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deuxhommesmag.com
...is a digital publication that features a curated list of emerging designers in the luxury sportswear, avant-garde, and high-end streetwear markets. Founded by Jared Robin and Carlos Basora, Deux Hommes brings to light designers who are frequently overshadowed by mainstream fashion brands.
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BLACK MASS, DMITRY BRYLEV IN FLORIAN WOWRETZKO by Brent Chua OUR MISSION
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CONTENTS
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FOREWORD (LETTER FROM EDITORS)
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ANTI-HUMAN FEATURING BRADLEY SOILEAU by Hector Perez
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TAILORING FASHION’S DESTINY, PARSONS MFA by Amy Vosejpka
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BOYS IN THE HOOD, JESSICA WALSH by Hector Perez
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CULT OF DARK DREAMERS, INTERVIEW WITH JONNY COTA by Yasamin Rahmanparast
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APOCALYPTIC ROMANCE, SKINGRAFT by Alanna Gilbert
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CHI-TOWN’S GOLDEN SON, INTERVIEW WITH CHAZ A. JORDAN by Amy Vosejpka
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AMOUR PLATONIQUE, AU COURANT by Marcus Cooper
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A FAROESE WORLD OF WONDERS, BARBARA I GONGINI INTERVIEW by Marlo Saalmink
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UNORTHODOX STYLISH MEN, CHAPTER, ELAINE, LUI AND PYER MOSS by Brent Chua FLYING HIGH, INTERVIEW WITH STEVEN TAI by Amy Vosejpka
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A NEW BORN DYNAMIC DUO, INTERVIEW WITH STRATEAS.CARLUCCI by Malcolm Thomas
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BLACK MASS, FLORIAN WOWRETZKO by Brent Chua
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Jared Robin
Editor in Chief Carlos Basora
Creative Director FASHION
Fashion Editor Amy Vosejpka Fashion Advisor Brent Chua Special Features Marlo Saalmink Assistant Stylist Peter Donald ART
Design Director Socrates Gomez Art Director James Mao Art Assistant Desyree Thomas MARKETING/PUBLIC RELATIONS
Marketing Director Emily Elliott Marketing Assistant Monica Su Public Relations Associate Melissa Nyarko, Nancy Robb TECHNOLOGY
Director of Technology Peter Ligeiro FASHION CONTRIBUTORS Hiba Ali, Melanie Aman, Rufus Barkley, Danielle Bullen, Tori Douglas, Alexandra Gamez, Christopher Hall, Kiara Montgomery, Sarah Ng, Yasamin Rahmanparast, Lauren Saccone, Lisa Seyton, Malcolm Thomas
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editors’ letter
IN YOUR HAND YOU ARE HOLDING THE CULMINATION OF EVERYTHING DEUX HOMMES IS ABOUT: fashion,
art, photography, and the feel good story of young designers given an opportunity to battle goliath on even ground. A ton of blood, sweat, and tears have gone into this, believe us. It is our responsibility to make every person featured on our site, in our magazine, on our social media, and all of you reading this, proud. Fashion may not have another opportunity like it has today to change. The fight in fashion for emerging talent to get discovered,
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survive, and make a living is real. Interviewing Bei Kuo (Parsons MFA) we are faced with a girl with a substantial skillset and talent, yet one who is fearful of what the future holds. Major mainstream publications have featured her collection, yet no companies have come calling, and she is unsure of her next step….and her garments are phenomenal! Chaz Jordan of Au Courant tells stories of knocking on doors in France, begging for a chance to learn design, not knowing very much French. He’s ok fighting the powers that be, and seeing the determination in his eyes makes us
enthused about what will happen next. Young designers are what drive us. The amount of talent is endless, and we feel the sheer energy of these young men and women, who are on the verge of pushing through. We want to be the support system that those before them did not have, one that paves the way to a level of success and recognition that was elusive and unreachable for mostly all that came before. Right now, our first issue, our first step in a long battle to revolutionize and change fashion, is in your hands.
Deux Hommes thanks you, but so do the hundreds of talented design visionaries who desperately want to be seen and heard. As you turn the pages, read their stories, and view our editorials, we hope that you, too, will become enamored with what we have dedicated our lives to.
Jared and Carlos DEUX HOMMES
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INTERVIEW
a faroese world of wonders
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Barbara I Gongini EVERY NOW AND THEN, ONE MEETS AN INDIVIDUAL SO UNIQUE AND SINCERELY PERCEPTIVE. CAREFULLY
chosen words, resonate calmly, are spoken with intent and accompanied by hand gestures underlining polite understatements, always supported by a powerful yet open gaze. These elements shaped my first encounter with Barbara I Gongini, creator of her eponymous label, several years ago. Ever since, I have felt drawn to her intriguing universe: a collage of mindfulness, set in lush monotones, always referring to her ancestry of the Faroe Islands. Simply enough reasons to share her ideology here.
Barbara, let’s begin at your origins. What led you to where you are today? Well, as you know, I grew up in the Faroe Islands. An astounding place, with a raging nature and unique seasonal shift. As a creative, I always had a strong sense for design and architecture.
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Therefore, this became a natural pursuit for me. My education brought me to Denmark, and Copenhagen is the city where I reside today and where I officially launched my brand in 2005 – yes, we are indeed approaching a decade in 2015.
Hooking into that, as mentioned, to me the Faroe Islands are a magical place. What inspires you in their character and how do you incorporate these elements into your collections? The architectural landscape of the islands and all the elements of mother nature are intertwined. Soil and climate have a direct impact on the people in the community, both their moods as well as their garment and shielding selections. These aspects have transcended into a certain tangible shape or form in my creations. For instance, the volatile and swift shifting climate in the North Atlantic forces one to layer up and huddle down
Interviewed by Marlo Saalmink Photography by Nicky de Silva
in garments to take cover. This fact has resulted in my designs being rich on multi-functionality, where a single garment can fulfill several functions as well as grant various looks. As a result, a design emerges with a prolonged life-cycle that can be revoked years to come.
all elements in juxtaposition. You will find designs in the coming collection built upon, for instance leather, cotton, silks and sheers. Each collection forms another chapter in the design process, noting expression and utility simultaneously.
Lets speak a little of SS15, the collection you just presented in Copenhagen and Paris. Could you tell me about the textures, fabrics and general feel behind the garments?
Indeed, you told me once that you work from a wardrobing concept, with each collection a functional interchangeable continuation of prior ones. Could you describe this to our readers?
As the sustainability principle is a vital pillar within our design DNA, we strive on a continuous basis to work with eco-friendly solutions, which is having a direct effect on the choice of fabric composition. As our collections rest within the darker spectrum of the monochromatic color palette that we work with, the focus therefore lies on tactility within the fabric range, textures and surfaces, as well as its ultimate function, with
Well, this wardrobing concept entails longevity, as our collections are based on a numerical order. The numerical order implies that our collections are not trend based per say, but rather part of a continuous playful imaginative tale of craftsmanship that breaths freedom of expression. Therefore, the designs in our collections have inter-relevance and fit with the previous, current, as well as the future collections to come.
BARBARA I GONGINI SPRING SUMMER 2015 COLLECTION (THROUGHOUT)
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The key in our designs is such, that once you strip down our look from its multiple layers to their individual elements, you can discover an endless range of possibilities; from minimalistic and casual, to urban and street smart, to raw and edgy, to romantic and intricate, and so forth. It is a poetic beauty that takes various shapes depending how it comes together, which to me is the richness of our designs. Our garments are not static but instead put forward an open source for experimentation and customization, allowing for individual freedom of expression. This is what wardrobing implies-a conceptualization that never goes out of style and where our wearers, whomever they are, can find a Barbara garment that fits their personal aesthetics. I welcome anybody to explore what we do if they feel ever so inclined.
What immediately connected for me was a sense of environmental care, with a clear focus on sustainable futures. How far do you take this into account and work this into the production process? In practical terms, we will most likely never become a 100% sustainable brand for factual reasons. Nonetheless, we take pride in rating our collections according to our sustainability factors. This means we constantly strive to minimize
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our production footprint whilst working with more eco-friendly fabric solutions that will not compromise the sake of our design aesthetic. For me it is important to take action towards corporate responsibility, which is key to sustain our planet. It should be something undertaken holistically within the business by all actors in the industry.
When I read about your work, you are often dabbling in arts and music as well. In short, from where do you gain insights and inspiration? Various movements rise from other creative scenes such as music, film, and art of all its forms. Each element grants me a sense of current direction and input that later, in a particular state, take action in my tangible creations. It is during this modular phase that the creative nerve can strike anywhere along the spectrum.
Also important is to speak a little of your menswear and womenswear collections. Could you describe the differences and connections and why you decided to separate these from each other? As we are navigators of the avant-garde realm, our focus lies on functional design between the sexes where androgyny is the key word. Our brand DNA is centered on the strength of individual and
not on sex or sexual orientation, societal order or other normative pressures. Having said this, we have nonetheless divided the creative focus between the masculine and feminine collection, where the essence of inter-changeable elements are still entailed, but the split was necessary for pure functional reasons in order for our creations to be suitable for a range of different body types.
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anti-human Unconventional threads of fearless silhouettes.
Photography by Hector Perez Styled by Carlos Basora
top GENERAL IDEA shorts DG NAK BY KANG D footwear CINZIA ARAIA necklace DIRTY HANDS JEWELRY
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top GENERAL IDEA shorts DG NAK BY KANG D footwear CINZIA ARAIA necklace DIRTY HANDS JEWELRY
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top GENERAL IDEA footwear CINZIA ARAIA necklace DIRTY HANDS
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top + shorts DG NAK BY KANG D footwear CINZIA ARAIA
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top DG NAK BY KANG D vest GENERAL IDEA
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top GENERAL IDEA pants SONS OF HEROES footwear CINZIA ARAIA necklace DIRTY HANDS JEWELRY
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top + jacket GENERAL IDEA necklace DIRTY HANDS JEWELRY
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top GENERAL IDEA pants SONS OF HEROES footwear CINZIA ARAIA
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top+ pants GENERAL IDEA footwear CINZIA ARAIA
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top GENERAL IDEA long top D G NAK BY KANG D footwear CINZIA ARAIA necklace DIRTY HANDS JEWELRY grooming JEN NAVARRO (JUMP MANAGEMENT) model BRADLEY SOILEAU deuxhommesmag.com
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tailoring fashion’s destiny... PARSONS MFA
a
Shelley Fox A RESUME COMPRISED OF
ACCOMPLISHMENTS EQUIVALENT TO SCORES OF LIFETIMES, SHELLEY FOX, THE
DONNA KARAN PROFESSOR
of Fashion and the Director of the MFA Fashion Design and Society program at the prestigious Parsons The New School for Design in New York City, has not only masterfully created and launched the Parsons MFA program in 2010, but also singlehandedly births some of the fashion industry’s most talented emerging designers. Fox, the wonderfully
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soft-spoken and rigorously determined former knitwear designer, invited Deux Hommes onto her stomping grounds to shed light on fashion as a business, her student-turnedstar industry players, and her DIY 80s era of beloved silver screen dresses.
Hi Shelley, it is such a pleasure to sit down with you! To get right to it, how did you choose Parsons for your professional career? I had no plans to come to
Interviewed by Amy Vosejpka Contributing Writer Kiara Montgomery
New York. I didn’t plan to come to Parsons. About eight years ago, somebody randomly sent an email my way saying, “Do you think this is of interest to you?” I was based in London and was working at University of Westminster part-time as a Director of an MA fashion program and as a researcher at Central Saint Martins. Looking back now, I think it was an interesting proposal that flew across the computer because it hadn’t crossed my mind. What they were trying to propose with
the MFA didn’t exist in New York or America. I thought I could make a difference if they let me do what I wanted to do with it. The whole process was like a blank piece of paper. It was my vision, what I felt it needed to be. So I wrote the program, and we had to have it approved by the New York State Education Department. Then we had to recruit and promote.
The first class was in Sepdeuxhommesmag.com
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M I G U EL V I LL A LO BO S
PARSONS MFA
tailoring fashion’s destiny... tember 2010. Out of that class, who would you say was the star?
Fashion At Belsay Northumbria, 2004
That’s a good question! We had some great students that year! In terms of who was a star, there were a few. It wasn’t one, but I think there were some serious highlights. Talia Shuvalov is now the head knitwear designer at Alexander Wang. Carly Ellis went to DKNY immediately, and Karou Oshima joined Ralph Lauren. Ruby Hoette went on to set up a new MA at Goldsmiths University. I thought it was brave of them to take someone who just graduated and set up a MA in Fashion Presentation. Not really so much as design but around fashion film presentation, performance, and photography. They headhunted specifically when they realized she’d come from this program.
K E I T H PA I SL EY
Why are Parsons designers better than anyone else in the world?
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(LAUGHS). I’m going to be controversial to Parsons now. I don’t know if Parsons designers are the best in the world. I think it’s down to the individual, what they want from a program, how they situate themselves in the city, and how they apply themselves. Speaking about the [Parsons] MFA, I think we provide really solid research, encourage them to dig deep into themselves, teach them how to think and how to engage with the industry––not to follow the
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LO N V A N KE UL EN
industry but how to learn from it––and learn from the people who have been really generous and given their time, materials, money, and expertise. But I also think New York is not so forgiving a city. It’s not gentle, but I think the students navigate their way around that. They’re quite robust individuals; they hit the ground running. They need to like New York or at least be able to deal with it. Not everyone can which is interesting. You get these unassuming, quite shy, very quiet students, and I’m like, “how do they deal with it?” They deal with everything thrown at them. In a way, this city is a really important factor. I always see it as an extension of its studio. Again, when we took some of those students in from the very first year, we’ve done that consistently since. There’s been people that have never done fashion, coming from an artist background, architecture, one was a medical practitioner dealing with cancer patients in China, but it’s a combination of speaking with them, seeing some of their work, where they want to work, and what their ambitions are. I have to have a gut feeling. After awhile, you have to eliminate so many things and just take a risk, and hopefully it’s an educated risk. You are in a way curating this group of people that will also learn from each other. I’m a big believer
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that I didn’t learn everything from college tutors, but rather a lot from my fellow students because you’re holding it together, you’re insecure, and you’re not sure. Then you have a group of people around you who you can reach out and ask them the questions. A support system is apart of the whole thing.
Braille Collection London, 1998
What are the biggest differences between your program at Parsons and the one at Central Saint Martins? When I came to New York, I thought, “Well, I was trained at Central Saint Martins in fashion, I taught on the BFA program there, I’ve done lectures there, and I understand their training.” The great deal that Louise [Wilson, Professor of Fashion MA] brought to that program, I really understood it. There was no point in bringing that replica to New York. For one, it wouldn’t work—it’s a very different city. But I also felt that Saint Martins didn’t provide other languages or tools for the students, and it was really important for me to write into the program photography, film, fashion presentation, looking at archives, giving the students another voice, and helping them navigate another way to explain their work through film or photography. It’s not to make them photographers because you can’t do that in such a short span of time,
but I was trying to get them to understand the language of collaboration and a different way to show their work to the world. Not everybody has x amount of money to show runway, and maybe it’s not the right medium for some collections. Maybe some collections need mediums through film. We have a course called Design in Fashion Systems where we bring in someone special, like Sarah Broach, who has experience in the industry for 20 years. We try and help the students understand the industry as it is; it’s huge. How does Calvin Klein work? How does a company that big with that amount of labels, that amount of production, that amount of distribution worldwide? We try to get them to figure out where they sit with all of this. They’re
never going to know it all, but it’s really great to bring these amazing players together. We’re also trying to build the students into being creative directors [for when they become independent designers or whether they work for companies], and with the experiences, they will eventually become that. They need to be able to wear each hat and understand what it requires in order to source the right people.
How do you feel Parsons and your students are impacting the fashion world, especially in the short period of time your program has been established? In terms of impacting, it’s hard to know. I’m such an impatient person because I can see it
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clearly from the beginning, like “Why not hire these people from the first moment?” I realize things take time and they just need time to climatise. With that said, education has taken notice, headhunters, and people that hire. I’ve been having conversations with creative directors in New York, and I think they’re very understanding of what we do now and coming to us directly which is great. The students have been employed or picked up for certain things. They’re coming to us right away for freelance. Globally, they’ve really started to take notice.
What is the trend direction you see in the future of fashion through your students’ works? Fabric development and technology. Fabrics have been really, really key. After awhile it’s the thing that differentiates one designer from another. All of the designers in the world get their fabrics from Premiere Vision from Paris, and they’re looking at four football pitches worth of fabric, and they’re all looking at the same thing. So how are they going to differentiate themselves from each other or stand out? How are they going to find their identity? That’s one thing we work with the students very early on––to be obsessive with fabrics. We don’t have extensive machin-
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ery, although we recently had a Swarovski work lab donated to the MFA through their scholarship scheme as well as a small knitwear lab, but it’s just about how the students think and develop their ideas.
Aside from the limitations on machinery, what are some other obstacles you face with the program? And how do you think you can build it to be a more impactful program? At the moment, it’s managing the numbers. So far, we’ve not been pressured to increase [the number of students] because that would change the teaching completely. It’s a very personal one-on-one with the students’ mentorship. You can still find other mentors, but they’d have to be the right people. It’s finding the people you trust to teach at that level. It’s hard to describe them other than saying that the things they reference your regular trained fashion person, would never reference those kinds of things. I really always want those kinds of people involved in the program because that’s kind of how I trained. My husband’s an artist, and I spent more of my time in the photography department with the fine art students when I was studying fashion, annoying them, “Show me how to do that!” then apply what I learned to fabric prints. I was never in the studio where I
was supposed to be; I was always wandering off. Even when I was a knitwear designer, I was always in the print room taking up all the print screens, which would drive the print students mad. I was like, “I got here first.” But Saint Martins was like that too; whoever got there first, it was like sink or swim. I don’t do that to my students, but I tell them that is the reality of the world. If you don’t get on it quickly, someone’s going to take your place. It’s just to get them to think broader and bring it back to clothes later. But if you start with clothes in the way that some of them do, you may end up regurgitating some of the things you already know.
How have you been perceived by America and the American fashion industry? People in the UK say it was a no brainer that they hired me, and it was so smart of them to do that. The people I’ve met in the industry, Americans as well, have been wonderfully open actually. New York is a city built on immigration and some of the top hires [in the industry] are British. It’s a city that allows you to do things that you can’t do at home. It has an open nest, and Americans are very open. That’s my experience so far. In the context of this program, in New York, it’s always what can we do for you, and how can we help. New York City’s an interesting city because
it’s always changing, but they have this legacy, and it’s not going away. America’s couture is the jean, the sweatshirt, the t-shirt, the sneaker. That is the couture of America.
Have you seen the fashion industry pay closer attention to what’s coming out now as well as in schools? We’ve seen a big change actually. Interest is building up with really strong people–– stylists, companies, designers, creative directors. But last year was really interesting, and it was our hardest year. We had an amazing response from the people. I wouldn’t know this unless my students told me, but in the last two weeks we had Alastair McKimm call in one entire collection to shoot a cover story in Paris. Students have had their work shot by Katie Grand for Love Magazine, Craig McDean and Jane How for Vogue UK and Self-Service, Lucinda Chambers called in work for Vogue UK, and recently, Collier Schorr for Document Magazine. In the last 20 years, fashion has been very fashionable to study. There are many colleges doing fashion, maybe too many or not enough doing it well, in my opinion. The industry needs to support this talent, and I think they recognize that it’s not just about designers, but also about the
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E LLI E LA Y C O C K
Philadelphia Florist Exhibition London, 2005 photographers, stylists, and fashion film, too, that have become aware of different working patterns. We all need to check ourselves every so often to see if we’re relevant. There are companies who still want to be relevant, and they want to feel fresh.
What’s your favorite fashion decade? It’s hard. I would say early 80s. It was always about DIY. It was during that period where you could never find what you wanted in the high street because there wasn’t one really except in the thrift shops. They were filled with cheap 30s and 40s clothes, and that’s how I learned about fashion. I was obsessed with that era and all of those silver screen dresses. All of the
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working class as well as couture, they all looked so stylish in the 40s, whether you had money or not. That sense of style was so interesting. I had so many 40s and 30s tea dresses when I was 18, because they were so cheap. I knew how they were constructed, and it taught me so much about fabric and cut. Early 80s was important for me because that’s when I found myself as a designer or at least understood that it was possible as something I wanted to do with my life. We only had three magazines when I was a student: i-D, The Face, and Blitz. i-D was a style magazine, The Face was a music magazine, and Blitz came out of Taboo and
club culture—it didn’t last very long. I wish my students knew what that felt like; there was no Internet, hardly any magazines. You had to look forward to when it was going to get delivered, so you could go and get it––and that excitement––I’m not trying to be nostalgic, but that moment was precious.
Alexander McQueen or Alexander Wang? I do have a soft spot for McQueen—and this isn’t an opposition to Wang. I think McQueen’s a rare bird. He was well trained and had this incredible vision. He was an expert in knowing what he needed around him. He knew he couldn’t get to where he needed to be without those people. He was a true
collaborator with the people he worked with. He was also able to generate a lot of loyalty. He was able to communicate his vision in his own way, obviously, and used so many interesting references. He made fashion seem possible again in London for me. He opened up London to become important again in the early 90s. I remember going to Saint Martins and saying, “Where is everyone going?” And they said, “to the McQueen show.” The shows were raw, hardcore, no rules. Some of the students in our year used to model for him. It was just this powerful moment that put London back on the map. He made designers think, “I can do this as well.”
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PARSONS MFA
tailoring fashion’s destiny...
tomorrow is the end of the world
t
Bei Kuo THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE NEVER GOES UNNOTICED, EVEN WHEN ITS CHARACTERS ARE FOREIGN. Recent
Parsons graduate and designer, Bei Kuo, births a heartsick love story through a combination of Taiwanese-inspired, poetic verses, neoprene, and mirroring metallics. Though mysterious, Kuo openly expresses the creative direction behind her Spring Summer 2015 collection, why she chose Parsons, and the realities of being a new designer.
Your collection had a futuristic undercurrent to it. What was the exact inspiration behind it? Honestly, it wasn’t my intention to make my collection be futuristic I guess. All of my collections relate to my relationships with people and my memories. I [also] start-
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Interviewed by Amy Vosejpka
ed out being inspired by art then the concept of religion. I wanted to create my own religion using my own language. I wanted to have a group of people of people where we have the same ideas. I want to disappear and have the ability to be invisible. That’s how my concept started.
You imprinted your collection with words and symbols. Is that a language? It is a language from Taiwan. I played with Google translations, because I wanted to create my own religion and own language. I translated English words into Chinese, [one being] “I am falling in love with you, but you do not exist.” There are a lot of Chinese chants on my garments, but sometimes Google translations miss the meaning. I have
all of these comments on my Instagram and pictures from people who speak proper Chinese saying “this is not correct grammar, this is completely wrong. Why can’t they find someone who knows Chinese before they make this garment and everything?” But I don’t want anyone to really understand the meaning behind it. There are some things I don’t want to tell people. I want to erase this part of my life. I put it out there, but I don’t want people to know.
I moved here two years ago just for Parsons, for school, and then before that I just stayed in Taiwan [for a long time]. It’s actually really straightforward. I didn’t want to work in Taiwan or Asia. I wanted a masters degree, and Parsons and Central Saint Martins had that. In America, if you are an international student and graduate from school, you can get a one-year working visa. [However] it’s really hard for an international student to get a job in the UK.
Does your Taiwanese culture influence you as a designer?
It is always very interesting for me to see women designing men’s clothing. What do you enjoy about that verses women’s?
Naturally, my culture influences me a lot. I’ve been in Taiwan for 20 years. It’s hard to not be influenced by my own culture.
When did you move to the US? Why Parsons?
At first, I just wanted to do something different. I don’t really know why I wanted to do menswear. Boys are cute.
BEI KUO GRADUATION COLLECTION 2014 (THROUGHOUT)
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PARSONS MFA
tailoring fashion’s destiny... (LAUGHS) I guess that’s why I tried it. For menswear, it’s all about details and proportion [versus womenswear]. I think they’re really different. And I really love to look at all of the details like the pockets, and the shape, and then the proportion. The pattern is really different from womenswear–– any tiny detail and every single line and it becomes completely different. So yeah. And then boys are cute. (LAUGHS)
You just graduated and are starting out in every sense. Are you going to jump right into designing and establishing your own label or work for another house first? What is in your near future? Actually, it really freaks me out, and I don’t know what to do. (LAUGHS) I’m like freaking out everyday. Yeah––I’m just freaking out because I have no idea what to do. I still want to create something––but my own label, right now at this point, if there’s no investor or business partner, I can’t do it. I don’t even know anything about business, so how can I learn to deal with my money? I don’t have money because I just graduated. So I need someone to do it. Every label has designers, someone who is in charge of the money and business. I need someone to do that for me because I’m the designer. I don’t know
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business or PR or have connections––I design.
What are some of your worries or fears as a young designer? All of my friends, we’ve just graduated. But really, I don’t think anyone has been approached by or really had any job offers or job interviews so far, and it’s just like what are we gonna do? And that’s why I keep freaking out like everyday. People keep sending me messages saying “oh, I love your collection” and I’m like “oh, give me a job!” (LAUGHS) That’s what I think in my mind.
So would failing to find a job be one of your fears? Sometimes you just have to get a part-time job. You just have to pay your rent. That’s why I’m designing right now. I really, really love my family–– they are completely cool with me being unemployed, and believe I can do anything. My family’s alright. They are not at the point where they are super wealthy to tell me to establish my own label. I don’t have that kind of money. I need to find myself a full-time job and then get a corporate job. I just have to put myself together.
What do you like to do outside of designing? What are your hobbies? Right now, I’m really into illustration.
photography by CHRISTINE HAHN stylist NICOLE LAM models COREY MCDONALD + KHOREY MCDONALD (RE:QUEST) contributing writer KIARA MONTGOMERY
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PARSONS MFA
tailoring fashion’s destiny...
pragmatic intelligence
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Jessica Walsh A DEEPLY INSTILLED WISDOM SPANNING WAY BEYOND HER YEARS, MENSWEAR DESIGNER, JESSICA WALSH, HYPNOTIZES THE INDUSTRY WITH HER
pragmatic intelligence and subtle dark romanticism. Walsh, a recent Parsons MFA graduate, assiduously turned the world into her oyster, unapologetically seizing opportunities that she befittingly deserves. At a budding age of 24, Walsh speaks with brazen conviction on the issues with the New York City fashion scene, the future for her eponymous label, and the perfect reverie she is slowly making into a reality.
You are originally from Britain. What are the strongest differences between the USA and England in regards to how they view and nurture emerging designers
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Interviewed by Amy Vosejpka
They are 2 completely different approaches, I feel, and that’s down to so many different factors that, as an emerging designer, can influence the way you not only approach your work but the way it is viewed and received. Those old titles for each city—London is always creative and New York is about the money—is also a good example of how young talent is nurtured in each city. New York lacks a platform for emerging talent to be recognized—not just recognized for 5 minutes—and allowed to grow. I think now this is not only becoming transparent but addressed. I can also say though that NY makes me want to attack and approach how you can get your work out there. Collaborating, social channels, it’s changing and it’s changing the way designers are found. This is good but for me, it’s about building a label,
one that crosses between London’s outlook on fashion and the influences that can be placed in a NY landscape.
You graduated from the University of Westminster in London with your BA before coming to New York City. Why did you choose Parsons to complete your MFA? For the unknown, to some extent. I didn’t even know what Parsons was before I applied to the course. It was the opinions of friends and the landscape of the city that really pushed me to apply and move to NY. I had interned the summer before [in New York], and during my BA collection, I kept wishing to be sitting in NY riding the subway at 4am. Parsons fell into place at the right time for me.
How has the Parsons MFA program furthered
your career? There is a really great light on the program, having been the first one in the USA. It has changed the way people might view designers graduating from American schools, which is important. It has been started on a really good foundation with interest from figures in and around New York and the attention is about sustaining the program and the students, wanting us to work in a way that is very real and focused. So from that, the interest is inquisitive because people need to see the work to really understand what were doing and that has created opportunities in ways that would not have fallen into place before.
You have worked for some of the most influential designers of our time, including Marc Jacobs and Gareth Pugh. deuxhommesmag.com
What did you learn from them and who was the biggest influence on you as an artist? It’s really hard to summarize what I learned from each designer. I went in with such wide eyes that I wanted to learn and see the way a designer works. It’s powerful to see someone you admire work and be apart of the process. I loved the way a designer was in their environment. For a minute, you’re entering someone’s world as an artist. We’re all so visual you can really formulate and see connections between a brand and a person, which is huge for me. You need to know why you’re doing something.
You are currently working on a pretty exciting project. How did this partnership come about and what has the experience been like so far? I can’t expand too much directly on the project but I can say the opportunity just kind of dropped in my lap. To join a team of individuals who all work on their own labels and collections, whether that’s directly fashion or not, is inspiring. I get to face challenges that I would not have been presented with working by myself, and it has me thinking in ways that I haven’t had too before.
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Following this, whom would you love to collaborate with and on what? I really want to collaborate with photographers and visual artists while I am researching and designing a collection rather than them being implemented at the end of the story. I want to continue developing research rich collections the way I researched my graduating collection. The research is a continuous line, an invisible thread throughout. The photos that I took of the boys, these aren’t just the references but the body and soul of my work.
You debuted at NYFW this past September. What is next for the Jessica Walsh label? Where do you see yourself as well as your brand going? I want to start building my brand and selling not only as pieces, but also as a visual communication, a language of my work. Selling doesn’t necessarily mean sales. I hate going shopping, and I don’t want to just present a product to buy online or walk in and out of the shop. These are things I am thinking about and considering in the next steps that I take.
Name your dream vacation? Russia, taking the trans-Siberian railway. I have been planning this trip since I was 16 [years old].
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boys
in the hood
Step into the pragmatic designs of Jessica Walsh. Photography by Hector Perez Styled by Carlos Basora
JESSICA WALSH GRADUATION COLLECTION 2014 (THROUGHOUT)
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grooming by LEGEND AT WILHELMINA models left to right ADAM KAZSEWSKI (ADAM MODELS), DAJE BARBOUR (DNA), MASOOD AHMAD (FUSION) + ALEXANDER DOMINGUEZ (RED)
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INTERVIEW
cult of dark dreamers An intimate chat with Jonny Cota.
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A FEW MOONS AGO WE INTRODUCED YOU TO THE BEAUTIFUL, DARK SPECTACLE ON THE CUSP OF SUPERSTARDOM THAT IS SKINGRAFT DESIGNS.
Despite juggling a honeymoon, jet lag between two hemispheres, and crafting a Spring 2015 collection, we got the chance to get a bit more acquainted with SKINGRAFT’s creative mastermind. From his early musings as a prepubescent suburban goth to his transformation from avid raver to circus performer to finally fashion designer, we dug a little deeper to connect the dots and see how his brain ticks. Without further ado —drumroll, please— Mr. Jonny Cota.
Describe your brand in five words. Cult of future dark dreamers.
In previous interviews, you’ve spoken about the importance of the element of fantasy in your designs. How do you
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Interviewed by Yasamin Rahmanparast Photography by Randy Brooke manifest that fantasy in the concept, in the silhouettes… somewhere else? I tap into “fantasy” for Skingraft’s aesthetic in many different ways. For me, fantasy is a daydream of other places, times, and ways of thinking that don’t fit into the conventional ideas of everyday fashion. Fantasy allows me to write our own story and create our unique fashion narrative.
Why design? Why not? I think that all design--whether its music, fashion, architecture, etc.--comes from people who visualize exciting possibilities in their heads but can’t find those ideas already manifested in their surroundings. For me, I design because I have my own unique take on style and aesthetics which I can’t find in the marketplace so we create our own. My first designs were held together with staples in middle school because I was trying desperately to be a freaky little goth boy in a con-
servative suburban area where that aesthetic was impossible to find in stores so it had to be self-created.
What drew you to your past life in the circus? I started sewing in college and my designs were very “out there” and otherworldly. I frequented raves and festivals and underground parties throughout my teen and college years, and I was always in costumes and weird alien clothes. So the day that I met my eccentric circus family it felt like one of the most natural fits in the world, and they trained me with the skills to join them and perform on the circus tours.
Where does the darkness in SKINGRAFT originate? Why has it stuck? Do you foresee a shift away from this direction in the future? I’ve worn black almost everyday for the last 15 years. I think that as a brand I always want to challenge us to ex-
pand our vision and dabble in color and prints and other ideas that diversify our aesthetic from season to season, but no matter how we evolve our roots will always be rooted in some sort of refined dark palette.
In the first days of high fashion, styles trickled down from the richest class downwards. Today, it seems the influence of the street has reversed that flow. How do you feel about this shift? I think the flow of influence and inspiration is actually very circular. The most influential street fashion that I encounter is usually some hyper-unique twist on what “high-fashion” houses are doing, or it is a direct rebellion against high fashion. And then that street fashion re-inspires fashion houses and the cycle continues. I think it is a really beautiful thing to witness.
If you had to pursue a career outside the fields deuxhommesmag.com
of art and design, which would you choose? Since I was a child, I always said that I would direct the Olympic Opening Ceremonies one day, so I guess that accomplishment is still waiting to be checked off my list.
What’s your guilty pleasure? Pop music and smoke machines.
“For me, fantasy is a daydream of other places, times, and ways of thinking that don’t fit into the conventional ideas of everyday fashion.” — Jonny Cota, SKINGRAFT
What’s your spirit animal? Jaguar. I was a jaguar in my third grade play and it just kinda stuck.
If we’re sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it’s been for SKINGRAFT, what would you wish you and your team had achieved? Happiness and enthusiasm. Whether we have opened five new stores or just managed to stay in business a year from now, it’s all about the attitude for me.
Simply put, what do you want your brand identity to ultimately convey? Celebrate life through selfexpression.
If you could write a note to your younger self in 2006 when you started the brand, what would you say in only two words? Carpe diem.
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apocalyptic romance An intense bond between fashion and love.
Photography by Alanna Gilbert Styled by Carlos Basora
SKINGRAFT AUTUMN WINTER 2014 COLLECTION FOOTWEAR CINZIA ARAIA JEWELRY DIRTY HANDS (THROUGHOUT) deuxhommesmag.com
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hair & makeup JEN NAVARRO (JUMP MANAGEMENT) models ALEXANDER DOMINGUEZ (RED) + SHERRY Q (ONE MANAGEMENT) jewelry by DIRTY HANDS (ENRIQUE MUTHUAN) deuxhommesmag.com
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INTERVIEW
chi-town’s
golden son
Meet Chaz A. Jordan, a multi-talented rare jewel, ready to put his creative stamp on the fashion industry.
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BOASTING A RELAXATION YET UNPRETENTIOUS CONFIDENCE, DESIGNER, CHAZ JORDAN, IMMACULATELY
parallels the attributes associated with his androgynous, monochromatic clothing. Au Courant, meaning to be “in the current”, pushes aside the expected, instead delivering an untouchable and unspoken coolness only Jordan can produce. What took three cities, two continents, and five years of unimaginable hustle, Jordan has cemented himself as not only the Prince of perfection, but as the poster child for what can come from the unconventional.
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Interviewed by Amy Vosejpka
Chaz, thanks so much for sitting down with us. I hear we are from the same neck of the woods— you are from Chicago! Where did you grow up? I actually grew up in Maywood [a suburb]. My mom always had me in the latest pair of Jordans. We would go to North Riverside Mall, and every Saturday, I was in there buying Jordans. My family was really big on fashion. My mom has 23 siblings, half girls and half boys. I’m talking I saw everything you could imagine in terms of fashion because there were so many [of them]. They used to wear the high top Filas in every color,
Timberlands in every color, jerseys, and then you know Chicago with the baseball hat, so I’ve seen such a broad spectrum of style growing up. I’d always wear my Jordans with my [school] uniform, so there’s not much style there. Funny thing is we couldn’t wear sneakers at school, so I would wear my Jordans walking from home to school, put them in my backpack, then bring them out again at gym [class].
I know how hard it can be being in Chicago and the fashion industry. What were some of your struggles?
It’s the city of “cool down”. Like how the phrase goes, “if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.” I think that also applies to Chicago. Because New York maybe you have people that don’t support you. In Chicago, people are always trying to tear you down, except they usually want the same thing. Where, after they see you doing it, they think they can do that too.
How did Chicago influence your style? I wouldn’t say my style necessarily came from Chicago. There was usually the drug dealer style with the super
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“I didn’t speak the language— walking door-to-door trying to find someone who would work with me. So I have put in all that work— I’ve grown this brand out of my own pocket.” —Chaz A. Jordan, AU COURANT
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INTERVIEW baggy clothes and oversized white tees. At one point I was buying the oversized triple X tees, but it was to wear under jerseys. Eventually when I got to high school, I started to find more so my own style. I would wear a lot of premium denim with plain white Ralph Lauren shirts and Bapes or Bape outfits entirely. I was trying to refine my style and find who I was. And that’s when I started my first business, online, when I was a sophomore in high school.
Was that how Au Courant started? No, no this site was just a platform for people just like me who were looking for more in terms of fashion. This was solely just putting knowledge online—so I would find all the sources and put it online. For example, I knew that I wasn’t the only kid in Chicago who wanted, ya know, Bapes or premium denim. So I would just put the information online and then I made it where they could come through me and I would just buy the clothing for them and then just take a percentage.
Oh, that’s so genius, especially for when this was. What was the name of this site? It was…oh my God… (LAUGHS)
I know I am throwing you
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back a bit! (LAUGHS)
No, no, it’s okay. It was called Executive Fashion.
I’m going to Google it… No no, please don’t! (LAUGHS). But I made a lot of money doing that. And it carried me all the way through college—like I never had a real job all the way through college.
Speaking of college, you didn’t go to school for a fashion design degree. How did you become a designer? I went to state competitions for CAD and Revit when I was in high school. My family told me I had to get a real job to put on my resume, so I became an IP coordinator, which is [what I have] my degree [in]. I originally went to college for civil engineering and ended up switching to architecture. I did well, but I didn’t like it. Then I finally ended up in information and decision sciences. I switched my major twice and still graduated within five years.
That’s very impressive! Where did you attend University? University of Illinois-Chicago
So what happened after graduation? After that, I went from IP to working in building management, and I did that until I
could find a better job. That’s when RSVP opened up— RSVP is a shop—and they knew me so I started working there while I was working on my…I had another clothing line…
You did? It was like your “starter line”! What was it called? Tell me about it. Exactly! It was my baby! It was called, Fortuknit. It was street wear, but I started to taper the sweatshirts and giving it different cuts way before all this stuff started happening. I mean this was in 2008. I had a launch at this little boutique in Chicago, and we sold out of everything at the opening. But it wasn’t where I wanted to be. I knew I wanted to do cut and sew.
Did you learn how to cut and sew at university or from an earlier experience? I didn’t get into that until my last collection in Paris, which I did alongside the same designer for Zappa, Barbara Bui, and all of them. So I was at that studio producing my last collection in Paris. I was sleeping in the studio, and that was where I did my first pattern and learned how to cut.
So you founded Au Courant shortly after in which you then decided
to move your label from Chicago to Paris in 2011. Why Paris? I had my “aha” moment in London. Me and a friend of mine were in Opening Ceremony, and he had on my very first sweatshirt that I produced––a wool sweatshirt with the side zipper. This guy walked up to us and knew exactly who I was, and that was it! He recognized the sweatshirt and said, “You are the guy who owns this brand.” And this is in Opening Ceremony in London! I’d never been to London. I was sitting in my hotel room and thinking, “Man, what am I going to do with this last day?” So I met with one of my friends, and he said, “Yo, just come to Paris. You can stay at my house.” I took the flight, got there, and he didn’t answer his phone. So I messaged another friend of mine that I knew lived there, who happened to [run a Paris fashion blog] with a [group of people]. The girl out of the group said, “You can stay at my place, and I’ll take off work…blah, blah, blah” ––never even met this girl! So I stayed there, and she ended up becoming my girlfriend. I went back to Chicago and got on the train at six in the morning, went downtown, bought a brand new car, everything. I went into the office, they gave me
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all of these awards, and I put in my two weeks notice. Then I moved to Paris three weeks later. My family didn’t even believe it!
Wow, 3 weeks —That is a quick turn around time! Yeah, but I almost dropped the label! People don’t know that. When I was working at CSW and the money was coming in, it was just starting to fall. But I had so many people requesting products that I had a responsibility for, so that’s when I started to get back into it.
Paris is a hard city to break into in fashion. How was your experience? I did my due diligence. I had to move to another country that I’ve never been to—I didn’t speak the language— walking door-to-door trying to find someone who would work with me. So I have put in all that work—I’ve grown this brand out of my own pocket.
That is the Chicago hustle there! Laughs. Was your label always unisex? No not really.
How did you make the transition from menswear to a more androgynous fit? Can we expect a break up between genders? deuxhommesmag.com
Yes. I have a responsibility to menswear, but I always knew that I wanted to do women’s because I know what I would want my woman to wear, and that’s what women want me to produce. We did do a standalone women’s collection, once. We launched that in Fall 2013. We stopped there, and I went back to just a men’s collection. But I knew we were due for a women’s collection because a lot of people were asking. I was trying to find a creative way to blend the two but keep it clean. But when I release womenswear (again), I have this grand idea of how I w ant to release it. I won’t release that until I know what I want to do. It will be more haute couture though. It’s a blend of that with what we currently produce, if those two were to merge.
With clothing out of the way—any plans to expand on your accessories? What would you like to do? Yeah, I plan on doing a premium line of accessories. We actually did two rounds of footwear with the same manufacturer that does all of Damir Doma’s. We got into second rounds of that. We need some final adjustments.
Collaborations are what everyone does nowadays. Do you have any projects in the works or designers
or companies you would love to work with? We’ve only done one collaboration—we have been very selective. I’d like to work with Mercedes on the interiors or a signature line of cars or with someone at an architecture development firm. That’s something going back to architecture. But I am more so into homes. I’m interested in a signature line of furniture. We were actually approached by Fancy.com to do a furniture piece, which I would exclusively design.
I am going to keep my eye for you in Miami at Art Basel! What are your hopes for the future for Au Courant? What do you want to be known for? Fashion, in my opinion, is like going to fashion school, working for a major fashion brand––these are the goals–– you become a designer then merge into your own brand. This is the fashion blueprint. I want people to see that you don’t have to necessarily do those things or in that order to succeed. If you look at my story or my resume, it’s completely opposite from that. I never took a fashion course, never went to a fashion school, never worked for a major company, any of that. I enjoyed it. It was a necessity. That was the only reason I started designing for others.
The industry is definitely lacking a role model for this type of professional path, and I am happy that others will be able to read this and learn that there is not one acceptable or perfect route that needs to be taken.
What advice would you give to emerging designers? Do the homework and research, number one. Find out as much as you can about the area of fashion you want to enter, and just make sure you soak in as much knowledge as possible. Try to avoid handouts. You’ll appreciate it a lot more when you get that first quarter, or that first big order or first celebrity endorsement if it wasn’t all handed to you.
What would your perfect outfit look like? What do you like to design the most? Rick Owens, the original style. I have not been able to find his stuff. Drop sweats and shorts and a slightly oversized tee, like the one I’m wearing, with a nice windbreaker or pullover–– without saying our pullover. (LAUGHS). I have two. Footwear I enjoy a lot, and I also say outerwear. Leathers. Whenever we’re producing new leather, I get really excited. Leather and fur for sure.
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amour platonique A journey through the incognito silhouettes of the effortlessly cool Au Courant. Photography by Marcus Cooper Styled by Carlos Basora
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INNOMINATE BY AU COURANT PARIS COLLECTION 2015 JEWELRY DIRTY HANDS (THROUGHOUT) deuxhommesmag.com
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poncho OAK NYC makeup and hair by LINDSEY WILLIAMS (KATE RYAN INC) makeup using HOURGLASS hair using OSCAR BLANDI makeup and hair assistant JASON CECIL models RAGNHILDE JEVNE + DYLAN FOSKET (IMG MODELS)
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unorthodox stylish men Witness a new Chapter of unconventional style through the lens of Brent Chua. Photography by Brent Chua Styled by Carlos Basora
shirt + pants CHAPTER jacket ELAINE LUI
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shirt + pants CHAPTER jacket ELAINE LUI
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jacket PYER MOSS top + pants CHAPTER footwear CINZIA ARAIA
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top CHAPTER pants + jacket ELAINE LUI
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jacket CHAPTER top PYPER MOSS pants CHAPTER
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top CHAPTER jacket + pants PYER MOSS
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jacket PYER MOSS top CHAPTER long top ELAINE LUI pants CHAPTER
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jacket PYER MOSS grooming MARIA MATSUMOTO models DMITRY BRYLEV (DNA) + ALEXANDER STAUDAL (RE:QUEST)
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INTERVIEW
flying high with steven tai
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The youthquake of the new millenium.
Interviewed by Amy Vosejpka Contributing Writer Kiara Montgomery
WHILE YOU COULD EASILY
CATEGORIZE LONDON-BASED WOMENSWEAR DESIGNER,
Steven Tai, as highly intellectual and sweetly soft-spoken, meek and undetermined you would not. Sitting down with the easygoing spirit, we delve into the details of his swift tri-continental upbringing, how he ends every day, and a list of book recommendations that are well worth reading. Meet Steven Tai.
Hi Steven! I am so glad we were able to get together. I hear you are one of America’s cousins…you are Canadian!
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(LAUGHS). How did you get to London? Yes! I moved to Vancouver when I was eleven [from Asia]. I basically consider it my home because teenage years are the most memorable moments. I have all my friends there and such. I studied business while I was there, got my degree, and I just thought I wanted to do something creative. At the same time, a friend of mine got into [Central] Saint Martins. I always had an infinity for clothing and just enjoyed it. I realized that was something I wanted to do, so I applied to Saint Martins, got in, and I thought, “Why not?” I
graduated in June and moved to start at Saint Martins in September.
That is very courageous! I know you were very young when you moved from Asia to Canada. Do you think your time spent there shaped you as a person, and can we see any of those influences in your designs? I think it definitely has because there’s a certain Asian aesthetic to it. I suppose I kind of adopted it while I was there, although quite unconsciously. Moving to Vancouver, I found it to be a little more active.
You have snowboarding and mountain biking, and that would probably be the sportswear element people often refer to in our clothing.
There are quite a few Canadians who are very influential (and famous) fashion insiders. They always talk about how fashion was virtually non-existent there and how hard it was for the people around them to understand what they were trying to do. What are your thoughts? I think now it’s getting better. I think they’re trying, but the
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INTERVIEW
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hardest thing about it is that fashion is a business; it’s an industry. What’s great about London is that so many employers are being taken care of while working in fashion. The government has a strong interest in supporting fashion because it is making a niche or identity for itself in the global scene. And in Canada, economically it doesn’t depend on fashion nearly as much. It’s progression or an establishment; it’s not as strong I would say. It’s very hard to see it evolve in a short amount of time.
So believe it or not, we had a missed connection in the past! Last September, I was in Italy attending the Vogue Italia Who Is On Next exhibition and had the pleasure of viewing one of your very first collections. How was that experience being so green to the industry?
It was petrifying. (LAUGHS). Aside from that, it’s much easier when they’re in person because it’s a lot more one-on-one. It’s a lot more grounded, and it’s about conversation. I don’t feel like there was so much fear once I started talking. The moment I go into it, I forget about it, and it’s like word vomit. (LAUGHS). I mean I respect them a great deal, but when I’m interacting, I have to
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take that out of my brain and just communicate like I do with everyone else.
The excitement of being there and the stress of having to sell your brand to the most important figures in the industry is a lot to handle! But Franca Sozzani and her team do an amazing job of supporting and mentoring new talent. Was that experience very beneficial to you? Oh yeah. Vogue Italia is always very supportive of emerging designers. Being there, it in itself is a good testament to the work and gives a certain accreditation to people. We’re still doing things with Vogue Italia and that’s fantastic! So I think the benefits are still continuing from it.
Take me through a normal day at the office. We’re a team now of three or four, including myself. And then we have interns at the moment. They just finished their contracted period of work with us, so we’re looking for a new batch. Everyday is so different; it’s really hard to say. These days, it’s a lot about the sales, getting the orders in, and doing production, so that accumulates a lot of our scheduling and timeline. We discuss with production managers about how
to proceed doing the patterns, and business is much more managerial at the moment. At the same time, whenever we have a minute, it’s about researching for next season.
What place in the world do you find most inspirational? China construction. The laborers and the things they have to do considering the factors, like weather. I always find it very, very interesting and fascinating.
That is very intriguing— I can completely see those elements in your clothing. Speaking of influence, how do you see the Steven Tai girl and who is she? The way I always see her is a bit of a tomboy, a quirky kind of character, and has a good sense of humor. She’s confident in herself. She’s grown up with this boy influence, and now she’s living in this modern world yet she still considers the past of her childhood. There’s something that always reminds us about the views of a child. Now that she’s in the modern world, she has to dress a certain way.
She sounds very cool, laid back—like someone you would want to be friends with! So, as you
have heard I am sure, fashion recently lost an icon (Oscar de la Renta). His legacy is one of producing pure beauty and grace. What do you want Steven Tai to be known for? Oooo.(LAUGHS)
If anyone were to think of Steven Tai, a smile [would come to mind]. Just a subtle smile or a small joy you feel in your heart. We’re more about the subtlety of happiness.
How unbelievably beautiful that is, Steven! (LAUGHS)
You have called yourself in the past a “bookworm”. What’s you favorite book and why? What are you reading now? I usually read fiction, but it goes across the board. I always enjoy David Sedaris’s Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim and Barrel Fever. It’s so funny. Another one is Chuck Palahniuk. The best one from him is Invisible Monsters. Joan Didion, The White Album. Right now, I’m reading Paul Auster’s Invisible.
What is the last thing you do every night before going to sleep? Have a cigarette.(LAUGHS)
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a new born dynamic duo
INTERVIEW
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Meet Strateas.Carlucci, the brains behind the euphoric silhouettes that has the industry feening.
THE SUN IS SHINING. BLONDE BANGS SHARPLY HANG HAPHAZARDLY, SHIELDING HIS EYES FROM THE DESERT BLAZE.
A slight shadow silhouettes his black and grey, chevron pattern coat… One page from the “Indigital” Spring Summer 2015 look book, and it is easy to see why there is a collective hum surrounding Mario-Luca Carlucci and Peter Strateas, the designers behind their namesake label, Strateas.Carlucci. Using luxury fabrics, such as merino wool and kangaroo hide, from their native Australia, the ethos behind this neoteric house has significant foundation in craftsmanship, but to be terse, they’re simply clothes one wants to wear. In between jet-setting from their
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Interviewed by Malcolm Thomas
Paris showroom to Melbourne design studio, I was able to wrangle a few minutes of their time for an exclusive Deux Hommes interview.
You are a finalist in the menswear as well as the womenswear divisions for the International Woolmark Prize. Were you surprised by how much you could do with merino wool? We have been working with wool for some time now, however the Woolmark Prize has allowed us to explore new and innovative ways of working with wool. Even so, it continues to surprise and inspire us.
It seems like the fashion world has really embraced Strateas.Carlucci. How does it feel to
suddenly have all eyes on you? It’s been a very exciting time for us, however, also very daunting. We are a very small team, so the workload has also increased dramatically! We are just trying to stay focused on our goals and vision, and not let too much distract us.
What’s the story behind how you two met and what made you decide to go into business together? Peter and I have been friends for a very long time. We actually went to high school together! We share a common vision and have worked on many collaborative projects throughout the years—so I guess this venture came naturally.
Do you ever disagree on design concepts? Always! But that’s the beauty of a design-duo. You make compromises, and have different views, but when two opposing worlds become one, something truly amazing can happen.
Speaking of amazing, you recently had a studio visit from Nick Wooster, what was that like? Did he give you any good advice? Nick Wooster was highly inspirational and full of great advice. It is truly amazing to be able to meet someone of his caliber, and be able to share your creative ideas with. Looking forward to seeing him again soon.
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You have two studios, a headquarters in Melbourne, and a second showroom in Paris. Why is it so important to be in both?
STRATEAS.CARLUCCI SPRING SUMMMER 2015 photography by RIBAL + GIL (SUPERTEAM STUDIOS) model JORDAN (IMG MODELS) styling by CATERINA SCARDIONO (COMPANY 1) hair & makeup by JUSTIN HENRY footwear FEIT
Australia is our base and where the creativity happens. Paris is where all the business happens. They are completely different. As an industry, Paris is the epitome of the luxury fashion world; Australia is comparatively young as a country and even younger as a fashion destination. So like a young child, Australia is in that exciting curiosity phase, and is growing as an industry and learning every year, producing some amazing local and internationally renowned designers. I think in years to come, Australia will be a strong contender on the international circuit.
In this democratized era of high-low culture, one would assume any notion of the traditional collector extinct. Who is the Strateas.Carlucci consumer? The Nick Woosters of the world? There is always a market for those who appreciate craft and the finer things in life. I think there has to be a balance between commercial reality and the ideals for which you stand.
Speaking of ideals, exclusivity seems to play a
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huge role in your design ethos. Why is that important for a small house like yours? Our vision is about craft and quality, and we feel it’s very important to have these core values as a small fashion house. In a current world, where the high streets are overrun by mass market, we like to offer something completely opposite.
It seems like there are more and more new designers every day. How do you stay relevant? It’s about having a unique voice. This industry, to us, is more than just the garment that sits on a rack—it’s also about creating a world around you, and inviting others into that world.
What’s your favorite piece from your Spring Summer 2015 collection? That’s a tricky question—it’s like choosing your favorite child! I personally love leather, so I would have to say the new men’s “Evo Leather Jacket”, which was made using the reverse side, which was then printed and cracked.
STRATEAS.CARLUCCI SPRING SUMMMER 2015 photography by RIBAL + GIL (SUPERTEAM STUDIOS) model SOPHIE HIRSCHFELDER (PRISCILLAS) styling by CATERINA SCARDIONO (COMPANY 1) hair & makeup by JUSTIN HENRY
What are the next steps for Strateas.Carlucci? Stay focused, keep pursuing our goals, and continually grow the brand internationally.
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black mass
An abyss of impeccable threads.
Photography by Brent Chua Clothing by Florian Wowretzko
FLORIAN WOWRETZKO AUTUMN WINTER 2014 COLLECTION (THROUGHOUT)
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grooming MARI MATSUMOTO models DMITRY BRYLEV (DNA) + ALEXANDER BARNA (RE:QUEST) graphics YOU BIN deuxhommesmag.com
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