ODDITY MAGAZINE VOL.3

£4.00

³Printed in the UK²

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C E L E B R AT E L I F E R E S P O N S I B LY 2

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WORD AND ASSOCIATED LOGOS ARE TRADEMARKS ﾂｩ DIAGEO 2014 m a g a zTHE i n Cﾃ山OC e

C E L E B R AT E L I F E R E S P O N S I B LY THE Cﾃ山OC WORD AND ASSOCIATED LOGOS ARE TRADEMARKS ﾂｩ DIAGEO o 2014 ddity magazine

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the odd!ty team Founding Editor x Creative Director Farah Rose Annut farah@odditymag.com Features Editor x Director Charlie Allen charlie@odditymag.com Beauty Editor Josie Chan josie@odditymag.com Art Editor Luciana Garbarni luciana@odditymag.com

CONTRIBUTORS Contributing Fashion Editor Callum Vincent @callumvincent

Contributing Writer Natasha Jones @ludovici

Contributing Photographer Robin Bharaj @robinbharaj

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INTRODUCTION little white lies #odditymag

There are many reasons why we lie.

We lie for reasons of popularity, pride and purpose. We lie to sail smoothly, keeping the ship steady and the course direct. ODDITY returns for it’s third issue both exploring and exposing the thinly-veiled darker desire of human nature. We all have our dreams and motives just as we all have certain justifications to bend the truth in pursuit of these passions. Sometimes it is worth telling a little white lie to get what you want. But, we won’t tell if you don’t...

Within these pages we have artists that aspire ruthlessly regardless of opposition - be it physical or mental. Their ascendancy comes as no surprise yet the tales of their genesis have never been more inspiring and enthralling.

We hope to lift the lid and turn the page, using these artists as muses to provoke you and push you on.

Little White Lies is exemplary in every facet of modern life as we covertly conceal our inner most aspirations behind a silk façade of decorum. The urge to excel and stand-alone revels in us all, yet sometimes it is important to keep the world sweet before you conquer it.

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CONTENTS P. 11 Packing a Punch – Judy Joo P. 16 Small Plates Big Heart P. 24 Lost in a Dream P. 26 The Land That Time Forgot P. 32 Poster Boy Jimi Manuwa P. 40 Inside the Artists Studio: Tom French P. 46 The Unit London P. 50 Geo Designs P. 54 Daniel Sachon P. 60 Music Picks P. 74 Raleigh Ritchie P. 80 Rags to Riches P. 84 Anticlone P. 92 Everybody Wants A Lover Like That P. 102 Skin Soldiers P. 108 Two Faced P. 114 All or Nothing: Ste Wing P. 120 LITTLE WHITE LIES oddity

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PACKING A PUNCH JUDY JOO From Goldman Sachs on Wall Street, New York, to the kitchens of JinJuu, London - it is without doubt that both environments are fast paced, manic, exhilarating. With her maiden restaurant, JinJuu, opening in Soho in January 2015, Judy Joo’s phoenix appeared from the ashes of finance and found its flame in the fires of the kitchen. Already renowned for her skill and innovation as a chef, Joo is looked upon as an inspiration for many, a pioneer to some, and is now emerging as a strong businesswoman, ready to rub shoulders with the big boys and expand her global brand. We sat down with Judy to hear about her remarkable transition from finance to food, and what the future holds for JinJuu.

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You started out working with Goldman Sachs before moving onto a longer tenure with Morgan Stanley. For what you’ve become in such a creative industry, how did you start out in the finance sector?

I went to school in New York City and everybody was going to Wall Street. Columbia University is a feeder into Wall Street so everyone was either going into finance or consulting. I ended up in one of these analyst programmes where your mind kind of just gets killed over 2 years. I stayed for a little while longer and decided I didn’t love it, it wasn’t for me and I went to cooking school.

Do you enjoy the sensationalisation of the switch in industries and professions? It’s a great story but for you how does it feel?

I guess it’s kind of unusual. There are a lot of career changes out there, but I guess what makes my story a little bit different is that I was at such great companies in one of these coveted positions - in my analyst class I was one of nine people in the entire country! I was working with the best and the brightest but I just didn’t like it, so I think that’s probably part of it. I think also when you go into the food world you’re essentially working longer hours for a lot less pay, like a fraction of what you make in these city jobs or these wall street jobs, so there’s that element to the story too - it’s a really stark jump!

Do you feel this pushed you on and has had some sort of part to play in your own success?

Definitely! My whole pressure and stress skill was completely higher than what they were in the kitchens. You’re making food, you can’t bankrupt an economy or make a mistake that’s going to have repercussions that go on and on - if you don’t line up treasuries correctly then you lose a million. You’ve seen what’s happened with these rogue traders, what kind of damage they can do and it just kind of snowballs out of control. At the end of the day in a restaurant - yes, it’s your reputation - but it ends in the dining room. If someone gets their meal 5 minutes late it’s not the end of the world, whereas if you’re 5 minutes late on the trade it’s gone, the markets moved and you’ve lost millions. It’s a very different situation.

So on leaving finance, how did you ascend so quickly into prime restaurants such as Maze and Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s? Yours doesn’t sound like the typical route?

What I will say is, it’s not particularly hard to get your foot into these kitchens - it’s hard to stay. As long as you have perseverance you can get there. I did skip a lot of steps in between, I didn’t grow up in kitchens and obviously my background is very different to a stereotypical chef. It was probably my route in the food media world that gave me the big leg-up, and I would have to owe a lot of that to my education.

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Being a chef and running a restaurant isn’t just about cooking anymore, especially with the whole celebrity chef thing coming into the forefront of the media, you really have to be able to write, speak well, and articulate yourself. The easier you are to work with, the more they’re going to use you - particularly with magazines and publications. With just the whole downsizing of media companies and outlets, one editor is doing five editor’s jobs now. They don’t have time to rewrite copy; they don’t have time to rewrite a recipe, so if you can deliver something that is cohesive and coherent on the first time, or if you can deliver a sound bite that is articulate and eloquent on camera without having to do it over and over again then it’s better. It just makes everybody’s life easier. I owe a lot of my skipping some steps on the rungs of the hierarchy of chefdom due to that advantage.

More recently before JinJuu you were working for Playboy as Executive Chef. Tell us about that experience.

Playboy was so much fun! I thought long and hard about it before I took the post but Playboy is iconic, it is one of the few brands recognised worldwide - it has 98% worldwide recognition so its up there with Nike, Coca Cola, Disney, there are only 5 or 6 of these brands that exist in the world. So despite it having a rather controversial reputation, it was also fun - and life is about having fun. You learn a lot about people because you’re working with different types of people everyday, and you learn about the different elements of the brand. Before working at Playboy, I was a bit judgemental towards some of the girls or the bunnies posing naked, but after meeting and spending time with all these women I thought they were great people. Not everyone is born hot or skinny or fat or smart or whatever. Just as not everyone wants the same - it’s all about seeing what your role in life is and what your path is and where that takes you. They’re happy, happy women. I went to the Playboy mansion and I met Hugh Hefner a few times also - he is sharp as nail. You can really tell he is extremely bright and you can tell he has a strong vision anyone who can build that in a lifetime is a true visionary! Call him whatever you want but that takes talent and that takes a lot of hard work. On top of my role as executive shift I was a brand ambassador. They were using me as a spokesperson to some extent - many people don’t know this but playboy is a big advocate for the underdog. Historically, they were the first company to put a black person on the cover of a magazine, they were the first company in the United States to give gays equal rights (in terms of pension and health benefits), and ironically they’re very much an advocate for women.

You are fast approaching a year since opening - tell us about the genesis of JinJuu and how this maiden year has been for you?

It’s been a whirlwind! It’s been full of challenges but it has been exciting. I have my head chef Andy Hales - he’s the engine.

Then I have Kristian Breivik, he’s the head bar manager - he’s also one of the engines here. I’ve got a great solid team and that’s really what it’s about - surrounding yourself with people

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who you can trust and who understand the business, the commitment, the drive, and the creativity also. Andy has been working with me for about 5 years now, so a lot of the dishes were things that we had tried and that we had been working on together at Playboy. He’s been to Korea three or four times now, so he’s familiar with the taste and the flavours. It’s something that we had been mulling over, as we knew there wasn’t anything like it in London. I really wanted to create a place that was fun, hip and sexy, kind of like a Hakkasan, or Nobu, or Zuma, obviously with a much lower price point as we’re in Soho, and just bring it to the masses for once. I am coming from a very specific chef background and so is my team, they’re career chefs and we have a commitment to quality that I think is unprecedented in the Korean food scene right now. Our food features no MSG, we have providence for all of our meats and we know where everything is from. There are no tablecloths, it’s not white glove service, it’s just a fun casual place where you can come with your friends and have some fried chicken and beer!

And what are your plans for your brand? Where do you see it going and do you see it evolving in any particular way?

Well, we’re opening up JinJuu Hong Kong in November, so site number two is coming up really quickly. The exec team and I are going to go out to execute that. That’s in a more upscale area so you’re always going to tailor things to the location. We might see some variation in terms of price point or things on the menu but I suspect most of the menu will stay pretty similar. I would love to use local ingredients obviously, in China we will be able to get our hands on a lot more ingredients that we can’t get over here so, we will be able to kick the menu up a notch there.

Your strength in character is quite prominent. You come across like a really strong person; I can imagine you being an inspiration for many women out there. Do you feel that’s another aspect to your standing in society?

Yes, definitely. Any women in the public eye is somewhat a role model, regardless of whether they want to be or not, so I think that you always have to keep that in mind. I also think being a minority woman can be seen as particularly pioneering because they’re so few of us on TV or in the media or in big positions.

It’s difficult but I’m hopefully making it easier for generations to come. I am only one of two Asian females on the whole of the Food Network in the United States - there’s just two, and that’s just not enough. The more of us there are, the more we can support each other, the easier it’s going to be moving forward.

I think we just have to really stick together, I don’t understand women who don’t support other women - I really don’t. We need all the help we can get because it’s already hard enough.

To be able to wear the pants and still keep your femininity and be a woman in every sense is really difficult to do. I feel strong family foundations are so important because my mother is

really strong, she was always working and taught my sister and I that we can do anything. Just shoot for the stars, you might not catch one but at least you’ve got to try! I think a lot comes down to your upbringing and your confidence, especially with women, it kind of scary raising daughters these days. Reality TV, the internet, social media - there’s so much bullying out there and it’s just become so much more superficial with what you look like, what you’re supposed to look like, what size you’re supposed to be - it’s just crazy. I’m constantly trying to remind young women and teenagers that beauty over time fades. It’s a depreciating asset. What appreciates is your brain and your wisdom so invest in that and use it – that’s where your self-worth should really be centred in.

Outstanding. So outside of JinJuu, do you have any other projects you are looking to get moving in the future?

I have my book coming out in May, that’s Korean Food Made Simple. I am in the middle of filming the second season of my show Korean Food Made Simple - that’s going to be on Food Network and The Cooking Channel globally. Opening up JinJuu Hong Kong in November whilst working on some other TV projects. That’s it!

So what is Judy Joo looking for?

I can’t really say, I get asked this all the time - do I really want a restaurant empire? I don’t know. I’m still trying to figure out what makes me happy! It makes me happy to have a team to employ and lead - making other people happy brings happiness. And just simple life - I just want to create memories, that’s where I spend my money and my free time, not so much saving up for a watch or a piece of jewellery, it’s saving up to go on that amazing vacation.

If you could cook for any person, who would it be and what would you cook?

Can I pick a group of women? Probably Tina Fey, Lena Dunham, Hillary Clinton and probably an upcoming artist.

I would make something very homely, nothing fancy, so I’d probably just make a huge roast suckling-pig with great salads.

I’m huge salad person, so probably four different salads with amazing vegetables, quinoa, and different grains - so the meal has that healthy thing going on but you can still also pig-out, literally, on crackling and pork. I would throw out some awesome desserts - ice cream, sundaes, and stuff like that. Nothing fancyschmancy.

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small plates big heart As always with city life, our social lives boom and thrive almost in perfect synchronicity with the buzz of traffic and bustling streets. Those unforgettable evenings spent sitting, talking and laughing as the world passes us by are amongst the only things that connect us all. Forget same old starters, big mains, sickly desserts - the conventional is out!

Small plates, cocktails and classic evenings are in.

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The Providores & Ta pa s R o o m

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The Providores & Tapas Room is based right in the heart of Marylebone. This restaurant runs through the day, constantly bustling, busy and thriving with an unmistakable social buzz hard to find in other refined restaurants across London. With innovative and exciting dishes served from 9am until 10.30pm, The Providores and Tapas Room means business!

Divided in two, The Providores, offers a more traditional restaurant vibe whereas the Tapas Room delivers a more modern laidback atmosphere - having been offered the choice, we opted for the Tapas Room. The menu boasts an interesting and delicious variety of small plates - the only negative thing to be said about the meal was the fact that we couldn’t try everything. As we scanned through the menu we were served salted steamed edamame and grilled chorizo, a vivacious entree that readied our palate for the meal. Well aware that we might be overestimating ourselves a little, we opted for five small plates to share but the slower style of eating involved with small plates really lends itself to a more gradual, social and open meal.

Our first dish was burrata served with cape gooseberries, samphire, lemon and marcona almonds. The dish was a delicious collaboration of flavours; the marcona almonds really drove the taste and texture of the dish whilst the creamy burrata controlled the flavour. The juicy cape gooseberries really complimented the burrata, all in all a strong opening that left us wanting more.

We then moved onto the seared yellowfin tuna with papaya, cucumber, spring onion salad, shiitake mushroom, soba noodles, lime yuzu chilli dressing, toasted nori and sesame. This dish had more of an authentic taste to it, the tuna was well seared whilst the accompanying cucumber garnish was predictable but palate cleansing and fresh against the strong notes of the tuna and lime yuzu dressing.

Having opened the meal in quite incredible fashion, our third small plate was the widely lauded Beef Pesto - Sugar Club classic, consisting of marinated beef fillet with warm chard, courgette and beetroot salad, garlic dressing, pesto and kalamata olives. The beef, medium rare, was cooked to perfection whilst the olives, chard and beetroot really contributed an earthiness to the flavour of the dish. The collaborative flavours worked perfectly as the dish romped home as the favourite plate of the night and most memorable dish of the meal.

Three small plates up, and several mojitos down, we swiftly moved on to The Tapas Room’s Laksa - a nice break from the more full-bodied dishes. The Laksa consisted of lobster and smoked coconut, a prawn and lemongrass dumpling, green tea noodles, crispy shallots and coriander. The Laksa boasted a

beautiful balanced flavour with the perfect amount of coriander infused into the moreish stock, whilst the lobster was well cooked and enjoyable - a vibrant fourth dish and a lovely change of direction for the meal. Moving onto our final dish we were served the Oxford honey-glazed crispy confit duck leg with fennel, orange, watercress salad, orange blossom dressing, spring onion and sesame. The dish was balanced expertly by the citric sharpness of the scattered orange segments and the fresh clarity of the watercress salad. Both factors complimenting and cutting through the richness of the duck. The sesame dressing really reinforced the Asian ambience of this wellcooked and indulgent dish.

For dessert we were served the vanilla meringue with white chocolate and tonka cream, and cubeb pepper strawberries dish, and the innovative treacle cured bacon ice cream with olive meringue, banana-salted caramel and yoghurt maple cream.

The vanilla meringue was understandably a favourite due to the comparative textures and the rich creaminess of the dish.

The perfectly ripe strawberries, seasoned with cubeb pepper, really popped on the palate whilst maintaining their sweet sweet taste. The cream and white chocolate collaborated perfectly, tying together the other elements of the dish to produce an unforgettable flavour. Meanwhile, the widely renowned treacle cured bacon ice cream boasted an exquisite balance of salt and sweetness. The crunch of the meringue sticks added texture alongside the richness of the cream and ice cream. The bananasalted caramel complimented the whole dish perfectly, evoking childhood memories of summer days and ice cream with caramel sauce. Simply put - a gastronomic triumph.

Across our meal we sampled several different mojitos - an original mojito, a strawberry and basil mojito, a passion fruit mojito, and a cucumber mojito. Each brought its own personality and character but the clear winner was the cucumber mojito, which boasted a real refreshing, clean and truly unique flavour.

In all, The Providores and Tapas Room is a perfectly rounded dining experience providing a gratifying social environment with innovative and unique plates to be sampled. The wooden earthy interior is modern, yet homely and unpretentious, allowing the customer to fall into an open social bearing from the moment they step through the door. The innovative dishes were consistently delicious across the night, constantly enthralling and exceeding our expectations. We left knowing that the painstaking nostalgia of the flavours would hit us hard the following day – an acceptable grievance for what was a remarkable meal.

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the world’s end market

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ODDITY Magazine was kindly invited down to the highly esteemed seafood restaurant, The World’s End Market on the Kings Road, Chelsea. Much lauded for their local, healthy approach, The World’s End Market offered us a 3 course culinary experience to remember.

Situated in a beautiful high-ceilinged classic public house, The World’s End Market boasts a warm interior, with brass, wood and olive decor accentuating a prestigious yet laidback vibe.

The seafood was displayed on ice, as the kitchen was open for all customers to see - always a nice touch.

ODDITY ordered starters of Colchester rock oysters, octopus with capers, olive oil & paprika, and lemon cured tuna with ginger, jalapeno chilli & coriander. The oysters were delectable and juicy, with the market sauce and tomato salsa really driving home that unmistakeable flavour. The tuna was enhanced by the ginger and jalapeno, which made it a real pleasure to sample. Both dishes were prickly and engaging on the tongue but the octopus soar through as the clear winner. The paprika crystallised on the octopus to give it a sweet crunch whilst the capers and olive oil gave it a savoury edge - a perfect fusion of flavours. These starters coupled with a marvellous mojito and lychee martini was a perfect introduction as to what The World’s End Market was all about.

Moving onto our main course we decided to neglect the meat option and opted to continue on with the seafood. We received the Whole Seabass (special of the day), and the Whole Lobster.

The seabass, served with a side of truffled mash-potato and salad, was delicate and light whilst the lobster, served with a side of creamy spinach and salad, was full flavoured and plentiful. Both dishes were served with garlic oil, which really brought the flavour to the fore of the palate. Due to the infused truffle, the mash had a flavour that resonated through both taste and scent, and the creamy spinach had a fuller flavour with strong hints of garlic. The seabass and the lobster offered both a lighter and heavier option from the menu. Both were grilled to perfection, and presented with panache and style.

Moving into the final stage of our meal we were served a chocolate fondant and a hazelnut & caramel cheesecake.

The chocolate fondant was a tried and tested dessert yet still original, tender and flavoursome, but the hazelnut & caramel cheesecake was the perfect ending to this extravagant meal.

Topped with caramel and laced with hazelnuts the texture and flavour of the cheesecake was incomparable. At a glance it may sound like a potentially sickly combination and perhaps a little too sweet, however this dessert was anything but - and was, if anything, moreish.

We washed our desserts down with a cappuccino and manuka honey tea before venturing back out onto the iconic Kings Road.

The World’s End Market is a restaurant with a low-key and relaxed vibe, perfect for a midweek meal or a more intimate engagement. The cocktails were fantastic, the food was inspired and the service was what anyone would come to expect. A big thumbs up.

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Adam Handling at C a x t o n

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With beautiful green grounds surrounding and rich luxurious interiors, the Caxton sells itself before you even have a mouthful of food. Adam Handling recently launched his brand new tasting menu, and as 2014’s British Chef of the Year we couldn’t have been more excited. As we waited for our table to be set we were easily cajoled into ordering a couple of cocktails. Opting for the bison caprioska and the green banana we were perhaps offered a preview of what was to come - the caprioska was eloquent and perfectly made, whilst the green banana was full flavoured and visually intriguing.

Swiftly moving on we were served the asparagus with wild garlic, verbena, green tea and wasabi. This was a personal favourite and could be deemed as the dark horse of the menu.

Unsurprisingly, the dish had a real earthy refreshing taste to it but it was the green tea and garlic, which worked in perfect tandem to create a super dish. The wild garlic blossoms really exploded on the palate whilst the mature subtle tones of green tea simmered and reassured- easily one of the best dishes of the night, and a real triumph from Handling’s kitchen.

The entrees, or charmingly titled Nibbles, opened proceedings as we were served doughnuts with dressed crab, the cracker, cured mackerel, and the aptly named Beetroot, beetroot and more beetroot. Each dish was exquisitely prepared and served as an outstanding way to open the meal in way of both flavour and aesthetics. The doughnuts with dressed crab were a delicious and undeniable combination, the stringy salted crab danced with the sweet and tender dough. The cracker with cured mackerel, tapioca, yuzu, dotted with caviar, was crisp and light but packed a full flavoured punch. The aroma of this nibble cleared the senses as the mackerel and yuzu worked to full effect. Beetroot, beetroot and more beetroot was a dish worth savouring. Delicate, sweet, vibrant and thriving flavour, this dish tasted as original as it looked - definitely a standout from the menu. The final entree before the first main tasting plate was sourdough, chicken butter and duck liver parfait. This was an absolutely delightful break in-between courses. There were so many levels of flavour to this dish that every bite felt like a journey. Rich, fulfilling and a nice break from the delicate smaller entrees before the fuller more ambitious plates of the tasting menu.

Next up was the king fish with a jalapeño dressing, confit shallots and chive served on a slab of rock salt. This was a fantastic dish, the flavours worked perfectly together in both flavour and feeling. The textures of the dish combined wonderfully and the rock salt was there to be utilised innovatively if you wanted to adjust the dynamic of the flavour.

This delectable plate was followed by the simplistic wild bass and balsamic. The balance in flavour was ideal and the bass was delicious and fresh. The only criticism that could be said for this dish was that there was almost too much bass than we could handle - which isn’t a bad observation to make at all.

The first dish served from the tasting menu was the dish that saw Adam Handling awarded Scottish Chef of the Year, his signature dish - salmon, fennel pollen, peas, sweet and sour wasabi. The dish was majestic and emphatic, as liquid nitrogen with frozen violas were poured over the salmon - a stylish and beautiful ceremony for Handling’s champion dish. The theme was light, green and refreshing, and served as a fantastic transition from the entrees into the heart of the tasting menu.

The combination of sweet and sour wasabi with the constancy of the peas collaborated beautifully with the tender and subtle flavour of the salmon.

The final tasting dish was the ashed beef rump with burnt cabbage and pureed artichokes. In-theme with the other dishes on the menu - the plate boasted notable textures. The pureed artichokes were an absolute pleasure and built the flavour of the perfectly cooked medium rump quite perfectly. A wonderfully rich way to finish the mains of the tasting menu, which had not failed expectation. Uncertain at how we were still eating, we were served a yuzu meringue crumble with milk ice cream. This was a light and beautiful ending to the meal. The yuzu meringue crumble coupled with delicious milk ice cream really neutralised and cleansed the palate after such a varied and polished meal.

With Adam Handling’s star ever rising, his tasting menu at the Caxton is nothing short of phenomenal. To experience such a plethora of tastes and variety of foods whilst keeping such a distinct memory of each flavour is a real rarity and says more than words ever could. Handling’s intuition of dynamic textures, collaborative foods, and his own fresh innovative approach truly makes this tasting menu exciting, unforgettable and an absolute must for any lover of food. Outstanding.

We then moved on to the frozen chicken liver parfait, orange and ginger, oat, and balsamic – certainly one of the more visually intriguing dishes on the menu. The chicken liver parfait was in an alien crumbled heap with a shard of chicken skin lying atop. The ice cold and soft texture of the parfait was unlike anything I have experienced and truly added a unique dimension to the meal. The orange and ginger really accomplished the dish, driving the taste and combining with the parfait to create a perfect balance between sweet and savoury, whilst the chicken skin added a textured crunch with every mouthful.

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LOST IN A DREAM

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The Maldives Soaring in on a seaplane, watching as hundreds and hundreds of islands punch through the beautiful waters like vivid green beacons beckoning you near and waving you on. Maldives is renowned as one of the most luxurious and beautiful places in the world. Crystal clear waters and shores powdered with velveteen sands - it is no wonder the world looks toward Maldives for escapism of the highest kind.

The Maldives houses some of the most stunning and intriguing resorts on the planet. Beautiful beach houses out at sea with lone verandas venturing out even further into the ocean - creating a muse of the world as the sun sets. With the luxury of leisure and nothing to do but relaxing and enjoying downtime, Maldives also boasts 5-star spas and water sports, readily enjoyable for those who want to chase the thrill instead of snoozing in on it.

You might fear things could get a little boring but with sailing excursions to other islands, fishing trips, and even Maldivian cooking classes for the more productive

amongst you, there is always fun to be found in this blissful haven. Other than worrying about what to do with your day, you have the terrible conundrum of what and where to eat - but, fear not, The Maldives boasts some of the most picturesque, freshest and tasty eateries in the world, all staying true to its local roots. Whilst not getting too carried away in the luxury and the splendour of the place, Maldives features outstanding nature and wildlife.

Bask in the tranquillity of snorkelling along the coral reef discovering hundreds of species of fish and crustaceans.

Adrift in the Indian Ocean a gem glistens. A spectacular collection of islands of both unparalleled beauty and concentrated serenity. The Maldives is a place easy to lose yourself. Forget the date, forget the time, and unravel in nostalgic days under the sun. Believe the hype, believe in the advertisements, photographs and rumours. Maldives oozes the kind of luxury that isn’t loud bolshie luxury - but cool, calm laidback luxury. Your next adventure awaits...

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THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIO BOTTA ILLTAKEYOUTO.COM

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ICELAND If you’re sitting on your sofa, looking out across the cityscape and wondering if it’s time to explore a little - we have a place in mind. We aren’t talking a weekend away in Monaco, or Mykonos, or Dubai; forget the blue skies, the beaches and the palm trees. How about amazing views, breath-taking landscapes and natural spectacles? These adjectives do not begin to do justice to the enormity of beauty waiting to be found in Iceland.

Do not be deterred by the extreme weather conditions, instead, prepare yourself for a country different in every way. Black volcanic gravel and soft white snow. Grey jagged rocks and star filled deep blue skies. Aurora borealis electrifying the sky with a shock of green - plunging even the most dismissive of thinkers into a chasm of contemplation. Iceland has seemingly arrived on the niche holiday-goers map as the world finally marvels in its natural beauty and extravagance.

Iceland has seen a superb growth in tourism over the past 5 years and from the breath-taking scenery to the overall experience, this comes as no surprise. Simply put, Iceland is not for the mundane or the boring but for the adventurers and the curious. The beautiful truth of Iceland is that there isn’t just one Iceland to discover - there is so much to see and so much to do that every experience differs from the next.

Set in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, Iceland’s obscure location is almost it’s hidden strength. Being based almost directly between Europe and North America, Iceland was 30

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originally a perfect go to hub - a midway point for long-haul flights giving jetsetters the option to break up their journey. This momentum began building the popularity and mystique of this radiant forgotten island and could well be a contributing reason for its rise to prominence.

A country the size of England, Iceland is predominantly made up of volcanic desert, ice blue glaciers, geysers, canyons, waterfalls, far stretching rivers and frozen lakes lost out in the wild. A far cry from the busy commercial metropolis’ of city life, Iceland still has its heart and soul very much intact and offers both real yet surreal escapism. The air is far clearer than the more travelled locations in the world and due to the general lack of pollution and artificial light, stars stretch the scape of the sky a beautiful reminder of what lies above, far and beyond.

You can walk to along a beach of volcanic gravel as the wind orchestrates a vicious shoreline. Black-jagged rocks emerge from the ocean like prehistoric teeth, eternal and unmoved by the crashing waves. If these sights aren’t alluring enough then there is always the most spectacular natural phenomena on earth to behold - The Northern Lights. In-essence for any traveller Iceland is highly recommended as a unique destination full of beauty and discovery. So, what are you waiting for? Your next adventure awaits...

For more globetrotting anecdotes and first-hand footage check out: http://ILLtakeyouto.com #ILLtakeyouto

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POSTER BOY

Jimi Manuwa words by charlie allen PHOTOGRAPHER ROBIN BHARAJ creative RETOUCH BY AIDAN COCHRANE

Expectation. This word can illicit countless emotions. Your expectations can be matched, defied, crushed, raised, exceeded, fooled. Throughout every facet of Jimi Manuwa’s life there has always been objective and subjective expectation. From his youth where he struggled to meet his expectations, to his early 20s where he realised his own expectations, to today where he has not only exceeded expectation but has gone on to expect nothing but the very best from himself.

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“I'm not outspoken, i'm not loud, I do my talking when I'm fighting.�

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It is 2pm on a Wednesday afternoon and I am waiting for Jimi ‘Poster Boy’ Manuwa. Open and receptive I watch hundreds of people stream in and out of Carnaby Street - no sign of the 6’2, 205lb UFC fighter. In anticipation of meeting him I had briefly watched a few of his fights on YouTube - I had absolutely no clue what to expect of this physical, ruthless machine. I check my watch, 2:10pm now. I look around once more and as if conjured out of thin air Jimi Manuwa appears directly in front of me. Disbelieving momentarily I am rooted to the spot, 6’2?

205lbs? These stats are an understatement! Performing the usual formal introductions, I extend my hand, Jimi Manuwa looks at me with a subtle confidence - his eyes distant yet calculative as though his brain is working in overdrive analysing me, my words, my gesture, my expression.

“I’m going to write a book about my life one day - it will be a bestseller” he claims in an idyllic quaint coffee shop tucked away in Central London. Manuwa sits back, arms spread comfortably, dwarfing the chairs his arms lay upon. Unbelievably, it wasn’t until the age of 27 that Manuwa had his first competitive fight after just two weeks training. Now at the age of 34, Manuwa is not only a top 10 fighter within his weight-class, but he is also signed to UFC - the most lucrative MMA league in the world.

However, things weren’t always so simple for Manuwa - from a troublesome childhood to several jail sentences in his late teens, it took a few life lessons for Jimi to gravitate towards the greater good.

Born in Sacramento, California, before moving to Nigeria where he was primarily raised, Manuwa was born to Nigerian and English parents. It wasn’t until he moved to London that he admits, “That’s where it started going wrong”. The unfortunate separation of his parents led to constant moving around leaving Manuwa unsettled and troublesome. Academically a year ahead of his peers, Manuwa epitomised the restless intelligent teenager with too much energy for his own good. Unsurprisingly,

PE was the only class Manuwa excelled in, as Jimi reflects “When we got here I was more advanced in school than the other kids I was with, so I was restless as I knew everything they were teaching us, I was bored. I really excelled at sport, they used to threaten me with not being able to participate in PE if I didn’t behave”.

Unfortunately, despite moving through a total of seven different schools, Jimi wasn’t able to settle-down and eventually dropped out of school entirely when he was 14. A life of petty crime and misdeeds awaited him, “I got chucked out of school and then I discovered money and designer clothes. We used to do things and get in trouble but I was never into gangs, more close friends having fun”, Manuwa tells me with vivid directness. But for all of Manuwa’s confidence and clarity of thought, he could not put his finger on what led him down this path. Citing he was from a good family and acknowledging knowing the difference between wrong and right, Manuwa shrugs his broad shoulders and shakes his head. What I find intriguing with Jimi Manuwa is his composure, as he leafs through anecdotes and memories his face remains utterly placid, his voice monotone and his sentences slow and contemplative but always with an underlying assuredness.

Manuwa launched himself into a life of crime serving several small jail sentences throughout his teens, but it wasn’t until his early 20s where he was sentenced to 3 years in jail that he finally realised the trajectory to-which his life was headed. “I got 3 years when I was 22 and that’s when it opened my eyes.

Prison is full of drug addicts, murderers and tramps; I hated it so much. I promised myself I would never go back again”, Manuwa states firmly, revealing a little passion in his voice for the first time, only emphasising his disdain and resolve. Still, this was the turning point Manuwa’s life had been waiting for. On leaving prison, Manuwa started trading cars before opening a car rental business with a friend of his, “I did that for a couple of years and oddity

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that was satisfying for me, after that I got into MMA”.

MMA is the abbreviation for Mixed Martial Arts, a collective of fighting disciplines that has now gravitated to the fore of world sport. Fighters have to be all-rounded - fast, strong, ruthless, intelligent, to compete you have to be a complete athlete. The fact Jimi Manuwa only began fighting professionally when he was 27 is awe-inspiring yet alien to an art which takes so much dedication and training. Puzzled, I asked him how he fell into the sport so easily, Manuwa told me about a friend of his who was involved in the sport that once invited him down to watch a fight.

“Everyone knew I was a good natural fighter from street fighting, so when I used to go watch him everyone used to ask when was I going to get involved. I wasn’t interested in it but after an injury I suffered at the gym I went to a few training sessions with him. I enjoyed it so I said to him if you get me a fight then I’d fight. He came back the next day with a fight for me in 2 weeks”. Manuwa oozing belief relayed to me just how he won the fight, having only had 2 weeks full training in the sport before his professional debut. The level of belief and assuredness it must take to manage such a feat must be unimaginable, yet as Manuwa talks me through the early days of his career it is hard not to get swept up in his confidence, which is enchantingly undeniably certain.

He goes on in his typically monotone expressionless voice, “... within a year and a half I was ranked no.5 in the UK and had just won the title” - no big deal then.

Today Manuwa is signed to UFC, the global flagship brand for MMA and the most competitive fighting league in the world. He talks me through his training camps, the build-up to marquee fights, a step-by-step walkthrough from changing room to ring on fight night. - I got a buzz just from listening. Very much in the moment I asked Manuwa the cliché question of what makes him a good fighter, “My willpower, my aggression and my self-belief.

I’m not outspoken, I’m not loud, I do my talking when I’m fighting.

That’s who I’ve always been”, Manuwa replied instantly and assertively. When relaying fight nights and training, Jimi Manuwa seems typically blasé, but it is lined with a belief so pure that it is infectious - you hang onto his every word.

Well past his darkest days, Manuwa now runs his own gym outside of UFC, working and training with kids. There’s almost a sense of redemption to his deeds, “it feels good to be able to steer them away from trouble. It’s better to be smart. If they can get into martial arts then that’s a career option for them”. I absorb that perhaps he wishes there was a person offering the same kind of escape for him when he was growing up. His selflessness doesn’t stop there as he reveals to me he has performed talks at his old schools - something he didn’t feel overwhelmingly comfortable about yet he knew it was the right thing to do.

The modern Jimi Manuwa is a virtuous family man, devoted to his partner and his daughters. He believes firmly in the foundations of family life and raising a family unit, “Although

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“Prison is full of drug addicts, murderers and tramps; I hated it so much. I promised myself I would never go back again” I’m hard-headed, I see myself changing more and more as they grow up”, Manuwa states fondly. Sweeping through his Instagram account there are various endearing photos of his daughters adorably sitting in on his training, spotting him and supporting him. Although he tells me they have never been to a fight, it is quite evident that their existence alone further fuels Manuwa’s quest for dominance.

With Jimi Manuwa, I expected a character arrogant and flippant, obnoxious and outspoken ala Mike Tyson. I did not expect to meet a character humble, determined and as black and white as Manuwa was. As with every fighter it is almost the fear of losing that drives their unshakeable confidence. The pride of these men is immeasurable yet Manuwa was frank with every answer given. He didn’t answer tender questions regretfully or carelessly, yet he didn’t answer nervously nor shamefully either.

It would seem he channelled his pride at the right moments and I felt our exchange was all the more vivid for it. Having reinvented himself through his own process of error and improvement, Manuwa simply learnt how to control and master his demons. I spoke with a behemoth sipping herbal tea relaying his darkest hours without so much as a flinch or a bowed head, yet inside the octagon Manuwa brings his demons and his rage to the fore.

A champion, an established fighter ruthless and formidable, yet a man altruistic, fatherly, and ambitious. Ultimately, Jimi Manuwa is a man who mastered his own expectations and became a human richer for his own mistakes.

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INSIDE THE ARTISTS STUDIO: TOM FRENCH The work of artist Tom French finds itself occupying a seat somewhere in an inter-dimensional space, never entirely quite seated in reality. Through the combining of elements within both realism and surrealism, his work prompts audiences to explore the fine line between the beautiful and the unsettling.

The subjects of his canvases are highly threaded with mystery, and also upon closer inspection, traces of romanticism - all achieved through a singular monochromatic palette. The artist gave me an in-depth insight to his creative process, the challenges in working with ideas that extend into the conceptually ambiguous and how important it really is to feel understood as an artist.

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Your work combines elements of both realism and surrealism, how important is it for you to have themes of both in your artwork?

Personally, I like artwork with multiple layers of meaning, depth of concept. I enjoy realism, but for me there’s little excitement in recreating something, which already exists. I find painting much more interesting when the work is strengthened with layers of conceptual interest.

On the topic of surrealism, have you ever experimented with automatic drawing?

Yes, to some degree, though not strictly. The surrealist’s use of automatic drawing was predominantly used as a starting point when creating an image, rather than a means of creating a complete work - firstly making marks ‘automatically’ then applying some form of conscious intervention, making the image somewhat comprehensible or representational. With my latest work the method of painting does have parallels with this technique - I create abstract, random, free flowing brushstrokes, then allow the realist elements of the image to emerge from these. There’s something I find particularly pleasing about this marriage of contrasting techniques.

How do you know when a piece is complete?

How does personal history work its way into your craft?

Unintentionally and unavoidably, consciously/unconsciously, more than I plan it to - I mean, every part of our history leads us to where we are today. Of course there’s elements of myself within the work, though I wouldn’t say the paintings are about myself.

Can you remember the first ever painting you created that fulfilled you both creatively and personally?

I can’t remember - probably the first marks I made as a child… but then children can be easily pleased with the simplest things.

These days that kind of creative fulfilment is harder to come by.

Who were your earliest influences at your onset as an artist and what have you borrowed from them?

The earliest memory I have of being fascinated by an artist was when someone gave me a Salvador Dali book, again as a child.

It blew my mind - felt like magic. Although I wouldn’t say he’s a favourite artist of mine, it made an impression. I guess for me the realisation that painting has the power to captivate the mind (as it did mine at the time) was equally as impressive as the content of the work, and led to the ambition that I wanted, one day, to somehow achieve or harness that power.

You NEVER know when a piece is complete. I prefer my images incomplete anyway; nobody wants a puzzle that’s already finished, a jigsaw with all of the pieces in place. It’s all there, but the pleasures in the search and the mystery.

Your palette remains monochromatic. Is it safe to assume you do so to avoid the bias that colour may add?

Exactly that. Colour can be powerful and influential, but it’s also incredibly subjective. I feel that with my current series of work, the images are stronger for the purity of absence of colour. I like the simplicity of working in black & white and am fascinated by the visual potential of creative use of nothing but light and dark.

As my characters and narratives are metaphorical (rather than representational), the timeless quality of black & white images may serve to distance them from cultural pigeonholing.

As an avid follower of your work, I’ve known several instances where viewers find themselves returning to an image of yours, struggling to come to a conclusion about what particular emotion your illusions were trying to covey.

Do you feel the public understands your work? And is it important to you to feel understood?

I’m not averse to offering insight into my own concepts behind the work, particularly with the illusion pieces - I feel it can be beneficial for the viewer. That said, I find it intriguing to hear other people’s readings of the images, and find it interesting that it’s usually personal to them. Everyone will, to some degree, oddity

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have their own perception of an image, making it a unique experience. Generally my work seems to be interpreted by others differently from my own thoughts on it, but then again, there is never one truth.

With reference to my illusion paintings, here’s a small insight into my own thinking - the figures within these paintings reflect the conscious mind, interacting with people and going about their business, unaware of the bigger picture - the face or skull which reflects the unconscious mind - the instinctual, yet hidden, human drives which shape our actions.

Tell us a little about the practical and creative process that follows immediately after the conception of an idea for a new piece.

The start of the painting process is fast and furious. Once the visual idea is conceived (as much as it can be) I like to get the majority of the image onto the canvas as quickly as possible.

I work firstly with only black paint and thinners, applying the black and removing areas with cloth, brushes, various tools and liquid, so the only white visible is the canvas showing through the paint. The paint dries quickly when used like this, and working fast creates a wonderful sense of immediacy, which I find unachievable using other methods. The finishing off involves rendering up areas of importance, adding emphasis and attracting the gaze where I feel necessary.

From a scholarly perspective, your work has often been described as figurative but many of the ideas appear very conceptually ambitious. Do you often struggle to reproduce the complex images or concepts you see in your head accurately onto the canvas?

That’s probably the main challenge. The concepts held in the head are far from 2-dimensional - well, they aren’t at all dimensional, so translating them into a visual image, which can in turn be interpreted, is obviously a challenge. It’s also satisfying. Human nature has always led us into the attempt to rationalise, express and add significance to our mental state and physical surroundings.

What risks have you taken in/for your work?

Bold yet calculated ones.

Do you see your art as relating to any current movement?

Not from my perspective, it’s not something I concern myself with. If anything I’d feel restricted by doing so.

Which other artists might your work be overheard in conversation with?

That one I’d be interested to know!

What is your biggest priority in regards to sustaining a career and growing yourself as an artist?

To retain the conceptual integrity of my work. This may be naive in terms of a career, but it’s vitally important for myself as an artist.

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the unit london Jonny Burt and Joe Kennedy WORDS by Luciana Garbarni

The Unit London, founded and directed by Jonny Burt and Joe Kennedy was opened as a reaction to the segregated climate of the traditional elitist agenda within the art world. “We came together quite frustrated with the state of the art industry. As it is today, without a reputation you will struggle to even break through the door or make a name for yourself. As artists, we wanted to take a new approach — coming at it from an artist’s perspective, we wanted to make an environment for people that was inclusive, celebratory and more outward facing for the people, because the art world can be a very insular industry. We basically wanted to flip that approach on it’s head and create something that was very refreshing and welcoming.”

Having just relocated to the established district of Soho, The Unit continues to invigorate and shake-up the scene.

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“We’re trying to bring back a human element to the art world which we feel has been absent for a long time,” co-founder Jonny Burt explains. The intent of accessibility is one many galleries claim to adhere to, however we can all relate to the experience of having walked through the buzzer-cued doors of a near vacant gallery with a sense that we should not be there.

“Everything that has come through until this point, especially and particularly from the name The Unit… and phonetically the “U” of The Unit is very out-facing for the people, we genuinely feel we are well on our way to achieving the our ambition of accessibility in many different ways.”

The subject of age is one that has been strained and exhausted in relation to the young upstart of the creative duo. The difficulties of an aspiring artist stretch far and beyond without the burden of a patronising response whilst struggling to build a reputation, obtain respect from older peers, buyers and established dealers in the industry. “A lot of it was born ultimately from a frustration and a sense anger at how difficult it was to showcase our work without already being well-known. But the frustration and anger acted as an impetus to do it. We wanted to do it differently: we knew that there was something lacking in there, we saw an opportunity and we just took it.”

Having first launched The Unit in Chiswick, the development of the brand strength allowed Burt and Kennedy to take a step for growth. “As an extension of the brand and our ethos, moving to Covent Garden was a wonderful decision for us. There never was a real, authentic contemporary art gallery in that area; there has never really been a gallery with a presence there either. Opening up a place there allowed us to open up the doors to a new crowd of people and have a gallery that was essentially busy. We hated the idea of having a gallery that was quiet,” Joe tells me. His partner agrees, “galleries shouldn’t be cold and clinical.”

The benefits of an artist-led gallery in contemporary society today are subject to many criticisms. Both the creative and business perspective tend to go hand-in-hand with a pervasive sense of neglect, in which the energy for arts and artists overshadows the groundwork for sales and promotion, ultimately propelling artists forward in their career. However, on fulfilling the original goal and vision at the genesis of building The Unit, the pair’s business savvy cannot go overlooked - and the recent move to Wardour Street in Soho is a clear testament to this.

“We have an international roster of artists as far fetched as China now, all across Europe as well as our UK and London based artists. That ethos of judging artwork on the quality of an artist’s work as opposed to their reputation and profile is very important to us,” “I think you can walk into this gallery and not feel like you are being cheated, not feel like the work we are showcasing is difficult to understand or that you won’t understand it because it has been created for a certain type of person, or a certain type of audience.

It’s all work that can be appreciated at face value, opening up this kind of contemporary artwork to a whole new category of people. We’re not in the heartland of gallery-world in Mayfair, but 48

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we do have a door open policy, especially to people who don’t necessarily come looking for art. They tend to stumble upon our space and suddenly realise that they love art, that they love what they’ve seen on our walls and that they can see it on the walls of their own homes. We give them a chance to learn about it, which is an extension of the ethos — to encourage people to see, enjoy and celebrate art.” Visitors would be inclined to agree: upon entry to The Unit, the energy is ebullient, the artwork is excitable, the directors are risk takers, and the openings are always impressively populated.

Both Jonny and Joe have always appeared to have a certain assertiveness about not only themselves as individuals but in regards to their forward direction, something that manifests very clearly in the roster of artists they chose to work with. “We’ve always seen the work we showcase as an extension of ourselves.

We ultimately do love all the artwork we exhibit - its always work that inspires us and it’s always work that influences us.” And on the specific characteristics they look for in the work of artists they chose to exhibit? “We’ve always been drawn to figurative works,” they clarify. “But we have expanded our catalogue since then and diversified in order to cater to different tastes. It’s really all about trying to find work that we experience an instinctive gut reaction to. Sometimes we find we are so compelled by a piece that we immediately have to contact the artist - and that’s irrespective of their status or reputation, be that museum level or completely unknown. Ultimately the only prerequisite is skill and undeniable talent. There are so many artists out there, sometimes it’s just a matter of finding a diamond in the rough.”

Joe also insists on the importance of originality when acquiring new artists. “It always excites us when we visit graduate shows or art fairs and we see something that is completely different.” “I think it’s very easy to become familiar with the artists around London too soon, you see the same artists rotated. And that’s why we’re so keen on bringing so many international artists into the scene over here.”

Naturally, the creative process involved in working as a duo is significantly different to that of working solo. When asked about the distinctive qualities they each bring to the partnership, having known each other since the age of 11, they humbly admit they believe they are quite lucky in the harmony of their co-partnership.

Jonny: “We both do everything. It’s not as if one of us is delegated one job while the other one undertakes another, we’re constantly hands-on while interchanging what needs to be done because it has always just been the two of us from the start.”

Joe: “I make up for all of his weekend, [laughs] but I guess we do seamlessly fill in for each other at certain points. It would be very difficult for us to work with anyone else as closely as we do with each other, we’ve created a monster together, and now we have to tame it together. But it’s always fun and we love doing it together.”

The pair also reveal in discussion just how protective they are of the brand and their artists, all curating, management and sales has been kept in-house having only very recently taken a step to grow their team. Understandably so, both had faced a challenge

to maintain a balance between their social and professional lives in the pursuit of fulfilling a dream so early in life: “There have certainly been sacrifices.” “Our social life has definitely taken a hit, because we literally are working 24/7, the second we wake up right until the moment we go to sleep we are still working. It’s actually become very difficult to squeeze in things like going to the gym or even just making it out for drinks with friends. But at the same time, it’s exciting knowing you have something that is constantly running and yours to run.”

In regards to sustaining an independent gallery, the pair cite their age as the most challenging aspect. “Being young has its advantages, but as you grow as a brand and well known buyers begin to take note of what you’re doing, our age can play against us. They expect a certain level of authority and conservativeness in the industry, and it’s quite difficult to get them on your side when you are attempting to undertake a more liberal or a newer approach.”

Closing words: “Being artists ourselves has allowed us to establish relationships with other artists we’re trying to represent fairly quickly. We do have the passion and we do have the space to exhibit, but what it comes down to at the end of the day is the people behind the brand. When we approach artists, the fact that we are artists ourselves allows us to forge a union of trust, which is very important especially when working with artists internationally who aren’t necessarily present to see the handling and curation of their work. There is a well-known sense of unsettlement between some artists and some galleries where the former feels they are unable to trust the latter. We do encourage other artists to take the step towards building a platform to showcase their own work.”

The Unit has recently relocated to a new gallery on Wardour Street. The Paintguide exhibition, running from November, presents a physical realisation of Henrik’s Uldalen’s Paintguide Instagram feed - featuring 61 international artists. Now is a good time to engage with The Unit and take advantage of their open door policy.

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GEO DESiGNS

WORDS by Luciana Garbarni

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Art is often about synthesising communication. It’s the “picture worth a thousand words.” As an individual of a few words himself, it’s easy to understand why art director and graphic artist GEO turns to images to find fulfilment in expression. At the start of 2015, GEO recently launched his online portfolio, complied of an extensive list of high class clientele including the likes of Kanye West, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Adidas, ROC Nation and RSVP Gallery, for which he has produced album packaging, promotional material and label rebranding.

GEO graciously gave me his time to discuss in detail some of the taboo topics kept under tabs in the creative world today, from commissions to economic climate’s effect on design, the artist’s ego, the trap of commerciality and more.

Geo, take us back in time a little. Tell me about the genesis of your progression into graphic designing.

Sure. From an early age, creating was something I had always done. Creating paintings, customising clothing, it all stems from building this imaginary world around me from the most basic of elements, technology wasn’t as then as it is now but of course with time came computers. My friend put me on PhotoShop in secondary school and since then until now, I guess you could say it is what it is.

So why graphics? Why not pencils, paints, or any other medium?

If I stuck with the traditional mediums, I may have gotten better and I may have continued using them but we are the digital age, everything is faster. Everything is easier, but not too easy.

I can create something and get a response from it immediately.

There’s something about it being instant, it means even though I’m working remotely, I’m still in a position to make connections easily from the responses I receive to my work.

On the topic of connections, what led to your involvement with (Kanye West’s) creative house DONDA? I had originally built a good rapport with Virgil Abloh and did a few lowkey tasks with him. That lead on to me naturally progressing into DONDA. Many would use this as an opportunity to blow their own trumpet.. I’m curious about how important is such recognition to you, personally and to your career?

Blowing your own trumpet is the easiest way to get lost and fall off. Think of it like the film Inception, We all hold a totem, but if we lose it and go too deep into the dream, we will get lost in limbo. Being recognised for my work means a lot to me, but there’s no need to be egoistical over it. I still grind like I’m new to this.

How would you describe your approach to design?

Easy going, open minded. I like to research and explore all options but I always have an initial and final product in my mind as an aim. I adjust through the process, it can also be very violent, very… “I don’t care,” I want to leave my mark on it. The GEO aesthetic.

The coining of the term “graphic designer” has given way to many vague, and often oversimplified definitions. In your opinion, what separates the real graphic designers from those who make digital art and amateurs who brand themselves as designers of graphics?

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I f*cking hate the term “graphic designer.” I wish I could just say “I make cool things” as my job title. Generally people roll eyes at graphic designers, especially when compared to the traditional method of painting, sketching, typesetters, because it’s so “easy” for us to create something in five minutes. But not everything takes five minutes, it could take 5 months. We separate ourselves through how much we invest, our work actually has meaning and it’s been thought out. It’s communication through design, they often forget the communication part.

Do you feel the craft in your field is often devalued?

Hell yeah. Because it’s a service and the end goal is product.

People just wanna pay for the product rather than think about the journey we just been on to get there. Time is money, as they say, and for the hours we work vs how much we get paid, it never adds up Many creative individuals face this conflict of producing work that appeals to the masses as an “easy” alternative to making ends meet. How do you find the balance between exploring creative pursuits without losing a sense of self in commissions and the pursuit of money?

Exactly. Commercial work is easy because a certain colour pallet will get more reception than others. It’s basics. Find a good balance between work time and me time is key. Me time includes everything and anything you want to do in life. Even if your profession is your passion, dive into personal projects and fulfil an area if a client doesn’t. Money comes secondary.

I imagine that an understanding of visual trends is vital to a designer. How do you use and exploit trends to your advantage without leaving traces of commercial influence?

Reinvention. Maybe a flip on some typography, layout, white space… whatever. Commercial is copying without really changing much, so when you see something and it looks familiar, it’s because it is. And it’s the easy way out but I don’t give a f*ck about easy, I’d flip and then flip it again and take it that extra level, even if it took more time. Then again, it’s not too much about exploiting the trend for me, its about creating it.

You’ve always appeared to be quite the recluse but I’m intrigued by your creative partnerships.

I’ve collaborated with a small handful of people. I’m not too into the collaboration scene, at lot of people are caught up in a name for the wrong reasons. I’ve even had ideas stolen, no names though haha. I look for trust, honesty, an open mind, different mediums, different methodology. I love to learn. What good is a conversation with someone you can’t learn from?

London or Paris, on a rooftop in Miami, my camera roll is my influence. Tumblr, when I wanna make a quick stop to see whats going on. I love architecture too, so I take from that a lot.

What are you currently inspired by and how is it feeding into your work?

I’m really into lush, colourful but elegant interior design right now. There is this really dope sofa, designed by Studio Ilse, London based, created a sofa that has been designed to support our modern life. I’m a really colourful person and I hope the new vibes from art basel too, filter down into my new stuff that I create this year I’ve noticed an emphasis on how accessible you find inspiration to be. Given the plethora of available resources online to train oneself, do you think that it’s still important or even beneficial to study design at an institution?

As Yeezy said, “The inspiration is free.” I really see it as unnecessary. It’s more about how good the work is than a piece of paper that says you’ve passed or whatever. The majority of successful people in the creative field didn’t study one bit. Well maybe a little. I did two years and left, best decision of my life.

Will you be doing what you want for the rest of 2015?

Precisely. I’ve shown everyone I can do the album packaging and stuff now its time to really show the other levels.

Who are your influences outside of those you’ve collaborated with?

Not necessarily who, but what. The world does, on a train in oddity

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DANIEL SACHON Visual artist and photographer Daniel Sachon began his journey with the camera at the age of 14, and within just two months, he had secured his first paying client.

By the time he had completed his A-Levels, Sachon’s work had graced the published pages of Fiasco and Papercut magazine —all the while making it a priority to find his feet in the professional world. The challenges of an aspiring artist can make life precarious enough, from the fears of finding oneself a fleeting darling du jour, the age-factor can also leave younger artists in a position of patronising headache. It is with this history we can understand why Daniel Sachon’s images have the striking uniqueness of the “fighter”, in the sense that, just like life, he refuses to glean the image by chance and rather has an acute awareness of his visual prey, manifesting the ideas of his minds-eye with a creative assertiveness.

I caught up with Daniel to discuss the obstacles and insecurities he faced in finding his passion at an age where indecision is at it’s prime, in this interview, he opens up candidly about how he fell in love with photography, the importance of uncensored expression and what he considers a successful photograph.

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Daniel, the subject of age is one that must be strained and exhausted by now, but I have to ask, how did you find the conviction at such a young age to pursue photography with such commitment?

I’ve always believed that if you are going to give something a go, you have to go for it 100% and that’s exactly how I approached photography. I began shooting when I was at a school as I had no interest in lessons, but I was eager to find something to pour my creative energy into. I have always enjoyed painting and drawing, but I found I could never manifest my ideas physically in the same way I could visually with photography.

I’ve always known I wanted to shoot women, but I also knew that my adolescent friends weren’t the models I wanted, so when I saved enough money from birthdays to buy my own DSLR I made the decision to contact as many modelling agencies across London as I could in an attempt to get myself out there. It took about a week of constant emails and harassing bookers to finally land my first professional model. After the first taste of shooting how and what I wanted, I was eager for more, shooting whenever I could, even bunking school to shoot.

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Fortunately for me, during the time I began to shoot female portraiture, my sister was also a makeup artist in the fashion industry. She introduced me to some great photographers, many of who’s works were a real inspiration to me, I built a good enough rapport with them to sit in and visit their shoots. I’ve always been incredibly impatient, but also a little anxious, as inspiring as it was to immerse myself in a professional environment, it was also a cause of much self-directed anger: for not being at that level, for not shooting with a full team, for not having bigger budget, bigger clients…. it was the trigger behind my perseverance. I wanted the photographers who I admired and looked up to, to one day become my competition.

Did you study photography?

Yes, at both GCSE and A-Level. I moved to an art college for GCSE’s and this was where I had my first interaction with black and white photography and the darkroom.

Despite predominantly shooting digitally, I can’t overlook the value of what I learnt experimenting with film and actually making my own prints in the darkroom, I credit it as big part of my approach to my current work. In my

opinion, after working with film photography you will never approach light, tone, texture and show the same way again.

What was the first point of “real world” contact for you in the photography industry?

It depends what you would classify as ‘real world.’ Some of the pieces I’ve had exhibited in ‘professional’ spaces have derived from wholly amateur photoshoots. I’ve always made it my mission from day one to work with a team at industry level, I’ve always felt this would better my work and mature me as a photographer.

How has it influenced the you today?

Well, my first ‘real world’ encounter work-wise was shooting for Fiasco magazine — just before I turned 15.

It was the first time my work would reach an international audience and the first time I would see my name credited as a photographer in a publication I admired. I was shooting for an issue that a photographer I once assisted was shooting for, so I felt a lot of pressure not only to deliver to the editor, but also to impress the photographer I’d worked for. I remember how nervous I was working to fit a brief, it was the first time I was shooting to suit someone other than myself, or an individual client, the nerves pushed me to work harder and focus.

Candour and a refusal to censor are traits that seem key to your work. How do you define this and how does it inform your work?

Themes of that nature are fun for me to play with. The art world is really one of the only places you can get away with it. I like seeing the reactions I can garner, and how something that may shock one person can affect someone else in a completely different way. Sometimes people perceive my work in that way when it was actually completely unintentional. But I guess it’s just my personality feeding through: I don’t believe in censoring oneself. Censoring inhibits an artist from being unique in his or her own right. I take pictures to express myself, my moods, thoughts and ideas, and they shouldn’t be censored, just as a journalist should have the right to free speech. I appreciate it when someone can see that my candour-like attitude towards my work is me just being me, not trying to make something of what it isn’t or take it too seriously, after all you should enjoy what you create – isn’t that the whole point?

Do you prefer to have complete control over lighting or would your rather adjust to the natural light?

It’s is a tricky one, as both techniques have their respective place and purpose in my work, and whichever I call on depends entirely on the concept, idea or theme at hand. Artificial/studio lighting allows for complete control over every inch of the frame, which is great. But I do love natural light, it’s what I first began shooting with, and it’s technique that will never get old. I don’t only love the visual effect of natural light ,but the risk that comes when shooting with it. Light can change in matter of minutes, it forces you to adapt. It is also interesting to mix the two and creating a balance of the ‘best of both worlds’.

Tell us a little about the post-production of your work.

How important is photoshop to you?

I always try to get everything looking exactly how I want it to on camera. A great photo should be just that, a photo [not an edit.] Saying that photoshop is helpful as a digital photographer, you can get rid of unavoidable things when shooting like blemishes on the skin. Many cameras today can pick up the most intricate of details and even blemishes that the naked eye couldn’t see, so it’s great to have the chance to work back into what I saw on the day.

I try to keep the post-production on my work to a minimal as I think to imperfections have there respective places; I aim to create photos that are an augmented slice of reality, what I see. I don’t want my images to look like they have been retouched. Sometimes I choose to keep in a stray hair or scar on my sitters skin that a retoucher would remove, elements like these maintain a sense of reality. I think it’s important to create images that can be both admirable and relatable, but I think this comes from me trying to create a synergy between art and commerce, and therefore making something that isn’t quite blown up to perfection, but not completely raw either, its my view.

What do you consider a successful photograph?

A photograph that creates split opinions.

The contemporary woman is almost always the protagonist of your photography. Do you have a muse?

I’m not inspired by any single person in particular, but I do find when I shoot someone for the first time and I start to get to know them, I learn new things about them oddity

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that makes me want to shoot them again in a new way, and then I keep shooting them until I don’t feel anything anymore, as if it almost loses its purpose, that’s when I stop. The image of a few women reoccur throughout my work, and it’s interesting to see if the audience notices, but it’s also interesting to get these women to play different characters for me and watch as they transform from photo to photo.

How would you describe your subject matter or the content of your work? Do you ever approach a photoshoot with a particular audience in mind?

A melting pot of all my influences and ideas both conscious and sub-conscious. I keep my subject matter broad as I never want to be weighed down to a fixed ‘style’ and be tied to it. Unfortunately I feel this happens to quite a few artists, they get known for a similar aesthetic or subject matter and are forever known as “that guy”’.

I would say that my work is somewhat a synergy between art and commerce, as these are two worlds (be it often viewed as far apart) that inspire me equally. I take influence from each stylistically and conceptually, and think my aesthetic and the variety in my approach to my work shows that.

I never shoot with an audience in mind; I try to shoot for myself. I think the minute you start to create with an audience in mind, you fall into a trap of expectations rather than what would come organically. I’ve had a real mix of people tell me they like my work, from people my age to people in their 70’s, graphic designers to bankers.

It makes me happy to know I can create work that is enjoyed by a mix of people rather than a targeted “trendy” audience — trends fade. I want to take photos that you can look at 20 years from now and not know if they were shot today, last week or seven years ago.

Can you recall an image you’ve photographed that stands out to you as a favourite over the years or has given you the most satisfaction personally and creatively?

I don’t think I could pin-point one single work specifically that stands out above the rest, but I don’t know if that’s because I like many for different reasons, or if because I am extremely self critical about my work. I am also constantly evolving in my taste and working on new 58

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projects that I find once I like a piece of work, it falls into this pool of just ones I am generally most pleased with, and they are all sort of equal importance/favourite to me.

Praise as an upcoming artist of any kind is important.

What’s the best thing anyone has ever said about your photography?

I’ve been fortunate enough to receive a lot of amazing feedback that is always lovely and humbling to hear, Again, I’m not sure I could pinpoint a single thing specifically. Anything anyone has to say about my work is of value to me, compliment or not. The most memorable comments recently have definitely been an Instagram message that was “You are going to be our generation’s Testino” and someone telling me that my work gives them ‘an eye boner’.

What does the future hold for Daniel Sachon’s photography?

Well I just got back from working in Los Angeles for an advertising agency called Culprit Creative. The three boys that run it are the most crazy, off the walls creatives I have ever met and working with them was great as I saw there is no secret to how to get where or what you want except working hard and focusing. They really just let me have LA as my playground and together we created some amazing stuff.

This year I also have the debut of my first solo show ‘Disruptive Innovation’ at the London Newcastle Project Space on Redchurch Street, Shoreditch in December.

I have been working mostly on this this year, and I am really excited to unleash this new body of work I have been making the last 7 months.

I will also be returning to my studies after a gap year after A-levels to focus on my photography, enrolling in a Bachelors degree at Central St. Martins this Fall.

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music picks Diversity is a word that sets the world alight. We revel in the depths of our originality, and analyse the aspects which set us apart from the pack. This quarter Oddity has explored four separate artists, all sitting in separate genres, but most importantly, they are conclusively diverse within their own genre - no simple feat. It is easy to play the game and spin the wheel, but it is the gifted amongst us who tweak the formula and reinvent the wheel in it’s entirety. oddity

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J OD Y b r o c k Aspiring from a musically rich background, it was never hard for Jody Brock to fall into music, and for this BRIT School graduate his transition into music was as natural as it gets. Now working with LA super team, Drew Lawrence and Igloo, his emphatic raw bluesy sound hits harder and deeper than ever before.

At present, Brock has plenty to be excited about. His latest release, Phoenix EP, represents the courage and heart it often takes to keep going and renew oneself after harder times. His passionate vocal really gives the whole project the emotion it deserves and blurs lines between genres. At times you feel you could be listening to the soul of Etta James, then as the track progresses it evolves into something The Black Keys would be releasing.

Jody Brock is something of a square peg in a round hole. The languid singer looks like any other good-looking 22 year old but when he opens his mouth he channels arresting soul, restless blues and powerful melodies - a vocal that truly belies both his looks and his years. Whilst relatively new on the block, BRIT School graduate Brock has already gained transatlantic recognition for his sound and style and with his debut EP Phoenix recently released, Brock is looking to make a point out of 2015.

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Jody, tell us where it all began?

I’ve always sung for as long as I can remember. I have a very musical background but it wasn’t until I begged to get up and do karaoke in Spain when I was nine that everyone realised I could sing. The support began from there I guess.

You studied at the widely celebrated BRIT school? Do you feel it comes with a certain pressure or expectation?

The four years I spent at the BRIT school were incredible, I learnt a lot about myself not only as an artist but as a person. I went at a time when it was still fairly low key in terms of its successful alumni, but it was amazing to be there when artists like Adele and Amy Winehouse were killing it in the charts. It gave me a lot, and one day I hope to return the favour and give back where I can. A great place.

Your debut EP, Phoenix, is soon to come out? Give us a rundown on themes, concepts, and the overall direction of the record.

The idea is that the phoenix represents my actions in previous relationships. In the past I haven’t acted the best way within my relationships because I’ve fallen hard for someone and then freaked out and talked myself out of the situation. This pattern would continuously repeat itself over and over again so I wrote a song about it with Drew Lawrence and Igloo, called Phoenix.

I decided to centre the whole record on that theme after. Even though the reason for calling the record Phoenix is a seemingly negative one, the phoenix has such a positive message to it - through every hardship and failure you pull yourself up, take those burns and use them to motivate yourself - that message has become very important to me throughout this whole process.

The EP has just been released so have a listen and interpret it for yourself.

You’re predominantly a soul artist. Where would you place the genre of the EP? And how would you define your style?

First and foremost I would definitely say that I'm a soul artist. I think soul lies within so many other genres today that it’s almost impossible to define soul as a single genre by itself anymore - if that makes sense. Artists like Nina Simone, Etta James and James Brown have been the inspiration behind 90% of today’s music in one way or another. The Black Keys for example sonically inspired this record a great deal even though they are categorised as a ‘rock’ band, there is so much soul within their song writing and production that it just resonated with me straight away. If Etta James and the Black Keys had a musical baby I would want it to be the same sound as Phoenix - that was definitely my intent when making it.

what mood I am in. The one song that I would say represents me as a person the most would be a track called User because it is powerful, bold, soft, sweet and stubborn all in one breath.

My ambition with this EP is to just introduce myself as an artist and let people know that I exist. I just love doing what I do and getting to share my music with people and see how each individual reacts is exciting to me.

You speak a lot about emotion. Definitively, do you feel like a lyrical artist?

As a songwriter I would say my strength lies in melodies and structure. Lyrically I have so much going on in my brain I sometimes need to sit down with someone to help me organise them in the right way. When you find that person you collaborate perfectly with its pretty awesome. To me a great song is written with purpose, by that I mean I want to know whoever is singing that song really means what they are saying and if I feel that then everything else falls into place and just works. Obviously, there has to be a great melody and a decent singer to carry the tune off but it’s the emotion and the intent that really delivers a song for me.

Where will Jody Brock be in 12 months’ time?

I love doing what I do! In a year’s time I would love to be playing some more great gigs on bigger stages where I can really put on a show because I love to perform - it’s my favourite part.

Growing up being inspired by James Brown, David Bowie and Michael Jackson I have grown to love being on stage. When I was at school I had quite a hard time and I was bullied pretty hard for being different and the only thing that kept me grounded and sane was being able to get up on stage and sing. I believe those early experiences played a part in my love for performing because it was like my safe haven.

What else can we expect from you?

In the near future you can expect more music, hopefully some more collaborations with artists outside of my genre as I love to experiment, but to be honest I have no idea what’s waiting around the corner and that excites me - so just stay tuned and find out.

You’re a new artist, so if you was to encourage people to listen to one song that defines you what would it be?

Every day I have a new favourite from the EP, it just depends on oddity

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S Y RON Travelling around the world, song writing for artists and moulding her own sound into something that represents herself and her artistry. Her new EP, titled Blurred Romance, explores the different elements of romance and the personal journey we all face when opening ourselves up to the prospect of love and devotion. With an old school 90s UK dance sound fused with pop, Syron’s music is vibrant and pulsing, and due to the nostalgic element of her music it is easy to latch on and engage.

On top of music Syron is somewhat of a fashion icon. Finding the beautiful synergy between music and style is an art in itself and Syron expresses her music all the more potently through this second medium.

Sweet, direct and open, Syron typifies the modern music artist.

From style to music, Syron brings together almost every aspect of popular culture in order to create her sound - a refreshing change from the usual manufactured artists on today’s scene. Having topped numerous one-to-watch lists’ as well as widely popular collaborations with the likes of Rudimental and Ministry of Sound, we sat down with the born-and-bred Londoner to discuss what’s been going on and what’s coming next... .

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Firstly we just have to ask, why Syron?

Syron is actually my surname, so my full name is Daisy Tallulah Syron. One of the main reasons that I wanted to use it was because I have always been obsessed with mermaids. A Siren is a mythical mermaid that sung and lured men to their deaths – obviously not that I sing and lure men to their deaths but it’s a play on words.

music and style represents those influences. I started listening to garage and house when I was about sixteen or seventeen so I think that’s why I tend to wear the Nike trainers, bomber jackets and big gold hoop earrings. On the other hand, where I spent a lot of time in LA, I like the long bleach blonde hair and the long nails. I think how I have lived and where I have lived developed my sound and style together.

So tell us what you have been up to lately?

Does that affect your opinion when looking at other artists?

Do you feel that that is a strong asset in music?

I actually have a new EP coming out soon, so I’ve been working on getting everything together for that, from the pictures to working out the videos. Also I’ve been in Los Angeles for the past three months working out there, writing music for myself and other people. I was also in Sweden; again that was a lot of songwriting - mostly songwriting camps. It’s easier doing it for myself as I have more freedom creatively, but I think in the future I’d like to carry on doing stuff for other people as well.

Well, for me it is fairly obvious when looking at other artists as to whether they have written the song or not, or they style themselves or not. Nowadays all artists have stylists that they work with, but if you have been completely styled by somebody then you probably don’t write your own sound – and that’s fine. I don’t think it’s necessarily bad because some people are just singers but for me personally it’s important as an artist that everything comes from me.

When you songwrite for someone else do you almost disconnect from your own feelings?

Style within music has always existed, but say 10 years ago there wasn’t such an emphasis on it - why do you think that has changed?

There’s definitely not as much of a connect. For instance, when I write something for myself it’s really personal and I could explain the exact situation I was in or what I was thinking about at the time – even why I wrote each line specifically. I know what I want the whole thing to be about. When I write for other people it’s a lot more about the sound rather than making sure every word is relevant to me – it’s more about what sounds good together as opposed to having a really strong narrative. I still want the songs to have a narrative, but if you know who it’s for then it might be their story or what they want. The producer usually knows what they want the song to be about, so they can give you a brief and you write within that.

So with the new EP, what’s the direction? Is there a concept or theme yet?

The title of the new EP is Blurred Romance and it’s about all the different elements of, not necessarily love, but romance.

So there are parts that just focus on sex, or falling in love, or knowing that you love the wrong person. It’s all of those different elements and the fact that they can all be blurred. It’s not always clear and you don’t know what decisions to make, or if it’s the right thing to do or not. Sound and production-wise it’s a lot more pop than tracks I’ve put out before. I think from working in LA, Blurred Romance is more pop driven but still keeps that dance and 90’s feel.

Do you feel that style and music find a synergy together to create a bigger expression?

I think with the Internet being such a big thing now and with platforms like Instagram, Tumblr and media like that, things are always so quick to change. Artists need to be seen setting the trends, or to be on top of things in terms of style. This also means you have to push the boundaries and be as bold as possible as it’s so accessible for everyone. Nowadays all artists need to be strong with what they put out there from a stylistic point of view.

Finally, you have quite a few tattoos – what are their significance and what are your thoughts about tattoos in relation to fashion?

My finger tattoos are the only ones that are really for aesthetic reasons more than anything else, but all of my others have a definitive meaning. I think that tattoos and fashion go hand-inhand now, I like to say that everything I write and everything I wear all have a reason.

Photo by JOSEPH SINCLAIR Styling CALLUM VINCENT Hair by BRADY LEA using Hair Rehab Make up by NANCY SUMNER using Nars Cosmetics Syron wears Vintage Army Coat, IZAAK AZANEI collar & YSL earrings

For me 100%, they go hand in hand and I think they have to match. What I look like and what I wear has to completely represent and fit with the sound I’m making. I think my style correlates really well with my sound. Having always lived in London, my oddity

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DREAM M C LEAN Dream McLean emerges from a niche saturated with similar artists. eciphering a genre like UK grime and UK rap can be challenging due to the continuous themes and topics rapped about. Gang warfare, social unrest, money, crime, and drugs these social themes are embedded in the NA of the genre and are expressed poignantly and poetically. ream McLean however, has a different idea as to what he wants to rap about, where he wants to go with his music and what he thinks about the current state of UK music.

The rapper garnered respect and coverage from all over the UK from the likes of Professor Green and Chase & Status after creating a movement in Colchester. Now, Dream McLean is looking to swim in his own circles and dictate his own path.

Moving away from grime and into his own lane, McLean cites the primary love of just making music regardless of genre or expectation is what inspires him.

Humble and longsighted, Dream McLean’s wisdom of the music industry is shrewd and contemplative. Emerging from Chase & Status’s independent label, McLean has been given time to master his art, finding himself and affirming exactly he wants to bring out of music and express with it. His latest album Greyscale is witty, intelligent and atmospheric - in-essence far removed from most inside his genre, and an undoubtable prospect in music.

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So where did it all begin?

From when I was a kid I always thought I’m going to be a rapper or I’m going to be a footballer. They were the only two professions that I thought I was going to be. I started writing my own stuff in school when I was in Year 7 but I wouldn’t show anyone. They weren’t written to beats, they were more like massive stories that rhymed - like spoken word or poetry. I didn’t start applying it to actual music as there wasn’t a way to do that yet, especially living in Colchester, there weren’t any studios. It wasn’t until I was in Year 11 that one of my best friends got a bedroom setup that there was a whole group of us in there. I’m glad for that studio; I recorded 5 mixtapes there before I was signed, as did all the guys in the circle. Our reputation started spreading out of Colchester to Ipswich and Chelmsford, and kids started getting involved.

We built that buzz from the ground up, we did it - it was us, we created that movement! I got more and more cosigns from other artists based in London. Terror Danjah reached out, and then Pro Green, and then Chase & Status, which lead to them signing me. That was the first real big turning point in my career. After being so proactive and doing everything myself, going to a label that have plans and strategies for you - it was strange.

Pro Green is now a widely renowned public figure with a strong level of mainstream success. Given the opportunity, would you move into the mainstream and leave the grime scene? And more importantly, do you feel British rap could ever become a mainstream genre without compromising itself?

Firstly, I don’t even see myself in the grime scene anymore; I left it a long time ago. Now that grime is back, everyone’s like “Dream, make grime again, make music like you used to make!” why? Because it’s cool again? Because everyone else is doing that now? It’s not me, why would you want me to make something that’s not me. I rap so it’s rap music, it’s hip-hop music, it’s British, but it’s not grime. The new album is very electronically influenced so the production has that edge to it, but it’s still fundamentally hip-hop. Either way, I do think the scene is becoming mainstream and it’s coming back so quickly and bigger than ever. It feels like every single year since funky house that this has happened - there’s been something everyone goes crazy for, first funky house, then dubstep, then house. It’s all the same people just jumping ship but I feel like grime is making its comeback. You have big tracks out there, Skepta’s singles have been very successful and I don’t feel like they’re compromised at all. It’s good music and good grime, and I think we haven’t had that for a long time. I don’t naturally make grime music anymore, whereas when I was younger that was how I felt, I was just an angry little kid that just wanted to fight people at the weekends and wanted to go in the booth and wile out. I’m not that person anymore. If I was making that music now then it’s fake, its not reflecting who I am.

I just make music and then you can tell me what it is, you tell me what it means to you. If it’s grime then it’s grime. I don’t go in the studio and say “I’m going to make a grime song today!” I create what I create, and that’s artistry.

In an ideal world the artistic form is all that should matter and that’s where music once was, long before labels and social media came in, but I guess it has to be a sellable product nowadays.

I was too anti-labels growing up; I completely ignored that whole side of it because I wanted to organically find something. I turned down a lot of deals; money didn’t interest me at all. It does now because I’m older and I realise, yeah, it makes the f***king world go round. If I want to do this forever it has to be sustainable, it has to be my career. Back then I turned down a lot of deals, there was big money involved but I felt

it wasn’t right. Now, I am so glad I signed with Chase & Status’ label; they gave me time and freedom to grow, as an artist whereas I don’t think major labels would have the patience to let me sit there for as long as I did. There are ways of making authentic music that everyone wants to buy and play on radio, and I just feel, especially with the whole urban thing, a lot of successful acts have just been making music to sell and it’s so so see-through. By the second or third album they just get dropped, and then they try coming back to the scene. I just feel we’ve had what we thought was a successful period but I think as far as the music goes it wasn’t flourishing. We’re in better times now and I feel like there’s a lot of promising talent coming out of this country.

The UK market is saturated with US rap stars, who essentially eclipsed the UK artists in the first place. Do you feel there’s a sense of irony when rappers like Kanye, Big Sean and Drake shine light on UK grime artists?

It is ironic but it’s not their fault, it’s just something we’ve always had.

With trying to be a rapper in this country you’re always going to be second best to them guys over there, even to your people that live here. I’ve supported Pusha T in London and it was one of the toughest gigs I’ve played! The English people that come to see these rappers, they put them on such a pedestal that they think UK rappers aren’t as good before they’ve even listened to them. In an ideal world they would support their own, but at the end of the day music is music - if it’s good it’s good. I think a UK crossover is more likely to happen now. These Kanye’s and these Drake’s saying these things set the trends but even had they not I still think it’s a case of this naturally happening. Grime and this UK sound that we have is original, and we’ve had it for a long time so the quality is there.

Has Dream McLean changed much? Is he still as motivated as he once was? If so, what drives that?

I just love it. The feeling of making music and sharing music, I can’t explain it. It is the actual music side of it, it isn’t the money or the fame - they’re just bi-products of the industry. I just aspire to be the best at what I do so I can look back at my career and look back on a backcatalogue of music that I can be proud of. I was a listener first, I loved listening to music, and so I just want to be that artist that inspires the next generation. That’s the most rewarding thing about doing this so far!

Seeing the people from my area doing this because of my lot and me.

The original forefathers of the scene inspired a generation, the Wiley’s and the Skepta’s, all these guys - they’re the reason we do it.

What do you have lined up for the rest of the year?

I’ve just put my first album out, so right now I don’t want to go into my label and sit down and plan things just yet. I want to go off and do sessions with producers and find what I want do next. Right now, I don’t have the second album in my head, I don’t have the vision - I need to find it first and work out what I’m doing. I just need to get out there, make music and whatever comes out, comes out. Nowadays people expect something new everyday and I just spent 3 years on an album! I’m happy I got that debut out and it represents that stage of my life but now I want to move on. This year is all about maintaining the momentum from the album; I’ve got to keep putting music out and stop sitting on it. In this day and age everything moves so fast. EP, singles, videos - I just want to keep smashing things out this year and stay active.

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raleigh ritchie the pursuit of happiness Words By Charlie Allen Photography Robin Bharaj Stylist Edith Walker

Understated yet bold, Raleigh Ritchie continues to smash the pre-set ideal of a career. From the first second of meeting Raleigh Ritchie there was an undeniable perceptive nature to him, he contained a confidence and knowing, speaking kindly but also with meticulous consideration. Ritchie is currently in the height of his ascendance. Outside of his largely touted music career, Ritchie is also a star of HBO’s smash fantasy series Game of Thrones – now, renowned the world over. We wanted to understand both the process he had been through thus far and the process he was going through at the moment.

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Where did it all begin for you?

I used to play on a programme called EJ for hours, and then advanced onto a programme called Acid. After, I learnt how to use Cubase at school and then organically started writing songs - back then I used to get other people to do the singing as I wasn’t a singer. I just really enjoyed it and after working with one girl I felt that I should probably do it myself. If I was going to write songs about my life it didn’t feel honest if I was telling other people how to sing it. That’s how it started!

I see, so do you still produce?

No, not really. The technical stuff breaks my brain! I know how to use synths and I can play chords badly but I'm not a producer. I am very lucky to work with great producers who are very talented in that way.

Ok, so did you find it hard breaking yourself into such closed creative industries starting out in Bristol?

It was alright for me, I was lucky to come from Bristol because Bristol has this weird thing where it feels like music is something you can do. There are a few people that have come out of Bristol and done really well, which encourages younger people.

It’s a very laid back place so people have the attitude that if it makes you happy then just do it. So, in terms of breaking in it never really crossed my mind, I just enjoyed making music and got signed almost by accident. I’ve had a manager since I was 17, he put a Soundcloud link up for publishers and that just got spread around labels. I was never looking to sign a deal with a major, that just happened because I met some people that I liked and thought, "Yeah, I can work with you!"

I am a major Bill Murray fan, he is easily one of my favourite humans in the world, ever. In music, maybe not the way he carries himself, but Kanye West is also a big one for me. The way he works and creates things - I would love to have that kind of career. I just feel like he is a really brave artist, musically he changes with every album and he constantly evolves and moves forward. I think that’s very much what I plan to do.

So as a musician and an actor things must get really tough for you! Describe the kind of sacrifices it takes to do what you do?

There’s not a big time sacrifice, at the moment I’m just doing Game of Thrones and music. Thrones takes 6 weeks to shoot across 6 months, so the rest of the time I am free to do music so time wise it’s not a massive pressure. I think I have to work harder in music for people to see me as a musician because how big the show’s become, but that’s fine, I would rather work for whatever happens than feeling like it’s all been easy.

Sometimes too much free time can plague creativity.

Musically, do you ever find yourself going through peaks and troughs of creativity?

Music eats itself a bit. At the moment I’m trying to finish the album, so I’m having to be very logical as I’ve got a deadline within the next month. I’m having to be pragmatic about what I’m doing, which means when I go to the studio I’m having to be like what do I need to finish? What do I need to achieve? When you release a single and have a big run of interviews, you spend so much time talking about music that you start overthinking it and analysing it, which means your brain isn’t quite so open and free to make things. I feel like I always need a holiday…

So was it a long process? Did you hold off on signing at first or did you sign up straight away?

Speaking of your new album. Do you have a working title yet?

I was really sceptical at first, it was exactly what I expected majors to be like. It was just a case of meeting people who would support what I wanted to do. It’s got to be the right combination of people with the right combination of ideas, and that's the only reason to do something. I'm not motivated by money or power or fame - I just want to do good stuff.

I’ve got a couple actually. I had one title that I had for 2 years and then I recently had another idea - but I don’t want to say it just in case. They kind of mean the same thing, the theme of the album is about this weird transition you go through from the age of 16 to the age of 24/25 where you're trying to work yourself out. The album is very much about that.

So why Raleigh Ritchie? What does this alter ego symbolise to you?

Well, I got it from my favourite film (The Royal Tenenbaums), and it’s two characters' names from that film. I guess I felt I identified with those characters, and the more I said it the more it felt like the right thing to call myself.

I read the genesis of the name primarily was down to your admiration for the legendary Bill Murray. Who do you feel has inspired your mentality and outlook the most thus far?

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Stronger Than Ever, is arguably your most popular track thus far. Lyrically you’re so cocky and assured yet so vulnerable and alone. Where did this come from?

The cockiness comes out of a complete lack of self-esteem, so the cockiness is not real! It’s like trying to convince myself that everything is going to be fine and amazing - I’m going to show everybody who didn’t believe in me that they were wrong, I’m going to show myself that I was wrong! That whole third verse is angry, when you’re just like fuck everyone! I’m going to do this and I’m going do that, and you can’t tell me anything! And I’m saying to myself "you’re wrong about yourself, you’re capable of doing everything!", then it breaks down back into loneliness. The first two verses were about how difficult I was finding everything

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before I realised I had to stop being so hard on myself. I had to balance this emotion out with something stronger. It’s kind of ironic.

That third verse was so real. You prophesise this astonishing rise that you can't handle and almost lose everything you set out to gain in the first place. Are they deep rooted fears of yours or do you feel like you're well aware of what could happen if you can't control your own success...?

No, that’s how I felt when I was angry towards people, I had just left home and I had this feeling. Now in hindsight I think I was wrong, I was my own worst enemy. People were just worried about me but in my head I took that as “you won’t do well”, so my state of mind was lashing out at people who were trying to help me. That was the peak of when I was just working, working, working, working, and it got a bit much. I just wanted to go home for a bit because it wasn’t doing good things for my head.

As an artist you're quite a hybrid, when you rap it's almost like a stream of consciousness as opposed to traditional rap. Do you feel Ed Sheeran has opened the door for artists to diversify and appeal to a wider audience because of how he has integrated rap into pop?

To be honest I’ve always written in that way. I used to write to hip-hop instrumentals so even though I was singing I knew the songs. I used to go on Limewire and steal Neptune beats, and Timbaland beats - and that ended up forming my flow. A few people have said to me I write like a rapper but to me it’s all the same, it’s all song writing. If I write a slightly different flow it’s still exactly the same principles of song writing, it's just a slightly different way of emphasising what I’m wanting to say. When I do that kind of section it’s because I want to say something, I don’t want to shroud it with anything, I just want to get to the point and do it in the most succinct way that I possibly can - and that tends to manifest itself in that flowy way. I’m not really that conscious of it, I’ve only been conscious of it since I have released stuff and people have referred to me as “like a rapper”. But it’s funny because sing-rapping has become quite common and it’s something I’ve been doing since young - although I’m not saying I pioneered it.

Obviously creating music is a real process, sometimes it can feel intrinsic and impossible, and other times it can just flow effortlessly. Have you found it difficult working with different producers and finding that middle-ground?

There’s only a few people I’ve worked with that I’ve worked with again, really - and they’re people who I’ve worked with for years now. It’s such a weird thing - producers and artists working with each other. I’ve never done the dating thing but I imagine it’s what dating is like. You have to find people that you trust and that trust you, and you find things out about each other. You’re never going to write your best song with someone you don’t feel comfortable with, so it’s all about finding that connection.

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“you’re wrong about yourself, you’re capable of doing everything!”

Even the people you work well with, you go through peaks and troughs which is like being in a relationship - it’s really weird. I’ve never been good at doing the rounds, when labels send their artists to work with this person or that person. It feels like when someone tries to set up two friends with one another - they think it’s a perfect match but they have no idea of how each of these people interpret their own feelings and outlooks. Like producers that I’ve worked with, no-one but them knows what the dynamic is like when we work together, but for me it’s really important that I work with people that are open to what I’m doing, and likewise, I’m open to what they’re doing. There’s no mission statement, its let’s just see what happens! You don’t have to make something that sounds like anything else I’ve done or anything else you’ve done, let’s just make a song. It’s really difficult to find your soulmate and the only way to do that is through trial and error.

Sometimes you’ll work for a day and get nothing, then out of nowhere you might write a track in 3/4 hours and think – Hey! I want to see this person again! People always ask me how I write a song, do I start with lyrics or melody? It's actually much more complicated than that, it’s about feeding off each other. You have to jump on that moment when they start playing chords that makes you think about something, and then they jump on your vibe.

So you've briefly mentioned HBO's Game of Thrones, what kind of experience has this been for you?

else's thing, somebody else's script, it feels really easy and comparatively to music, it feels quite free.

Do you feel reluctant blending your two career paths of music and acting?

I feel reluctant to blend them, but I don’t have any guilt or weirdness about doing both things. I feel like it’s a mentality that I’ve only developed since people have commented on it.

The only insecurity I have had with it is when people ask “music or acting?” or “what would you rather do?” or “is it a problem?”

I didn’t think it was a problem? But I’m fine about it. Thrones, more than anything, is just a really fun thing to do. I don’t do it because it’s a big show, I don’t do it because it’s going to advance my career - I do it because its fun and I like the people that I work with. Music is just something that I’ve always done and feel I have to do. The only issue seems to be due to the size of the show, me doing music is a problem for some people.

Maybe I have a chip on my shoulder but I’m not going to stop, I’m not going to stop anything - I’m just going to do it.

So outside of acting, song writing and singing - what do you want to do?

My brain is like a car crash! I want to do a club night, I have a podcast idea, and I want to write a 30 minute pilot show with my friend. I’ve written some films and I want to make them at some point too. I’ve always been into writing and into words, so I always want to write stuff. I would love to make my films! ...ok and outside of these crazy careers, what do you want from life?

I just want to be happy, I just want to do things that keep my brain occupied so I don’t have to spend too much time in there.

I want to be fulfilled and keep making stuff - I go crazy when I stop trying to make things. I just want to be satisfied that there is a reason for doing all of this. When it stops being fun I’ve got to stop doing it.

And finally. The age old conundrum - what came first, the chicken or the egg?

The egg came first because, depending on what you believe, amphibians, lizards and reptiles came first, and they laid eggs.

So maybe a reptile or amphibian laid an egg on a beach which was a bit weird and then out came a chicken. So I’m saying the egg came first!

It’s almost like a holiday. I’m not a beach kind of guy, I went to New York last week and went into galleries and explored New York all day, and that’s the kind of time-off I like to have.

Acting is like that, it feels like time away from my head because music is all about figuring out my head. Even if it’s technical stuff like mixes, I’m still thinking about the way that song should be communicated. So with Thrones it’s just really nice to use another part of my brain, and because it’s somebody oddity

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Reese Fernandez-Ruiz

rags to riches Words By Dara Bascara

“You spend five out of the seven days of your week miserable. Why?” asks 29-yearold social entrepreneur and Rolex laureate awardee, Reese Fernandez-Ruiz. “If Monday were a person, it would be the most bullied person. People hate Mondays, but Monday is my favourite day of the week because I’m excited about going to work!”

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Reese Fernandez-Ruiz is the founder of Rags2Riches, a fashion and design house empowering community artisans in the Philippines. They are a part of the fashion industry’s upcycling movement - creating beautiful hand-woven bags, wallets, and rugs, from materials that would have otherwise gone to waste.

Rags2Riches has trained over 900 female artisans from poor communities across the Philippines, lifting them out of poverty with its housing and savings program.

Whilst working as a volunteer teacher in one of the poorest urban slum communities in the Philippines’ capital, Reese discovered hundreds of women artisans who made beautiful woven rugs from scrap fabric in their makeshift homes. Most of them were stay-at-home mothers looking after as many as thirteen children and not actively looking for employment. Living beneath the poverty line, these hardworking women were not fully benefiting from the fruits of their labour, as they didn’t have access to the market and the suppliers. “So many people were taking advantage of the supply chain, and the women were back

then only making $0.20 per day,” Reese explains, adding that “in this case, poverty is not about being lazy but is about lacking access to opportunities.”

Raised by a missionary mother, Reese was sensitized to poverty at an early age. Upon finishing her business undergraduate degree, Reese knew she wanted her work to be more than just a way to pay the bills. “We all have our pet peeves, and from our pet peeves we can find what our life’s mission should be. When there’s social injustice I feel so strongly against it.”

Reese wanted to find a way to use her background in business for something good. “What if we can combine social value and business sense? What if we can put design in the mix? Because design is how we can add a lot of value.”

And so, Rags2Riches was born - sort of. As Reese points out, “a common misconception about starting a business is that there’s an exact idea and you know what you want to do from start to end. We had the start of an idea, and it evolved along oddity

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the way.” There are some indicators of the potential of your business idea, according to Reese, “cash flow is an indicator of whether the market loves you.” She emphasizes the importance of branding, establishing a relationship with your customers, and the quality of their products. “People can’t just love the story of Rags2Riches - they have to love the products as well.” But she also thinks that not having any cash flow doesn’t necessarily mean that the business is going to fail. Sometimes, “it just means you have to tweak things a bit.” There is however, one reliable indicator that you shouldn’t work on a business idea. “If you’re not passionate about it, forget it. If you’re not passionate about it, it’s going to fail, even if it’s a great idea.”

Though she loves the work she does, Reese is very critical of the industry that she works in. “Fashion is one of the industries that churn a lot of stuff. People are buying so much more than what they need. The world is operating this way. You can get more and more and more without thinking about what your purchase does to the world. We externalize everything that doesn’t help the bottom line - profit.” She is optimistic that ecofashion “gives people a different perspective on what they can be.” She urges people to think about how their actions affect others and the environment. “We all live in the same world.

Every decision you make will affect somebody, somewhere, someway. We need to think more than what goes well with your jeans.” She is convinced that “thinking about the impact of your purchase can revolutionize the fashion industry. I can be pretty.

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I can buy beautiful things without being destructive. Beauty doesn’t have to be destructive. It shouldn’t be destructive.”

Having garnered international recognition for the work she has done, Reese thinks that entrepreneurs are a rare breed. “It’s not easy being an entrepreneur, and if you put ‘social’ before entrepreneur, it’s even harder.” She recalls, “there were days when things were so difficult that I just wanted to stay in bed and cry. I never did that. I always turned up to wherever I had to be, even when it was so difficult.” This is why she says she needs a very compelling ‘why’, a raison d’être. She muses, “if you don’t have a compelling why, if it’s so easily destroyed, then at the first sign of difficulty you’re just going to give up. My ‘why’, rather than a person, fame, or fortune, were the artisans - not specific people, but just the thought that if you provide people with opportunities they can be better people, and it can be a better place, and having a better place is good for everyone.”

This thought is what keeps Reese going. Continuously trying, continuously dreaming, continuously waking up excited to go to work every Monday morning. Rags2Riches products are available in the UK market via Anthropologie, and they are looking for more partners in the Western market.

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anticlone SADE ENGLISH Photographer Robin Bharaj Creative Retouching Aidan Cochrane

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Photographer Ashley Verse Stylist Jay Hines Assistant Stylist Hayden Williams Models ZIKALE Next Management Yasmin Sinclair Storm Managment HMUA Josie Chan Using A La Carte London & Revlon Professional Style Masters

Full editorial online

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skin soldiers Men’s Luxury Skin Care As we wave goodbye to summer, it’s time to call out the skin soldiers! When it comes to this season’s transitional period, men’s skin requires extra attention to fight dryness, irritation, and environmental damage.

Photographer Chun Wang Assistant Photographer Shu Wei Huang Beauty Editor Josie Chan Model Theo Lauwrens 102

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Dermalogica Post-Shave Balm ÂŁ27.35 Super-cooling balm which reduces discomfort, irritation and redness post-shave. The balm treatment prevents ingrown hairs and impacted follicles, also shortening post-shave recovery time.

TABAC Original After shave lotion ÂŁ23.50 Tabac Original Aftershave, is a fragranced after-shave lotion for men, offering instant smoothing and calming sensation for just-shaved skin. This product also reduces razor-burns and prolongs a clean shave, to leaves skin smooth & comfortable.

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Bamford Grooming Department Daily Moisturiser £50 A deeply moisturising and light cream to hydrate skin. British sourced oils of blackcurrant seed, echium and borage help to restore the skin’s natural protective barrier. Containing extract of the South African resurrection plant helps the skin to adapt to changing conditions making it suitable for all climates.

Chanel HYDRA BEAUTY CRÈME £50 This radiance enhancing moisturiser, backed by advanced antioxidant protection, is perfect for both men and women in search of intense hydration. It helps protect beauty and restores the skin’s radiance whilst delivering absolute comfort.

ESPA : THE HYDRATOR £29 A moisturising soothing men’s face cream for supple and nourished skin.

Gives skin a lasting boost of hydration with this lightweight, skin-quenching men’s moisturiser. Hydrating Birch Extract helps to maintain optimum levels of moisture in the skin, whilst antioxidant-rich Vitamin E protects skin cells from environmental damage. The cream also contains Aloe Vera which calms irritated post-shave skin for a nourished, supple finish that lasts.

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two faced

Photographer Gavin Miller Stylist Edith Walker MUA Josie Chan Models Daniella Sophia & Danni Miltenberger special thanks lvk models

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look one: Bra Coco De Mer Nipple Tassel Holloway Smith Noir Knikers Coco De Mer Stockings Wolford look two: Body Coco De Mer Stockings Wolford Shoes Topshop Hand & Leg Tie Accessories Holloway Smith Noir

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STE WING ALL OR NOTHING Words by Natasha Ludovici

“I am not one to sit still,” says Ste Wing, freelance stylist, barber, and founder of OAO The Vault, a showroom of independent brands in Manchester city centre. His influence as a tastemaker nearing 50k followers on Instagram extends from personal styling to creative consultation as brands seek his creative direction for their shoots, lookbooks, and windows. “People think I’ve being doing this since my Instagram started two years ago, but no. Twelve years and counting of industry work has got me to where I am today, not two years of Instagram posts.”

Winning awards in hairstyling competitions earned him work backstage at London and Paris Fashion Weeks. “I’ve got a distinctive look about myself and behind the scenes at shows everyone was running around like headless chickens. No one knew who was who.” People assumed he was the stylist and tried to get him involved, prompting him to bring his creative drive to fashion styling. After three months of working with a stylist friend he was working on his own.

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Ste sees the creativity in styling hair as his foundation. “With hairdressing, people say it’s the same as art, but instead of a pen and paper, it’s a pair of scissors and a woman’s hair.”

His success in fashion hasn’t meant a departure from hair.

Conversely, Ste sees barbering as his “bread and butter” and uniquely he combines hair and fashion styling to develop a client’s entire look.

OAO The Vault is the creative hub of his enterprise and serves as the base for his personal styling. “I didn’t mind the meetings in coffee shops, and hotel lobbies, and going to certain clients’ homes. I used to get on my iPad to show clients the garments.

But now I’ve got a space where it’s visual, it’s physical, so they can touch and feel the item, they can try it on.”

“It’s not a retail space,” he says, “but it looks like a showroom.

Everything is done to order, so you can’t buy in the space. You put your order in, pay for it, and in five days it’s at your house. A lot of my clients don’t like shopping. They don’t want to walk out with all the bags; they’re not that kind of shopper.”

At his showroom, Ste showcases new brands, often from Tokyo, Berlin, or Paris, with no previous exposure in the UK, “bringing in a lot of raw talent,” and developing the brand’s identity. He takes pride in handpicking unknown brands to suit his clientele, and in turn, brands seek him out for his selective placement. “Brands want to sell numbers, but a lot of independent brands are more into having a niche following that will get a vibe for the clothing, the brand, the lifestyle, and buy into it.”

Beyond introducing clients to new brands, Ste uses his position to make connections between his contacts across industries.

“You could be standing next to someone who could help you in your creative field, but when you’re in a coffee shop, you’re just having your coffee, you don’t intermix. Whereas my space, because I’m there, I’m that glue. I can make it happen and step back. There’s not that awkwardness there.”

Similarly, Ste is an advocate of sharing his knowledge to help others. “As a creative you don’t want to give too many ideas away, but I’ve changed with age. You grow up. I could keep all this info, but you’ve got to connect. You could be the most creative person, but if no one knows your stuff, it’s wasted. If I can help someone get somewhere, I’m going to do that with the platform that I have. If you keep to yourself there’s no room to grow.”

network, finding it most impactful and useful for getting noticed.

“People have been massively successful on it. I am also on Twitter but my work is very visual.”

“Instagram, if you’re doing it right, is a job.” He schedules around four Instagram posts a day at certain intervals. “With the world clock, I’ve got to hit my market base. I’m not just catering to the UK. I’m trying to hit the States, Australia, Asia, Europe.” Ste also makes use of hashtags, often using between twenty and thirty per image to reach his target demographic.

“The feedback I get is ‘you’re a grafter, always working’ and in a good way, people see what I do and it gives them a kick up the backside, it gives them the drive.” With international travel and showroom appointments around the clock, “there’s no such thing as nine-to-five. The brain is always ticking, especially when you’re doing well.”

Professionals and brands in the visual and fashion industries are tapping into his vision on Instagram and Twitter. “Your profile is a hub and an archive, not only for yourself. People call me inspirational, visionary, and creative because I know what the people want. Bigger companies will be watching people like me to take that info. Ideally, I’d rather a brand comes to me to pay me to do it but unfortunately it doesn’t always work that way.”

Ste recognises that this phenomenon of lifting or replicating original content from social media isn’t isolated. “Journalism now is not the same. Reporters aren’t going out there, hunting and finding stories. They’re just sitting on Twitter and Instagram.

That’s the world we live in.”

Acknowledging the reality that by sharing your own creative content your work and ideas can be used and copied without your control, Ste’s advice is this: “Know your self worth.” While some brands borrow from him, others such as Nike and Adidas approach him directly for freelance work. “Brands like me and come to me. They know what I do. It’s real; they can see it.

When I get emails off of big brands, that’s one of the first things they say, ‘we want to work with you because you’re about detail and visuals and how it’s put together. That’s what we don’t have and that’s what we want.’”

Twitter @ste_wing Instagram @ste_wing www.OAOvision.com

In the fashion and styling worlds, Ste considers himself self-taught. “Don’t get me wrong, I have qualifications in hairdressing. You have to, to work in the industry, but you can only learn so much by the book. When you get thrown into the fashion industry there’s no manual on how to do this. You learn your own ways, your own signature marks that make you different from the next stylist.”

Ste’s network on social media is impressive. “Instagram, if used the right way, is amazing,” he says of his preferred social oddity

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PHOTOGRAPHER DANNY BALDWIN STYLIST CALLUM VINCENT HAIR BRADY LEA using HAIR REHAB MAKE UP by mario brooksban using Nars radiant creamy concealer.

Anastasia Beverly Hills contour powder. Mac eye shadows. model Mayya Skripchenko @ select model managment

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MASK MANUEL DIAZ, MESH TOP DUSKLINE, JACKET SIMON EKRELIUS FACE BRIDLE MODEL TRAITOR, CAPE KIM WEST

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“When we tell little white lies, we become progressively colour-blind.”

L: COLLAR MODEL TRAITOR, DRESS KIM WEST R: VEIL DUSKLINE, RINGS IMOGEN BELFIEL oddity

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L: SHIRT SOPHIE CAMERON DAVIES, SKIRT DEMASI LONDON, NECKLACE CLAUDIA PINK, SHOES NATACHA MARRO, STOCKINGS KIM WEST R: EYE MASK DUSKLINE, DRESS MY GALAVANT, BELT KIM WEST

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EYE MASK DUSKLINE, DRESS JASON BOATENG, SHOES NATACHA MARRO

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L: TOP SASHA LOUISE LSTEX, TUX TROUSERS TOM FORD, EARRINGS CLAUDIA PINK, SHOES NATACHA MARRO R: MASK LOUISE MCKAY, DRESS DEMASI LONDON

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