistant Ben Breading Photo 2nd Assistant Harry Burner Photo 3rd Assistant Chelsea Jackson Digital OP Tom Griffiths

DILARA FINDIKOGLU Autumn/Winter 2017

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basic-magazine.com Ph t D S oto M M e tyl gra od a sig in p el keu n g hy M p Lo Ga E ar & la la ka i B H A B te el air lex orz rin (A L sa o a ge ub nd va Be nc a ro (@ lin y L Lit va ia sk oo osh (@ mg aya k M ko se al (@ a od (@ tde bo av el lu sig rzo in s) ba n v e_ @ _l mm a) ) st ut or os osc yo hk o fm o) w) ar ib el Se

Headpiece Yana Markova (@yana_markova_art) Shirt Topshop Shorts H&M Bag 4 ICON (@4icon) Shoes N21

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S wathed in ominous dots, bold stripes, and contrasting textures, the lady walks these streets among the glare of a deep, omnipresent, lingering red illumination. The light follows her along her path, as if wanting to know her mystery. She shields herself in patterns and shapes, wandering through this unknown, idiosyncratic town in a dreamlike, psychedelic haze. Where she wanders and what she will find she doesn't know. This is her own mystery to solve.

Words by Elizabeth Hazardw

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Image leftBag & shirt Louis Vuitton Headpiece Yana Markova (@yana_markova_art) Shirt Versace Image rightHeadpiece Yana Markova (@yana_markova_art)

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Shirt Dolce & Gabbana

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Headpiece Yana Markova (@yana_markova_art) Dress Girl Power

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Headpiece Yana Markova (@yana_markova_art) Dress Girl Power

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Dress Yana Markova (@yana_markova_art)

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Spills & spells Photography Juan Pablo Castro @juanpablo.castro Design Fernando Garcia @fernandogarciadesigns Makeup & Hair Eddy Munster @eddymunsterartistry Model Roxy Kulynych @212roxy Agency Front Management @frontmanagement

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Image leftHat Fernando Garcia Gown Fernando Garcia Bag Fernando Garcia Cotton Gloves Fernando Garcia Shoes Available at C Madeleine’s Image rightHat Fernando Garcia Blouse Fernando Garcia Corset Fernando Garcia Cotton Gloves Fernando Garcia (available at Oygen Bal Harbor shops)

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Image left & rightHat Fernando Garcia Leopard Jacket Fernando Garcia High wasisted skirt Fernando Garcia Shoes Charles Jourdan (available at C Madeline's)

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Dress Antonella Petraccaro Jewellery Atoll Palme Faux Fur Shawl Helen Moor

Hat Fernando Garcia Navy Blouse Fernando Garcia Accessories C Madeleine’s

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Wool bonnet Fernando Garcia Dress Fernando Garcia Gloves Christian Dior (available at C Madeline's)

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Hat Fernando Garcia Navy Blouse Fernando Garcia Accessories C Madeleine’s

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Corset top & Shorts Fernando Garcia Shoes, Gloves, Jewelry C Madeline's

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Orange Coat & Gown Fernando Garcia Glasses Paulette Guinet Bag Anne Marie of Paris Shoes Chrisitan Lacroix

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Mohair & Dress Fernando Garcia Shoes Charles Jordan IBR Christian Dior

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Top, Hat & Jewelry Fernando Garcia

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MASÇARA MODERNIST

Photography, Creative Direction, Styling Jasmine De Silva @jasmine_desilva Makeup Shona Adele @shonaxadele Hair Chris Grimley Model Delphi McNicol @delphi_mc Photo Assistant Timothy Ward @togtim Editorial Film available vimeo.com/228689610 Film Maker David PH Hyde

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A

Image leftJumper Shehastwosmallmoons @shehastwosmallmoons_

“I ca n b a rely con ce i ve of a typ e o f beauty i n w hi ch the re i s no me l an ch o ly.”

-Charles Baudelaire

LÀ PETITE

Image rightAccessories Velvet Eccentric @velveteccentric www.velveteccentric.co.uk Shoes H&M

Blue Dress & Underwear George Gurung @officialgeorgegurung

“ I f a l i t t l e dre a mi n g i s da n g e rous, the cur e for i t i s n o t t o drea m l e ss, b u t to dr eam m o r e , t o drea m al l th e ti me .�

- Marcel Proust,

Remembrance of Things Past

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White body piece Daseul Kim @highshuri Stockings Shehastwosmallmoons @shehastwosmallmoons_official Shoes H&M

“B eauty cannot be rec o g n iz e d with a cu rso ry gla n c e . �

- Jean Cocteau

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“I a m a l o n e i n p o sse ssi ng a ke y t o t h i s b a rb a rou s si de sh o w.�

-Arthur Rimbaud

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“ … e ye s so tran sp a ren t th a t th rou g h th e m the so u l i s se e n .”

-Theophile Gautier

Image leftJumper Shehastwosmallmoons @shehastwosmallmoons_ Image rightAccessories Velvet Eccentric @velveteccentric www.velveteccentric.co.uk Shoes H&M

MAISON DE 71

ACCESSORIES

axiom ring

neptun earrings

neptun necklace

ou

y S ee

i m d n ight t a

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Jewelry by:

Marlene Albrecht

Accessory stills Lizzy Li

axiom ring

neptun earrings

jupiter earrings

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ACCESSORIES

neptun necklace

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jupiter earrings

neptun earrings

neptun necklace

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A D V E RTO R I A L

Framed by the Great Pyramids of Egypt, the radiant sunlight reflected off of the satin dress he had gifted her, draped effortlessly over her delicate frame. Her lustrous brown hair swayed gently in the desert breeze and her golden skin was luminous in the afternoon sun. She was the definition of perfection; her beauty - captivating.

In the heart of the Giza Plateau, they stood motionless, gazing upon the monumental structures that lay dormant before them, him by her side, and her by his. Cool and heavy in his palm was the gift he designed to grace her delicate wrist. Grandiose yet perfectly proportioned, distinctive yet refined, and exuding a majestic elegance, Serpente Immortale was to be a symbol of the connection they shared - a connection like no other. The jewel defined the eternity he planned to spend with her. Life, love, and immortality.

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Ra

Moving behind her, he grasped her waist, gently pulling her closer.

Her breath caught on intake and a knowing smile graced his lips.

Her presence, it calmed the storm that grew within him. Her sensual touch brought with it a gentle warmth. And her eyes - they saw him like no others could. He whispered her name against her ear and she sighed softly as each syllable entered her heart. She was content to be in this moment.

Toward him she turned, her almond eyes full of admiration. No words needed be exchanged, for it was these eyes that his heart understood. Within the rich, chocolate depths lay an innocence and a purity, sugared by a playfulness that nothing could dull or destroy; he was captivated. Her eyes tracked his every motion as he slowly turned her palm over and, with his own hand, traced a path down to her wrist.

She was the definition of perfection; her beauty captivating.

He clasped the masterpiece, confident that amidst the magnificence of the pink diamonds and fine Italian gold, she knew the true value of this gift lay in what it represented.

Gracefully, she raised her head, her eyes overflowing with emotion.

On her toes she stood and his hand delicately cupped her sunkissed cheek. Tenderly, he pressed his lips to hers. Forever they would remember this moment.

Images by George Favios www.georgefavios.com

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GIACOMO CIUFOLI

gcluxury.com Giacomo Ciufoli stands loyal to his vision of beauty, quality, and tradition. Since the founding of his brand in 2014, Ciufoli has developed a signature perspective for excellence.

Utilizing a unique material vocabulary - hand-treated shagreen leather, fine 18ct gold, natural pink diamonds - Ciufoli is reinterpreting the world of high jewelry. At just twenty-four years of age, Giacomo Ciufoli is striving to make his mark on the industry with his distinctive designs.

For 2017, Giacomo Ciufoli returns from Egypt bringing us a completely customizable bracelet collection, Ra. Inspired by the captivating mysteries of the country's history, the collection explores Ciufoli's conceptual representation of ancient Egypt.

His fascination for the serpent is portrayed throughout the Ra. collection and unveiled in a resplendent array of delicate designs and breathtaking forms.

The individualistic aesthetic of Ciufoli's work comes from the marriage of classical Italian goldsmith techniques with rare and exotic materials to create contemporary, modern jewels. Each piece is designed by Ciufoli and is meticulously handcrafted in the Piedmont region of Italy. Choose your style and lose yourself in the endless colors and combinations available.

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Photography Viktorija Pashuta Producer Jackson Chong Art Direction Roberta Hall Styling Jesse J. Collections | www.jessejcollections.com Set Design Oye Decova Makeup Jerry Avila Hair Tre Major Photo Assistant Cameron Noel Dunbar Photo Assistant George Adams Executive Assistant Estee Iwaniski Location DELILAH West Hollywood Special Thank You to: John Terzian & Arnold Bustamante Intern Cristian Bueno

Dress Silvana Tedesco Couture Cape Ainee Suhaidi | @aineesuhaidi Jewelry by Norman Silverman Diamonds

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The Old Hollywood Charm of

Interview by Amanda Vandenberg

It’s a summer morning in Los Angeles, and as the temperature surges to start its daily beat down of the city, inside a cool, windowless venue the beat of the music is just starting to swell. Stepping off of Santa Monica Boulevard and into Lady Delilah offers the casual time traveler a glimpse into yesterday’s Hollywood. Art deco fixtures adorn a room that’s all curves and no hard lines, where palm fronds reach to the ceiling, begging for corpse revivers to be sipped underneath. Like most things involving Shiva Safai, the scene exudes elegance.

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the team frames its shots and sets the lights, Safai already sits poised in a makeup chair, the ambient electronica bouncing off the airy arches, blush settees, and champagne chandeliers in which she’s unwittingly framed. She looks soft and serene, makeup-free and skin luminous. She’s a vision, one that appears quite at home.

When Safai begins speaking, any pre-measured assumptions formed by public opinion immediately fall away as fabricated.

She’s rather warm, welcoming, delicately refined. She’s quick to open up, chatting easily. She’s had the practice. Fresh off her first season of Second Wives Club, Safai has stepped into what was already a searching spotlight on her life.

Or maybe magnifying glass would be a more apt term.

Her much-publicized relationship with Mohamed Hadid has

just need to trust us, we want to tell your story.’ I was surprised that it was such a fun and pleasant experience. It was the right decision.

Did the show bring about any close friendships?

Some of us did bond a lot. It was great to have one another. Several of the women went through tough times during the show, and it definitely brought us closer. We are still in touch even though we’ve finished filming.

been ongoing for nearly five years and the curiosity for details has only intensified. After much hesitation, Safai took a leap of faith to put the most intimate parts of her life on nationally televised display. It was a nerve-wracking decision – in part with how quickly (and vocally) people feel free to judge her, especially with the age difference – and yes, she’s sick of the question. But part of the choice was to show just how they worked, saying, “I’ve always felt mature for my age.

This is a great dynamic between me and Mohamed.

He’s just so young at heart. We balance each other out.”

BASIC had the chance to get to know Safai before she stepped in front of the lens, learning a bit more about who

On television, you showcase this almost aspirational, lux lifestyle – your home, wardrobe, experiences – but you still remain really grounded and relatable.

Is that important to you?

That’s the thing – I haven’t changed. I live in a bigger house and the lifestyle may be different, but I’m still the same girl. I like to be hands-on, do things myself, cook and cleanup. None of that has changed.

And I’m so family oriented. Above everything else is my family. I’m very close with my own and to Mohamed’s. Our values are the same. I absolutely love to gather friends and family in our home to create memories, laugh, share stories. It’s always a good time, whether it’s a party of five or of fifty.

she is on and off camera.

The biggest question a lot of people have about reality tv – why? Why open yourself up like that?

It’s scary to share your private life with the rest of the world. But with our families so public and already being so open on social media, I thought that this is a great way to show everyone who we are, why our relationship works, why our family dynamic works the way that it does. It was fun, it was different – it was the right fit for us. The rest of the women and I share common ground, that our husbands and fiancés have all been married before. The show blends family, our own ambitions, our independence. I trusted my producers that they were going to portray me as the person that I am and not make me look like someone else. That was so much of my hesitation – that I would be portrayed as someone else. They said, ‘You

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Now that your life is moving at this whirlwind pace, do you find yourself to be more of a planner, or do you take things day-by-day?

Before, I was definitely more of a planner. But I learned that as life throws you curveballs, you just can’t plan everything. If God has other plans for you – it’s going to happen, right? And after I met Mohamed, I learned the importance of enjoying your life in the now rather than worrying about or planning for a future you can’t guarantee. I guess deep down I’m still a planner, but not as regimented as before. I’m learning to embrace the day-to-day and enjoy the moment.

Dress Silvana Tedesco |@silvanatesciciuture Available @nowshowroom

Shoes Cesare Paciotti Jewelry by Norman Silverman Diamonds

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That’s the thing – I haven’t changed.

I live in a bigger house and the lifestyle may be different, but I’m still the same girl.

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Dress Steven Khalil Jewelry by Norman Silverman Diamonds Shoes by De Blossom Collections Beverly Hills

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Dress Silvana Tedesco |@silvanatesciciuture Available @nowshowroom

Jewelry by Norman Silverman Diamonds

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Are you planning a wedding?

No…see! That’s where we do the day by day! [laughs] I’m so content and happy, and so is he. We might decide that we want to elope and go to Vegas tomorrow, or it might be a beautiful wedding in five years. It will be whatever it is meant to be. We’re perfectly happy already – we feel like we’re married, we live together, we travel together, we do everything together. And we are happier than a lot of married couples! That’s what matters. It’s just a piece of paper.

What influences your fashion choices?

I’ve always been interested in more of a timeless look. If you get timeless pieces – a simple black cocktail dress, a great blazer, a great pair of jeans and a white shirt – you’ll always feel put together. I splurge on staples instead of statement pieces that may only be good for a season. In the future, I maybe want to put together a lifestyle brand, focusing mainly on entertaining and fashion. I want everything to be timeless, classic – with a twist.

Other than classic, how else would you describe your look?

Hmm…I don’t know! How would you describe me? [laughs]

People are so worried about being judged and talked about. And you know, it doesn’t matter.

You can be perfect and people will still have something to say.

Definitely polished. Illustrious. Actually, maybe some Grace Kelly vibes?

I get that all the time! Which I love! It’s funny, when we went to Cannes in May, we stayed in the Grace Kelly suite. I was just in awe with her photos everywhere.

There was one of her with a swan, and we have swans at our house, and I thought, I want a picture like this! [laughs] I haven’t done it yet. But I do want to imitate her.

Who is your target demographic? Who do you hope is following along with your life via social media?

Maybe women in similar situations, women who have gone through a divorce. They can see someone like me and think, oh, she’s been divorced and she’s happy now, she was able to find someone who makes her happy. People are so worried about being judged and talked about. And you know, it doesn’t matter. You can be perfect and people will still have something to say.

That’s one thing I’ve learned. It doesn’t matter what you do or how good of a person you are, people will find ways to judge you. Criticize you. You need to do what makes you happy.

Have you ever let the criticism get to you?

Honestly, in the beginning it was tough. I was new to the whole social media thing and being so open. It just baffled me how people can assume and judge and criticize. But as time went by, I just learned to shrug it off. I’m not here to make other people happy or to please them, it’s about what makes me happy. I think the majority of people know who I really am. And the rest – again, you can’t please everyone.

Whisked away to wardrobe, she steps back onto the scene draped in pieces by Silvana Tedesco that look made for her. Frankly, the photos speak for themselves. Turns out it’s easy to channel Grace Kelly when you’re already cinematic.

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Dress Silvana Tedesco Couture Cape Ainee Suhaidi | @aineesuhaidi Shoes Cesare Paciotti Jewelry by Norman Silverman Diamonds

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I’m not here to make other people happy or to please them, it’s about what makes me happy.

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Dress Silvana Tedesco |@silvanatesciciuture Available @nowshowroom

Jewelry by Norman Silverman Diamonds

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Andrea Photography Gian Andrea di Stefano @gianandreadistefano Styling Mahfoud Laaziz @Black_Jesus_Amen_Fashion Makeup Juan Jaar using Mac @juanjaar

Hair F.Wayne for Christo 5th Ave using Christocurlisto @hairbyf_wayne Model Cristina Piccone @crispiccone

Lone wolf

This lone wolf neither leads nor follows. She fights her own battles, and crowns her own champ. She wakes with the joy of autonomy, and rests knowing she's been true to herself. Both triumphs and failures are hers alone. Her eyes tell a story, one she has penned. She traverses in worlds unknown without ever getting lost. Comfortable in any scene, in every role.

Words by Juliet Bennett Rylah

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Imag leftJacket Vintage Image rightJacket Vintage Bras Another Stories Shorts & belt Dolce & Gabbana Shoes Vintage Balmain Jewelry Stylist’s Own Boxing gloves Vintage

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Image leftJacket Moschino Underwear Gucci Vintage Jewelry Stylist’s Own Image rightTop Dolce & Gabbana Pants Moschino Jeans Jewelry Stylist Own

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Image leftCoat Tom Ford Bag Trussardi Image rightJacket Vintage Leather Jacket Pants Marithe Francois Girbaud

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Blazer Etro Shoes Topshop

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POPOVY DOLLS

Words by Emily Nimptsch | Interview translation by Xenia Leo

With whimsical, avant-garde outfits, elaborately braided, equestrian-inspired hairstyles, and hyper-realistic “imperfections,” including freckles, uneven smiles, and bushy eyebrows, Ekaterina and Elena Popovy’s ball joint dolls are nothing like the cheery, wholesome, and allAmerican figurines of our collective childhoods. These handmade, hand-painted creations stand empowered and fearless in their unabashed sense of self-expression.

Hailing from Perm, Russia, these obscenely-talented twin sisters and co-collaborators have been experimenting with fashion, drawing, and photography since their teenage years. They recently chatted with BASIC Magazine about their many passions and how they stitch them all together to create these awe-inspiringly detailed doll collections.

Looking back on their upbringing, the Popovy sisters reveal, "Our father’s interest in photography had a huge impact on us...

The whole film printing process seemed almost magic. As soon as Dad gave us our first camera, we were hooked." Their fascination with the daring expression of fashion later took them to Ural State Academy of Architecture and Arts in Yekaterinburg, Russia. There, they began experimenting with making pieces

themselves, and starting in 2004, the duo got into the business of doll creation, styling, and photography.

Ekaterina and Elena truly enjoy working on these collectibles as a team, “We can honestly say we have never had any difficult or unsolvable problems. Let’s just say we’re lucky, and everything has always gone rather smoothly for us. When any idea pops up in one of us, we work on it together until it reaches perfection.” Relying on and inspiring each other in this pursuit, they debut only one collection of 10-15 dolls per year due to the required months of intensive labor.

The creative process for their collections is indeed very involved. The Popovy twins typically start out with one unifying theme. Previous motifs have included royalty, birds, and even

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“When any idea pops up in one of us, we work on it together until it reaches perfection” Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Every single detail – the dolls’ gestures, characteristics, and costume designs – are planned with sketches from nearly every conceivable angle.

“We think through the whole image and personality of the doll from beginning to end. We think through the whole collection – makeup, clothes, the expression. It’s always interesting to look back at the photographs and see if the doll ended up with the personality we planned from the beginning or not.”

After deciding on details, plaster casts and a final polyurethane version of the dolls are made. Originally created in parts, the head and the body are painstakingly painted with gossamer-thin layers. Aiming to make these dolls look as human as possible, they are all given f lushed cheeks, bold makeup, and eyelashes.

Once finished, the dolls are posed with the help of their f lexible ball joints and photographed like f lesh-and-blood models. Resembling elegant ballerinas, they bend and contort into experimental, high fashion poses.

Their pioneering, nuanced costume designs tap into something euphoric and sublime. All of the dolls are clad in hand-cut, stitched, and beaded lingerie numbers and avant-garde ensembles straight off the runway. It comes as no surprise that these artisans are inf luenced by famed fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier. They reveal, “He inspires us as a person, artist, and painter, and we were so excited to be asked to create a couple of dolls for him – we’re actually working on them right now. He likes our style and it’s been incredible that he hasn’t put any limits or boundaries on our creative process. There were some details he liked a lot – tattoos,

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makeup preferences – but overall, he’s given us total freedom, which is so inspiring.”

On top of this collaboration, the Popovy sisters recently designed music video costumes and a doll for renowned South African hiphop group, Die Antwoord. Seemingly an ideal match, the Popovy sisters were thrilled to work with the group.

“When they started preparing for their music video, they asked us to sketch their costumes. It was so light and creative chatting with them. We were excited to offer to make a doll for them – they’re perfectly emblematic of our style. Little details we’re attracted to – a tiny gap between front teeth or small bat ears – fit so easily with Yolandi’s (the group’s female vocalist) image – it’s all so picturesque.”

When asked what their goal is in making these dolls, the twins admit, “We want to activate just one feeling – goosebumps. If they happen, we know that what we’ve created has 100% worked.

We love to people-watch at our exhibitions. And it happens time to time that we’re approached by visitors who tell us that they have goosebumps all over their skin. That happiness can’t be explained. It’s like when we’re listening to music and the goose bumps happen, when you know just how deep the melody has struck your soul. That’s how we want our work to be.” Through their meticulous drawing, sculpting, painting, and photography, as well as their exquisite ensembles and emphasis on eccentricity and confidence, the Popovy sisters achieve this “wow” factor, creating unforgettable works that stir the soul and inspire inner strength.

It’s always interesting to look back at the photographs and see if the doll ended up with the personality we planned from the beginning or not.

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Black Top @nowshowroom Earrings Marlene Albrecht Jewelry @thetrendhaus Lingerie Agent Provocateur Shoes Cesare Paciotti Scarf @thetrendhaus

BASIC REBEL

Photography Viktorija Pashuta Producer Jackson Chong Styling Jesse J www.jessejcollections.com Set Design Oye Decova Makeup Jennifer Malasczuk Hair Selena Acost Model Irina Dedyuk

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Jacket D&G Cat Suite Amore for Dogs.com available @thetrendhaus Jewelry Charlie Lapson Shoes Cesare Paciotti Beverly Hills

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Dress Sarmy Studios Jewelry, clutch & shoes @thetrendhaus Belt Marianna Harutunian

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Body suit Nasty Gal Neck choker @thetrendhaus Head Cover Jessejcollections.com Jewelry Charlie Lapson Pants Silvana Tedesco Couture Shoes Cesare Paciotti Beverly Hills

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This Season on the Runways Illustrations by Shibo Chen Words by Elizabeth Hazard

Ann Demeulemeester The transparent lace of Ann Demeulemeester’s designs cannot hide all tragedy. Mystery and intrigue draw us into her melancholy, and this calamitous spirit is what the brand is known for. Sébastien Meaner, Creative Director, spoke of the AW17 looks, “This is a very romantic girl who mixes all her lace and old garments.” Demuelemeester’s

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Sophia Webster Sophia Webster’s designs are feminine, bold, and flirtatious.

Nature surrounds this bashful woman of extravagance like a cocoon.

Webster's shoe and accessory collections are whimsical, playful and girly, enveloped into one. Her latest collection for AW17 takes flight with an emphasis on her signature butterfly and, most especially, its wings.

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Ryan Lo Chains and animal print play havoc in Ryan Lo’s designs. She appears fierce and ready to play with fire.

With ice-cold eyes of white, she forcefully stares down opposition.

Her hair acts as both her weapon and her protection; this woman is one to be feared. Lo's collection mixes camouflage-printed hats with floral, flirty dresses, and even introduced a Hello Kitty collaboration - quite a sharp contrast.

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Jun Takahashi Jun Takahashi’s avant-garde designs with Undercover take center stage in this illustration, combining style with nature. Black-and-white stripes mixed with the boldly hued red of her bow contrast with the horned headpiece sitting atop her head. She appears as a modern day fairy, navigating a magical, mystical woods. The Tokyo-based label's recent collection presents a utopian microcosm, with different outfits representing various tribes within that new world order. For a brand to have celebrated its 25th anniversary two years ago, it's clear it hasn't out-aged itself or reached a lull in creativity.

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Delpozo Bold colors and art-inspired vibes are apparent in Delpozo and Creative Director Josep Font’s Fall/ Winter collection for 2017. The architect-turned-designer exhibits his expert use of shape and size.

Here, the feather-like, stainedglass-colored embellishments on the hooded hat leave no question that its wearer is not afraid to make a fashion statement. Here, old meets new and portrays a vintage-loving woman who can still modernize her look with a coveted accessory. Delpozo's recent collection is a bright, masculine-andmodern approach to the classics.

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Junya Watanabe Designer Junya Watanabe goes punk in this latest collection.

Tartan and studded chokers present a new-age goth for the next generation. Here, the eyes of the youth are shielded from reality, offering a time of exploration and self expression - all that the punk era represented for the youth of the past. Watanabe has always been known for his innovative style and futuristic designs. This latest collection shows that in some ways, the future is destined to repeat the past.

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RED IS

SEXY!

Photography & Art Direction Domenico Donadio @domenicodonadiofotografo Styling Carmen Incarnato @carmen.incarnato Makeup & Hair Giulia Ronzoni @giuliartist94 Model Lexie @lexiekolossov Agency-Ice Models Milan @icemodelsmilan Location Milan, Italy

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Jacket Zara Skirt Naf Naf Tights Wolford Shoes Stonefly Necklace Accessorize

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MALLIE Just Relax

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Earrings Accessorize Necklace Le Carose Panty & Tights Wolford Jacket Zara Bracelets Just Cavalli

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Earrings Accessorize Necklace Le Carose Panty & Tights Wolford Jacket Zara Bracelets Just Cavalli Pump Valentino

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MALLIE

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Just Relax Cigarette and coffee

Earrings Accessorize Necklace Accessorize Skirt Isabel Marant Panty & Tights Wolford Bag Aldo

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Jewels Accessorize Necklace Accessorize

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MM AA L L ILEI E

Just Relax Cigarette and coffee

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Trench K-way Jewels Accessorize Tights Wolford Shoes Valentino

Wardrobe by Zeynep Kartel, Moschino, Cheap & Chic, 2nd Day, Tatty Devine, Mrs. Miller, Christian Louboutin,

A

RE IN AS D

ELLEZ B E

Mawi, Vivienne Westwood, Just Cavalli, J- Won, Noel Stewart, A.Morir, Fyodor Golan, BACK, Zeynep Tosun , Burberry, Gosia Baczynska, Micheal Van Der Ham, La Perla, Moschino, Philosophy, Lele Sadough, Charlotte Olympia, Dolce & Gabbana , Faustine Steinmetz, Fitarani, Tommy Hilfiger, Pebble London, Cornelia Webb, Paint it Red, Natasha Zinko, Vintage Ossie Clark, Ashish, Paul Andrew, Shourouk, Paule Ka, Anne Sofie Madsen

ls ai

iam Pri or

A r t Direction Diana Gomez // Sty lin gS abrin d ito a Henry // Cine r Xiao-Wei Lu // Makeup Claudi mat ne og B l de y F l / rap o / t s w l e h d o e man // Hair Mar rs M l Hilda Lee, Next M c h i a Le cQ u eens e / // Photo Assistan /N tL

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ns// M o tke

Pebb les Ai

Patri cia

Pho to

aphy & gr ani // E Vil

Retro-inspired polka dots, leopard print, neon hues, and violencia - these beauty queen beauties are not all that meets the eye. Venezuelan-born photographer Diana Gomez creates striking images with themes of political conflict found in her native Caracas. This gruesome motif is contrasted against cheery florals and pageant princess imagery, giving her pieces a strong social message. It’s in her signature bright, exuberant color palette that Gomez reveals the resilience found in femininity and optimism.

Words by Emily Nimptsch

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VIOLENCIA VIOLENCIA

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Words by Amanda Vandenberg

Illustrations by Maria Veronica

BUILDERS OF WORLDS

Regularly, the world feels pinned by the weight of uncertainty, and there are moments when it hits harder than others. The way the earth is hurtling through time and space recurrently leaves us scrambling to sink our nails into something, hold on for just a moment that is long enough to feel again like we are driving ourselves rather than being taken along for a ride. But the earth is carrying us, often too quickly, and completely involuntarily.

And so we make plans. We set goals.

We write to diaries. We dream. We follow paths. We sometimes get lost and we have to start again. We have existential conversations drunk in bars with strangers. We decide what we want to be. We try to be it. We try to find ourselves. We go backpacking through Europe.

We work for money. We sleep less. We buy more. We move. We nest. We develop hobbies. We form connections. We make love. We have children, or adopt dogs. We get older. We feel confused. We get caught in routine. We become trapped. We have crises. And the world starts to pick up speed.

A favorite line from Italian cinema once said, “You must demand to live

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in a better world. Don’t be content to merely survive.”

Maybe it is when you are merely surviving that it feels most as though the world has carried you off.

Maybe a better world is one that you strive to build for yourself.

World Builders are the revolutionaries who somehow outpace the premeasured ellipse this rock rolls along. They fall into three distinct categories – the Advancers, the Collaborators, and the Creators – and each is distinctive, reflecting what a person views as most important in this short lifetime.

They are not determined by aptitudes or the unwittingly found path – it is intrinsically what is believed to be the purest of pursuits.

And by sheer striving, they build a better world.

For those who know their path, let this serve as a toast. And for those who are unsure which to choose, let this guide serve as inspiration – a way to slow the turn of the world. By all means necessary, begin building.

THE CREATORS

Those who preserve the soul of being human cre-a-tor

[kree-ey-ter] Adj:

prolific, aesthetic, spirited, imaginative, metaphysical, grandiose, astral

Career examples:

artists, philosophers, dancers, musicians, storytellers

Driving question:

What is the point of life if there is no expression of self?

Historically, the Creators were Historically, the Creators were the first to ask unanswerable questions: who are we, why are we here, what is the point of anything at all? Creators were the universe becoming conscious of itself. And so they passed down allegories, preserved history, formalized memory keeping, and gave faces to gods and goddesses.

They asked ‘what-if,’ thought about form as well as function, painted the Lascaux Caves, adorned temples, and conceived of individuality.

The questions, the stories, the differential take on myths and the self caused others to think differently, recognize kinship, make associations, feel something. Collaborators believe in constructing bridges and using abstracted means to comment on the human condition.

People who choose this world above others cannot stand to see dormancy of self or mind.

You will choose this world if you are drawn to the idea of

a soul in bloom. You believe in the radical exchange of ideas, the pushing of mental boundaries, the truest form of expression from emotion.

When words are not enough, you sing. While others may label the pursuits of a Creator as ‘fluff’ without direct causative purpose, you recognize these varied reflections as what make humans so singularly special.

You are curious, and place stock in the journey rather than the results. Creators

take the fragmentation of thought and feeling and unify them. They see, process, and provide commentary. Creators, ultimately, inform humanness.

Why are Creators important today? Being human has become increasingly formulaic.

Though varied across cultures, there are marked milestones leading from birth to adolescence to adulthood that we are expected to achieve.

Creators disrupt that process.

They are the individuals who,

in a world of expectation and ready-had information, keep us seeking to be surprised and inspired. Something currently inconceivable could become a quality of identity for millions tomorrow. There are certain phenomena of culture that now seem descriptively indivisible from the summary of our species as a whole. The next development lays dormant in the daydreams of today’s Creator.

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col-lab-o-rate-ors

[kuh-lab-uh-reyt-ors] Adj:

compassionate, empathetic, selfless, unwavering, heroic, altruistic, dauntless

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THE COLLABORATORS Those who work to help populations thrive Historically, the Collaborators were the glue that kept communities together. They preserved the life of the species, keeping us thriving from generation to generation. Collaborators honor traditions, are fiercely loyal, and leave no man behind. They run towards commotion and into the flames. They see service as a duty, and never put their own well-being above the well-being of the many.

Collaborators realize that humankind cannot shine if there are still those weak and disenfranchised among us. Motive for innovation is often rooted in the good it will do for others – immunizations against disease, devices to purify drinking water, methods of recognizing when someone is hurting, physically and emotionally. A collaborator will never resist getting involved.

People who choose this world above others cannot stand to see injustice.

You will choose this world if you are restless and tired of disparity.

When disaster strikes, you give yourself over to the cause. You are the friend voted most reliable, most honorable, most likely to stand up for your beliefs whatever the consequences. You have faith in the power of one person making a difference. People will often call them heroes, but to Collaborators, it is about the work above the acclaim.

They understand the ripple effect, the interconnectedness that makes every interaction a crossroads to do good or to do nothing.

Collaborators always get up to fight another day.

Why are Collaborators important today? It is easy in contemporary society to feel isolated, especially when it is often that the greatest daily one-on-one relationship individuals have is with a screen.

Suddenly, the most accessible critique of villainy is done from the comfort of a couch, and it becomes rare to take direct action.

Collaborators stop us from staying too comfortable. Now that we have the potential to be connected more than ever, Collaborators will be sure to put those resources to most effective use. At this moment, it is Collaborators who are keeping communities that have taken centuries to build from bursting asunder.

CAREER EXAMPLES: doctors, relief workers, firefighters, counselors, fitness coaches

DRIVING QUESTION: What is the point of life if it everyone is not taken care of?

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THE ADVANCERS Those who keep civilization moving forward

CAREER EXAMPLES: entrepreneurs, scientists, researchers, architects, explorers

DRIVING QUESTION: What is the point of life if it all remains the same?

Historically, the Advancers were the visionaries. They evolved us, discovered fire, made the first weapons, and built the first towns.

They helped us beat the odds and survive. They searched for new lands, better opportunities, and innovative ways of bettering life on scales previously unfathomed. Some preferred war, but many sought peace. The eyes of the Advancer are constantly fixed at the horizon. They’re naturally born leaders, likely to get into politics, make scientific breakthroughs, or discover new planets. Advancers build us skyward. They’re striving to do more, know more, and reach further than those who ever came before them. They’re the puzzle solvers, the structure builders, the innovators. Their ethos is ‘let the great work begin.’

People who choose this world above others cannot stand to see stagnancy.

You will choose this world if the grass is greener where you are standing, because you can make something grow with the tools you are given. You will choose this world if you are a planner, a strategizer, a recognizer of gaps in technology, efficiency, and means of production. You are an Advancer if you believe humankind’s best years are ahead of us. Advancers can see the world becoming darker and formulate a plan to brighten it. The future is laid out before Advancers like an open road and they visualize the infinite steps ahead not as they are, but rather what they could come to be.

Why are Advancers important today? Sometimes it feels as though the world has become very small. Foreign lands have been mapped, modern languages have been translated, and all of the visible world has been named. But this can’t be it. This can’t be as far as we get. Advancers are necessary for seeing ahead. The world may seem small, but it is now that space has become limiting that Advancers are needed more than ever. When resources run dry, new threats emerge, and current technology fails, it will be the Advancers who, quite literally, save the day. Today, Advancers are already preparing for tomorrow.

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Choosing one of these paths today means choosing to take a stand.

It is a rallying attempt to save ourselves and our existence from monotony, boredom, lifelessness, and dormancy. Building worlds is meant for those striving, those who understand that merely surviving is not enough. You are a Creator/ a Collaborator/ an Advancer if you are compelled to make something rather than being consumed by nothingness. As historic trail blazers also understood, building your own world means having the limitless sky as your only witness. Perhaps we are meant to rebel against all we know in pursuit of all that is possible. basic-magazine.com

ad-vance-ers

[ad-van-sers] Adj:

ingenious, original, productive, causative, resourceful, experimental, investigative

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NULLIUS IN VERBA words in the wind words in the wind Photography Viktorija Pashuta Styling Oye Decova Makeup Aurora Galarza Hair Lachanda Gatson Nails Pilar Lafargue Model Nete @ IEG Models Retoucher Shadow Illusionist

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Futuristic Helmet Rinaldy A. Yunardi White flux top & panties Dead Lotus Large white bow shoulder piece Rinaldy A. Yunardi White leather leg pieces YVY

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Warrior helmet Leather Designs Corset On Aura Tout Vu Floux panties Dead Lotus Silver velvet boots AMI Clubwear Choker Little Rooms

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Futuristic Helmet Rinaldy A. Yunardi White flux top & panties Dead Lotus Large white bow shoulder piece Rinaldy A. Yunardi White leather leg pieces YVY

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Corset Bjorn Van Den Berg Gloves Majestic Black

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Corset & boots Bjorn Van Den Berg Gloves Majestic Black

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Futuristic Helmet Rinaldy A. Yunardi White flux top & panties Dead Lotus Large white bow shoulder piece Rinaldy A. Yunardi White leather leg pieces YVY Woven Sassari heals Thom Solo

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White cape On Aura Tout Vu White lingerie Daydream Nation Copper metallic shoes AMI Clubwear Gloves with gold nails Le Snob

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the invisible wo r l d of

e w a pol k ows k a Interview by Amanda Vandenberg

Designer Ewa Polkowska Photography Aldona Kaczmarczyk Editing Dominik Herman Makeup Martyna Nowak-Sadowska Models Monika Mech | Weronika Zebrowska Assistant Maciej Nimojewski | Zofia Kulig

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E

voking the quietly devastating beauty of the wild, the designs of Polish born Ewa Polkowska take textural appliques, predawn

hues, and organic silhouettes to create transformative

garments so alive you can almost feel them breathing.

Like a wind of mysterious origin, they’ve roused from the dormancy of millennia, hatchlings of the barren desert or the abyssal sediments of emerald green seas. They pulled the earth around them as they stood and took it as their traveling cloak. Wherever they came from, there is no escaping their connection to the terrestrial.

The biggest surprise of Invisible World may come not from its air of mythos, but its derivation from microbiology. The tessellations, shapes, fabric, and colors are all operating on a level of connectedness happening just out of everyday sightline. Though her work may look like slices of a fantasy, they are made all the more fantastical by being based on science rather than legend.

The resulting collection is clean, unique, and innovative while retaining an emboldened femininity. Fresh from debuting her collection at Copenhagen Fashion Week, Polkowska spoke with BASIC about the ins and outs of her erudite pieces, as well as her long-term plans for the future of design.

Can you start by explaining where your collection derived its title?

I wanted to do a project for the future. And as I was looking for inspiration, I realized that there is this inner, tacit beauty around us that is maybe not visible to our eyes. The reason why I call my collection 'Invisible World'it's named for what's not frist seen.I collaborated with biotechnologists to understand how the world looks under a microscope. From what I saw, I created my textiles and the shape of my pieces. This is the innovative part – it’s something not typically visible, but just as beautiful as things readily seen. Invisible World is like a message – you can look for hidden things existing, their hidden potential.

The shapes and colors of your pieces feel so light and organic, how were they conceived?

The shapes were taken primarily from sketches of orchids. I transformed them in different ways – for example, the sweater, the patterned jacket. I then decided to dig deeper and created the actual tex

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tiles. If you look at the dress with metal

the microscopic. Can you tell us about the

rings – it’s made from recycled plastic bottles.

fabric primarily used in your collection?

I collaborated with a company to make a

I did the project using milk fiber. People

are going to buy it anyways. So they could be buying things that are sustainable. I think it’s the future, and it’s the message of my collection.

It’s new, but it’s the responsible design. People

special pattern, much like the world under a

drink milk everyday, but no one really thinks

microscope with all the circles. The different

about how there could be an alternate use for

are scared to say ‘sustainability.’ It’s too big. The

sized molecules connected by rings reflect how

it. Maybe we can create a fabric – from milk!

industry isn’t going to change in a year; it’s not

not everything is regular under a microscope.

The production of the fiber doesn’t use much

possible, especially financially. But I want to

You’ll see different sizes connected in different

water. It addresses waste, and along with using

use my collection to show how nice milk fiber

ways – there are open spaces and you can see

recycled plastic bottles, the collection takes on

can look. A lot of people hear sustainability and

transparency underneath.

a sustainability aspect. People will look at these

think that it must be oversized, that it means

clothes and no one will see the invisible world –

baggy or not really feminine. And that’s not

‘Worlds Within’ exhibition in London, about

the world that we have under a microscope that

my collection at all. It’s tailored, it’s feminine,

revealing the patterns of plants on a very small

actually is the innovation possible within the

and a little bit sexy of course. But still, it’s

scale. When you’re mixing plants under a

fashion industry.

The colors were inspired by the Rob Kessler

microscope, everything is transparent. So if you want to get colors – it’s pretty cool actually – you see if you can create a new DNA of the plant. When there’s a reaction, the colors are created. Color change means something is happening. Based on these reactions, we dyed all the colors ourselves.

The theme of more-than-meets the eye goes even beyond the shapes beneath

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Why would you say that sustainability is especially important for the fashion world to adopt?

The designers are the most responsible ones for deciding what the customer is going to buy. If we are going to be making amazing clothes with new innovations – and we have the possibilities – it will be cool and people

sustainable – so it’s possible. It’s not just a collection. It’s better for the planet.

I did the project using milk fiber. People drink milk everyday, but no one really thinks about how there could be an alternate use for it.

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Concept/art direction/ fashion Justyna Mysior @justynamysior Photography Elle Sillanpaa @lildippa Makeup & HairAsta Gost @astagost Model Sara d’Ettorre @sara_dett Assistant Monika Banasinska @monika_gabriela

SEARCHING FOR THE SELF AUTHENTICITY The awareness of the authenticity of our behavior should be considered in the process of searching for the self. We should have the ability to distinguish between what is important and what is irrelevant, what is real and what is artificial, what is own and indispensable and what is extraneous. basic-magazine.com

Image leftWool coat The West Village Vinyl jacket Maison Martin Margiela Leggings Religion Belt Warehouse Sequined beret Forever 21 Petrol patent shoes Unisa Ankle boots Daisy Street Image rightLeather crop top Alexander McQueen White blouse Vintage Stud detail jeans Pull&Bear Skirt Junya Watanabe Chunky hardware heels Asos Fedora hat Sacred Hawk Beaded headpiece Vintage

SELF-REALIZATION &DEVELOPMENT

SELF-REALIZATION The essence of self-realization is the awareness that we are the authors of our existence and we are responsible for it. The process of self-realization often emerges through the intentional or unconscious decisions we make in our life; by evaluating our decisions we confront the results of our choices, our satisfactions and disappointments, the pleasant and the difficult situations we created for ourselves.

Crop jacket Asos Red trousers Daks London Baby blue skirt S by Sun Brown ankle boots Victor&Rolf Hats Bernstock Speirs

HUMAN BEING AS AN ENTITY

HUMAN BEING Our thoughts, feelings, memories, dreams, plans and our corporeality create a whole. We are not able to understand ourselves if we analyze parts of ourselves separately; we are indivisible, unified entities.

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STEREOTYPES

STEREOTYPES Sometimes it is worth breaking with convention and the repeated patterns in our behavior. When our anticipations, thoughts and creations are results of convention our way of seeing the world is narrow and limited.

Polka dot dress Marc by Marc Jacobs Sapphire cardigan handmade Bag worn as a hat Russell and Bromley

Maxi skirt Anna Sui Penguin skirt Lafayette vintage Padded skirt & dress Ermanno Scervino Arm warmers Handmade Green waistcoat Tunnel Shoes Justyna Mysior

OPENNESS Do not attach yourself to a former image of the self. Start discovering yourself each day anew.

Open up to the unfamiliar, to new sensations, to unaccustomed perspectives - step outside of your comfort zone.

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ENVIRONMENT VS SELF

Woolen coat Handmade Woolen trouserss S by Sun Leg warmers & scarf Handmade Blue sleeves Tvort Wedge shoes Office

CO R R E L AT I O N B E T W E E N T H E ENVIRONMENT & THE SELF Searching for the self should not take place in isolation; we should explore our relationship to and our interaction with the world and our surroundings. Changes made in ourselves mean changes in these interactions, and changes in the world evoke changes in our behavior. It is important to be a participant in the world with the ability to see our own footprints in life.

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Connect

The Knots

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Photography Debora Barnaba Makup & Hair Fancesca Maffi Model Mari Bel

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Dress & Headpiece Snake Charmer Black Lotus Clothing

Photography Sequoia Emmanuelle Styling Stylist Jessica Jessica Huerta Huerta Makeup Julie Brooks Hair Victor Mendoza Black Lotus Clothing in collaboration with Michael Aiello basic-magazine.com

TESS HOLLIDAY ON THE PATH TO BECOMING BRA ZEN Interview by Morgan Mantilla

Tess Holliday glows like a warm hearth. A woman emanating light and gumption, she envelops you in her big-hearted aura all at once. She is both beauty and thorns: soft and sweet in essence, but not foolish enough to be left without defenses. Holliday’s tenderness is accompanied by the wisdom and grit of a difficult past, equipping her with the ability to be simultaneously fiercely strong and gentle. With empathy and determination, she fights for the abolishment of society’s restrictive beauty standards. In with diversity! In with women of all sizes! In with unapologetic icons! With the stroke of a hashtag, she ignited the flames of a bold new movement, #Eff YourBeautyStandards, her crown jewel. As the ever bodacious model/author/mother/activist grows more empowered by the minute, BASIC sat down to chat with this BASIC Rebel herself.

Sharing all those personal stories in your book, was that difficult to write? Or was it

What attracts you to the fashion world?

Do you love that I’m smearing peanut

What do you think the world needs more of?

butter on bread with my finger while you ask me

I think that we’re moving in the right direction. But I

about fashion? [laughs] I love fashion, I always

wish that companies wouldn’t use people as props to get

It was really difficult to write. It was actually

have. When I was a kid, we didn’t have much

followers. Because they’re tuned into the fact that we

much harder than I thought it was going to be. It

of it where I was from. Being in Mississippi,

want to see more diversity and more representation

was cathartic in some ways, but when I was talking

we wouldn’t get stuff until like four years after

for all kinds of people, sometimes I feel like brands

about my childhood and all the things that I went

it was trendy. I’ve always really liked that you

take advantage of that. While I think it’s important

through, that was tough. I thought that I was past

can be whatever you want to be. I like that you

to have the visibility, it’s also important for people to

all of the stuff that shaped me into who I am, good

can transform, and that it’s glamorous and fun. I

realize that it’s not just a catchphrase – it’s an actual

or bad. When I talked about my father, and the abuse

just wish there was more diversity. More work

thing, it’s an actual movement. I wish people would

that my mother and I went through, it brought up

can always be done in the size department.

educate themselves more on what that means, if it

feelings that I wasn’t really anticipating. Especially in

interests them. I’m still learning and growing in the

my relationships, I found myself getting triggered by

body positive community, in terms of self-love and

things that wouldn’t normally upset me. Then I had

all that. I think we need a lot more sensitivity and

to remind myself that when I started writing the book,

Who inspires you?

I’m obviously very inspired by Miss Piggy. I like people that are larger than life. I like people that

People who aren’t afraid to be themselves, unapologetically.

cathartic?

compassion for other people because there is a lot

I had just had my last child, so he was maybe three

push against society’s standards of beauty. I know

of shit going on in the world right now, especially

months old. I was nursing, and I was super hormonal.

that Miss Piggy is a Muppet, but she is who she is

in America. It’s really sad. For marginalized groups,

I don’t recommend that anyone start writing a book

and she owns it. Dolly Parton, too – she’s just so

there are not enough people speaking up against what

when you have a three month old. But even though

unapologetic about who she is. I’m also inspired

is going on. I think a lot of people are afraid to say

that made writing it that much harder, I still got so

by my followers. I meet so many people from all

something. But now is the time to push back and change

much out of the experience overall. In the end, I

over the world that are doing their own thing

things and lift each other up.

and I think, ‘Why do you like me? You’re way cooler than me!’

You are especially known for your #EffYourBeautyStandards movement – what else would you like to be known for?

I don’t know actually. I think I would just like

found writing the book to be really empowering, and I’ve learned a lot about myself. I would probably do it

Would you say you have been more molded by the things you have been through, or by the

again. I would love to write another book, just under different circumstances.

things you have strived to become?

It’s probably what I’ve been through on the journey to become who I am. I’m a child of abuse.

I have a lot of trauma in my life that I’m even now

to be known as someone who did their own thing

still trying to overcome. I’ve had a very tumultuous

and empowered other people. I’m known in all

life, which is why I decided to write a book. I

these ways—I have my clothing line, I’m an author,

thought maybe other people can relate to what I’ve

I’m a mom, I’m an activist, I’m a model—and still,

been through. I know it’s a journey and not necessarily

I feel like it’s weird to even identify as all that

a destination, and we’re always changing and evolving.

stuff because, at the end of the day, I just hope to

I still have a lot to learn. Sometimes I feel like even

inspire people. As long as they see me and know

when I’m doing my best, I’m just barely keeping my

that they can do whatever they want, then that’s

head above water. Sometimes I feel like I have it all

all I really care about.

figured out.

What do you think the future of the concept of beauty looks like?

I think that could be subjective. I’ve talked a lot about diversit y. It would be great if there could be someone that ever yone identified with, because representation is important. Not only girls that are plus size, but someone from the LGBTQ+ communit y, or people of color – things like that. Even people that are not able-bodied. Including all of that is important to showing that beaut y isn’t just one thing. It’s a lot of different things, and it means a lot of different

I think it would be great if there could be someone that everyone identified with because representation is important.

things to different people. My definition of beauty is different than someone else’s. It would be really great for kids coming up in the world to not feel as alone.

Which textile do you feel best describes your essence: silk, leather, denim?

To be honest, it depends on my mood. Sometimes I’m soft, sometimes I’m rough. I can be a little obnoxious and stubborn and annoying. But I also know that I mean well and that I have a good heart and I always try to be the best that I can be. So I’d probably just be a combination of silk and leather.

I’m very much like the memes you see where it’s like I either wear all pink or all black. That’s me. I even have pink and black on right now. [laughs]

What has surprised you the most about becoming a mother?

I feel like parenting is just 24/7 guilt. Like there is so much pressure and there is so much guilt. Am I doing this right?

Am I screwing them up for the rest of their lives? You realize that you’re the person that’s completely responsible for how this person grows up. I don’t want to be the reason that they’re in therapy for the rest of their lives. I really try and find a balance with working and being a mom and spending time with them. I don’t want my kids to feel like I was in the makeup chair 24/7 working. It’s so much pressure to make sure that you are educating them on the things that you feel are important. I am responsible for how this person comes up in the world, and I want them to be a contributing member of society and a good person. But I know that I only have so much control over that. I do my best but I still wonder whether I’m doing the right thing. I hope I’m doing a good job, but only time will tell. I think personally that’s what I focus on most – my relationships.

Success and everything is great, but I never want to make the relationships around me suffer because I’m so focused on my career.

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Black Lotus Clothing in collaboration with Michael Aiello

ARTISTS

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Artist c7/ Hiroko Shiina Title Renbo Woman Website http://c-7-shiina.tumblr.com

Artist Tran Nquyen @mynameistran Title The Door-Maker's Daughter II Website www.mynameistran.com

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ARTISTS

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Artist Allen Williams @I_JustDraw Title Oracle Study Website www.allenwilliamsstudio.com

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ARTISTS

Artist Marina Mika @marina.mika Title The Ice Maiden Website www.behance.net/marinamika

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Artist

Patricia Ariel @patriciaariel

Title The Snake and the Moon Website www.patricia-ariel.com

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HEROES

H.E.R Photography Cameron Noel Dunbar @ R3dglasses Ltd.

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RAJIV UTTAMCHANDANI INTERVIEW BY JULIET BENNETT RYLAH

"IT SHOOK THE NATION AND IT SHOOK THE WORLD. AFTER IT HAPPENED, I SAID, 'I CAN'T STAND IDLY BY AND KEEP TRYING TO ACHIEVE MY OWN DREAMS”

Rajiv Uttamchandani has seen much of the world: he

"It shook the nation and it shook the world. After it

is Indian by nationality, was born in the Philippines,

happened, I said, 'I can't stand idly by and keep

and lived in Hong Kong before moving to Los Angeles

trying to achieve my own dreams.’”

in 2003. As the founder of the International STEM Society for Human Rights (ISSHR)—a nonprofit

He began volunteering for various organizations,

that incorporates science and technology into

donating, and "signing Change.org petitions left

solutions for eradicating violence against women

and right," but it wasn't enough. While important,

and children—he also travels the globe frequently.

Uttamchandani kept feeling that he needed to

Yet he began his career in astrophysics, looking

do more than "comfort zone" advocacy. Then, in

far beyond Earth as he researched solar storms

August of 2014, terrorist organization ISIS raided

and sun spots. Then, a pair of shocking headlines

Sinjar, a town in Northern Iraq, murdering men and

caused him to pivot into activism.

enslaving women and children. Horrified by the news once more, Uttamchandani began to have

Uttamchandani had been working in academia,

increasingly negative thoughts about humanity and

teaching science courses at New York Film

the amount of evil in the world until a monumental

Academy, when it happened. While he enjoyed

conversation with a friend.

teaching aspiring artists these challenging subjects, he said he soon "became increasingly concerned

"He said something I have never forgotten, something

with social issues overall, especially pertaining to

I will take to the grave. Focus on the solution, not the

violence against women and girls."

problem. And that is exactly what I did."

This came to a head for Uttamchandani on

Uttamchandani decided to use his background in

December 16, 2012. On that date, 23-year-old Jyoti

science and technology in pursuit of those solutions

Singh and her friend, Awindra Pratap Pandey, were

and founded ISSHR in January of 2015. ISSHR has

attacked on a private bus in Delhi, India by six men

multiple chapters and initiatives, including research

they had never met before. Pandey was beaten, but

into the root causes of violence, and a variety of

survived. Singh, however, was raped and beaten

projects under the umbrella of H.E.R. (Humanity

with such viciousness that she died in a Singapore

Education & Rights).

hospital on the 29th. The case received global attention due to its unfathomable brutality.

One of the biggest pieces is H.E.R Rescue. It's a smartphone app that can be activated by voice

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“I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT A LOT OF REAL SOCIAL AND GRASSROOTS CHANGE CAN COME FROM FORMER VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND ABUSE THEMSELVES”

or touch when the user feels threatened. The app

“I firmly believe that a lot of real social and grassroots

begins recording audio and video, which it uploads

change can come from former victims of human

to a cloud server. It also sends GPS coordinates and

trafficking and abuse themselves,” he said. “It’s very

other pertinent information to local law enforcement,

empowering to know that you can use your experience

and sends a distress text and email to emergency

and make sure that nobody else experiences the same

contacts. The app even makes a note of the user's

thing.”

battery and signal strength.

You can join Uttamchandani by becoming a volunteer, The app launched in India in August of 2016 and

or purchasing items from the H.E.R. Apparel clothing

is poised to launch as a pilot program in San Diego

line. Launched September 14, the clothing is gender-

once approved by the Department of Justice.

neutral and made from organic hemp harvested by

Uttamchandani said users will eventually be able to

women in Northern India. Uttamchandani hopes

use the same app in other parts of the world, without

to market the clothes to men specifically "because

downloading additional versions.

we want men to be more comfortable with the idea of supporting women's rights [and] being called a

"There have been a number of cases [in India] where

feminist." As the line expands, the goal is to employ

there has been a violent situation, the app is activated,

and empower even more women.

and police come," he said. "If [the user] had not had this product, who knows what would have happened? I tell my team that even if we have one success story, all of the finances, energy, and time that we spent on this has been worth it."

Uttamchandani also volunteers his time to shelters and safe houses in L.A., San Diego, and India, offering science education (which may be applied towards a degree), guidance, and mentorship to homeless and trafficked youth. Long-term goals include establishing relationships with victimized women and children, providing education and employment services to ensure future success and freedom from trafficking, and empowering them to help others in similar situations.

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rajiv@hersummit.org

COLOR EVOCATIVE Photography Heath Grout @heathmgrout Styling Jiv D @jivomir.domoustchiev Makeup & Hair Ezio Diaferia Model Sierra Sisti

F

orm and function converge with Bulgarian-born, London-based designer Jivomir Domoustchiev’s hand-made, whimsical separates.

His avant-garde pieces combine muliebrous, Victorian-inspired details, such as bridal veils, high collars, and garters with masculine elements, such as PVC, rivets, straps, and exaggerated, militaristic epaulettes. His work also features a distinctively American aura with star-emblazoned denim shirts. Resembling armor with their heavily structured aesthetic, Domoustchiev’s androgynous designs reveal the modern woman to be among the fiercest of warriors.

Words by Emily Nimptsch

Blazer Iro Clear vinyl dress Jivomir Domostchiev Shear net dress Topshop Trousers Topman

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Shirt Topshop Boyfried jeans Topshop

Photographer // Weronika Mamot Make-up // Lisa Marie Model // Jess Davis Stylist // Barbara Mamot Top Maurie & Eve 1979

Pants White closet Pants

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COLOR EVOCATIVE

F

orm and function converge with Bulgarian-born, London-based designer Jivomir Domoustchiev’s hand-made, whimsical separates. His avant-garde pieces combine muliebrous, Victorianinspired details, such as bridal veils, high collars, and garters with masculine elements, such as PVC, rivets, straps, and exaggerated, militaristic epaulettes. His work also features a distinctively American aura with star-emblazoned denim shirts. Resembling armor with their heavily structured aesthetic, Domoustchiev’s androgynous designs reveal the modern woman to be among the fiercest of warriors.

Words by Emily Nimptsch

Image LeftHoody Weekday Clear studded cape Jivomir Domostchiev Shoes Asos

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Image RightRed waxed jacket Vintage Boudicca Red vinyl dress Jivomir Domostchiev Gloves Vintage

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