IS A DIRTY, SEXY THING
D E CE M B E R – JA N UA RY 2012
65 BOW WOW
19
11 MASTHEAD 12 STATUS MESSAGE
STATUSPHERE 15 20 21 22 23
THREADS SETTING BEATS SCREEN INK
gadgets 32
68
ALEXANDRA GRECCO
WATCH THE CHROME High luxe devices
BEAUTY
VISION BOARD
40 FLUORESCENT ADOLESCENT The best you’ll ever have
56 HYPHY GOES LUCKY What’s fit to print
SWAG
54 DANCER
The party girl
55 COMET
Miss fashionista
56 CUPID
The artsy chick
57 VIXEN
Punk rock princess
58 DONNER
Eco-friendly guy
34
BEAUTY CONFIDENTIAL
69 RUDOLPH
35
BARE NECESSITIES
60 BLITZEN
35
BEAUTY BITE
61 DASHER
Noir and peace
Lean, mean, and clean
Freyja Nail And Day Spa
FASHION
36 BRICK & MORTAR Vane, New York Own, Brussels Dolls Kill
37 NEON LIGHTS
Dreaming of a brighter day
38 GO SEE
Strutting in a winter wonderland
The resident hipster
Hip-hop bro
The preppy gentleman
muse
62 FINNISH LINE
Finland’s Next Top Model finalist Saara Sihvonen cozies up. By Viva Gonzalez
THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN
maestro
63 THE CHOPPER
Tech N9ne has been leading the underground hip-hop scene for years, and it’s time you get acquainted. By Viva Gonzalez
MASTERMIND 68 DOUBLE TAKE
We can’t help but think that with all his current goings-on, 90210’s Matt Lanter is one, two, three times a lady’s man. By Reena Mesias
64 SUPERLATIVE SYMBIOSIS
69 THE TIN MEN
64 TIGHT AS TICK
70 DANGEROUS
After the Smoke unknowingly reblogged a kooky picture of us STATUS kids on Tumblr, but that’s not the only reason they’re awesome. By Reena Mesias
Following the release of Divine Providence, Deer Tick gets “a lot louder and more frank.” By Macy Reantaso
65 DOGG DAYS AREN’T OVER
This month, Bow Wow is coming out with Underrated. Now, when he claims “I’m Da Man,” it’s an understatement. By Loris Peña
66 FOR THE RECORD
Industry vets Diego Mapa and Jay Gapasin, together, form a new musical critter, Tarsius. By Zoe Laurente
67 THE VAGABOND
A modern day everywhereman, Cass McCombs has tales of adventure to tell through his music. By Viva Gonzalez
Englishmen Joe Cornish (Little Britain) and Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim) come together for this December’s The Adventures of Tintin. By Kristine Dabbay
Ex-Terry Richardson photo assistant Keiichi Nitta is on the lookout for his own photo assistant. Perks include: latex, leather, and love. By Nante Santamaria
71 ON THE REIS
Naomi Reis pictures utopic possibilities with environmentally friendly art. By Rita Faire
72 PRIVATE EYE
Online voyeur The Coveteur’s Jake Rosenberg shoots fashion’s top notch, and is himself, ascending to their level. By Viva Gonzalez
73 LE FREAK, C’EST CHIC
Filipino-Danish designer Aleksandr Manamïs’ eccentricity has inspired STATUS to talk about itself in the third person and to start listening to sonatas. By Zoe Laurente
IS A DIRTY, SEXY THING
D E CE M B E R – JA N UA RY 2012
68 MATT LANTER
66 TARSIUS
64 AFTER THE SMOKE HEAVY HITTER
75 PEROUVIAN WASTELAND
Candid and courteously crass, master lensman Ralph John Perou explores the nature of his profession as well as the enigma of his person. By Toff de Venecia
BLOCK PARTY 86 JULIA CHIANG
Conceptual Artist
87 ANTON LOPEZ
Graphic Designer and Painter
RELEASE PARTY
87 YOUNG KIM
94 GAMERS RAGE 94 POST MODERN MASTERPIECE 95 BELLE SAUVAGE AFTERPARTY 95 RENEGADE: UP ECOSOC ADHOC
Performance Artist
82 HIT GIRL
We’d love to whisper Sky Ferreira’s lyrics into someone’s ear. Except the singer’s own. We could get into a lawsuit for that… though she’d probably consent. By Viva Gonzalez
84 LIGHTS, CAMERA, AWKWARD!
Julia Fullerton-Batten captures the coming of age years, full of hearts racing, teenage dreams, skin-tight jeans, and the clumsy in-betweens. By Alice Sarmiento
92 SATURCRAY @ IL PONTICELLO 93 NY FASHION WEEK–VFNO 93 STATUS LOVE ISSUE
88 CHRIS RUBINO
Graphic Designer
88 DAN PAK
Photographer
89 CODY HUDSON
STATUS INVADES
Painter and Sculptor
89 JON SANTOS
98 JAKE VERZOSA
Installation Artist
From what we can tell, this photography pro has a need for speed and a fondness for childhood pleasures.
NIGHTVISION
91 TERRIBLE ANGELS 92 KOKON TO ZAI AFTERPARTY
99 PEEK AT ‘CHOO
STATUS team n00dz!
We were a little more naughty than nice for this year’s December–January Photo Issue. Leather straps and silver chains suggest an after dark ambience—goodness knows what else the model has under that oversized trench. Oh, and about the deceivingly innocent pink headpiece, our cover photog Perou grins, “They’re my bespoke bunny ears. Worn on special occasions in the bedroom.” Let’s leave the rest to imagination, shall we?
statusmagonline.com
Blogsphere
the pulse of hip at your fingertips
go see
we’re all models off duty. smize!
FEATURES
there’s more to what’s in print
NightVision who’s spotted partying where
Photo Diary confessional for lensmen
Digital Magazine DOWNLOADS STATUS sans paper
free mixtapes and wallpapers
contributors statusmagonline.com
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Rosario Herrera CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Patrick L. Jamora ART DIRECTOR: Patrick Diokno FEATURES EDITOR: Reena Mesias FASHION EDITOR: Loris Peña
PATRICK L.JAMORA
Our Creative Director and fashion editorial illustrator and photographer (56) Patrick admits that there must be a hell of a lot of bad pictures of him out there. But instead of singing his shoulda-wouldacouldas, he says, “Best thing to do is untag, deny that it ever happened, and blackmail the uploader until he/she takes it out of the interwebs.”
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS: Giano D. Dionisio, Rita Faire, Viva Gonzalez, Zoe Laurente GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Nyael David, Paolo Geronimo CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Kristine Dabbay, Ian-Dean Loreños, Macy Reantaso, Nante Santamaria, Alice Sarmiento, Toff de Venecia CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS: GJ Agregado, Scott Alario, Victoria Barban, Blossom Berkofsky, Sandra Bermingham, Paolo Antonio Buendia, The Cobrasnake, Gerard Estadella, Eleni Georgiou, Julia FullertonBatten, Tinette Herrera, Martine Houghton, Lee John Mann, Miguel Miranda, Kyle Kaminsky, Estevan Oriol, Anacleta Paredes, Perou, Julius Sebastian, Elias Tahan, Anna Thiessen, Anna Wolf, Boo Umaly, The XOXO Kids, Wanessa Yajure SALES & MARKETING CONSULTANT: Tina Herrera ACCOUNT MANAGER: Dan Buenaventura MARKETING ASSISTANT: AG De Mesa INTERNS: Samantha Castro, Miguel Escobar, Erika Garcia, Win Gonzales, Kenneth Lim, Aids Lopez De Leon, Patty Mendoza, Jeruel Pingol, Lee Reyes
JULIUS SEBASTIAN
“Santa’s Rapper name would probably be Mugshot Santa and the Reindeer Crew,” says our Nightvision online and Tarsius (66) photographer Julius. “His rap would probably start with ‘Ho ho ho, yo!’” North Pole represent!
EDITORIAL editorial@statusmagonline.com ADVERTISING advertise@statusmagonline.com MARKETING marketing@statusmagonline.com INTERNSHIP intern@statusmagonline.com Winterwear is coming.
What’s your STATUS? tell us.
KRISTINE DABBAY
Looking to get a girl to flash her pearly whites? “Say your first name with the surname of your crush,” says Kristine, who wrote about our Masterminds (69) Joe Cornish and Edgar Wright. Sadly, it’s for girls only. Suck it, boys!
GENERAL INQUIRIES info@statusmagonline.com Read our digital version statusmagonline.com/ digital-magazine LIKE US facebook.com/statusmagazine Follow us twitter.com/statusmagazine STATUS is published by STATUS Media Group. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
statusmagonline.com - 11
STAT U S MESSAG E
Photo by Perou (75)
“Awkward Yellow Dress” by Julia Fullerton-Batten (84)
DIRTY, SEXY THING T
he thing I love about December (aside from the gift-giving) is reflecting on the 11 months that just flew by—Olivia Munn, Sasha Grey, Far East Movement, Yoko Ono, Shannyn Sossamon, P-Rod, The Misshapes, Jessie J, Cassie, Justice, Kreayshawn. Yes, I think about my days by the issues we worked on. 11 months filled with flights, jet lag, photoshoots, meetings, fashion weeks, deadlines, yard sales, and parties. I just wish I could have photographed every crazy, stressful, exhilarating moment—which is why we’d like to wrap up 2011 with our annual Photo Issue. Our cover photographer Ralph John Perou shares his mysterious, romantic, and sometimes strange photos with us, unafraid to rock that boat. In fact, he might actually tip the boat over just to see what it looks like capsized. Whether it’s a barely clad Dita Von Teese, blindfolded, or a couple of Santa Clauses smoking on the street, Perou isn’t afraid to take us to the dark side. Meanwhile, Julia Fullerton-Batten is a well-renowned fine arts photographer who gained acclaim for her cinematic style as well as for recreating moments in time, awkward as they may be. Her latest works capture beautiful models caught in uncomfortable teenage moments. (Yes, we all know what that feels like.) However, Julia does it with such grace and grandeur that the unease of teenage years becomes a work of art. We round off our Heavy Hitters with It girl Sky Ferreira who travels the globe with her famous friends, all to the tune of her own music—literally. With beautiful locks and killer style, she’s destined for pop stardom. This year has been incredible for us—we have grown and evolved as a magazine, as a team, as a company. We locked down interviews that we thought were impossible to get (Yoko Ono), spoke to artists on the cusp of greatness, and we’ve connected with more readers than ever before. With all the picture perfect moments we’ve had this year, we realized that the best images come from the mind, and it’s our job to develop them into reality.
Editor-in-chief
12 - statusmagonline.com
NATIVE THIS IS IS THE THE THIS FITZSIMMONS FITZSIMMONS IN TORCH TORCH RED RED IN Native Kiosk: TriNoma Mall • Res|Toe|Run • Bratpack • Shoe Salon • Rustan’s • R.O.X. • Jump • Duty Free Philippines • NAIA T3 • Lonely Planet Boracay • Sportmart Subic & Native Kiosk: TriNoma Mall Bratpack • Shoe Salon • •Rustan’s • R.O.X. • Jump •• Duty NAIA T3 Isabela • Lonely PlanetCloset Boracay Subic & Baguio Teamsports Iloilo •&Res|Toe|Run Cabanatuan •• Chimes Davao & Abreeza The Sidewalk Zamboanga SportsFree HubPhilippines Sta. Rosa ••Footworks • Mian’s Iloilo• •Sportmart Bajuanid Cotabato Baguio Teamsports Iloilo & Cabanatuan • Chimes Davao & Abreeza • The Sidewalk Zamboanga • Sports Hub Sta. Rosa • Footworks Isabela • Mian’s Closet Iloilo • Bajuanid Cotabato
THREADS / setting / BEATS / SCREEN / INK
DECEMBER – JANUARY 2012
CRYSTAL EDEN E
nter a garden of geometric shapes with APRÈS SKI’s latest collection. Designer Lucia Vergara envisions flora and fauna as pieces of intricate jewelry that capture the essence of vintage, literally, by using materials borne from the 40s to 80s. With crystals and brass that make up her interesting trinkets, she gives everyone a peep into her secret garden. apresskishop.com
PRAY FOR SPRING I
N GOD WE TRUST’s Spring 2012 collection makes us wonder if our prayer for winter’s end is answered. Trending towards a preppier look, silk and cotton fabrics use fun colors like red, blue, and white, while their shorts and skirts play on feminine detail—accenting hips and legs with hemlines above the knee—feel like a sweetheart in this collection; you’ll know that drab winter is over and love is in the air. ingodwetrustnyc.com
STEP FORWARD C
ount on SPERRY X BAND OF OUTSIDERS to give a playful update to the Authentic Original Top-Siders. Elevating the boating style with brand new hues—from caramel to a combination of blue, sea green, and cream— as well as materials like suede and flannel, this collab makes sure those feet won’t feel out of place at the beach, the tennis court, or just downtown. sperrytopsider.com
SCIFEN-TIFIC A
big salute to SCIFEN, the brand that can make any guy look really good by redefining classic basics like button-down shirts and campus jackets. Mixing preppy and outdoor elements like extra-huge plackets and almost-hidden breast pockets, Scifen creates unique pieces that cater to one’s eye for exquisite detail. To define their well-made and perfectly fitting clothes as “swag” is definitely an understatement. scifen.com
statusmagonline.com - 15
THREADS
PERFECT FIT T
hey may look rugged, but 7 FOR ALL MANKIND is your go-to brand for jeans that will fit you like a glove. The clothing label is urban chic, not only with their denim, but also with their stylish collection of separates, like graphic shirts and buttery soft leather jackets. Finding something that stands out won’t feel like a treasure hunt. 7forallmankind.com
FROCK AND ROLL T
here’s a thin line between vintage-inspired and costumey, and THREAD SOCIAL’s Resort 2011 collection found a great middle ground. From flirty party dresses and prints to quirky separates plastered with polka dots, the collection, very reminiscent of 50s fashion, truly has that air of fantasy and pure summer delight. threaddesign.com
NANCY WHO? C
ARRIE PARRY takes us back to our Nancy Drew days, but now as a chic lady of the upper crust. She takes the quintessential preppy girl one step up with tailored separates and printed dresses. While an overall print may be quite overwhelming, she adds plaid accents to a black A-line dress finished with a scoop neck and semi-puff sleeves. carrieparry.com
PUMPED UP KICKS
TRICKY TRINKETS
W
A
ondering what to wear for a Friday night? Kick it in with PONY’s footwear collection for men. These shoes are worn without the loops and laces of regular sneakers and are topped with suede and muted tones—black, gray, brown. With swag you can kick up for a late evening rendezvous or all-night party, this style can walk all over any setting, work or play. pony.com
16 - statusmagonline.com
rt inspires art as BANDE DES QUATRES designers Erin Wahed and Janis Kerman dust off their love for Bauhaus, making geometric bands that boggle your mind while dressing your digits. The pair inverts the concept of the knuckle ring to make you think that the 18-karat yellow and palladium white gold discs and rods just float magically into place. bandedesquatres.com
THREADS
euro trip G
et ready for a French invasion as APRIL, MAY swarms over closets with their “street couture” clothes, effortlessly mixing pieces such as bomber jackets and paint-splattered skirts with gowns and voluminous dresses. Their versatile garments paint a picture of a chic European female that will make passersby say, “Ooh la la!” aprilmay.fr
DEUCES UP O
ne reason Paris is the City of Love is that it’s the hometown of THE KOOPLES. Walk down Notre Dame in masculine fashion that takes a dandy turn with the label’s staples: vests, button-downs, leather jackets, and pleated skirts that look more sophisticated than matching T-shirts for couples. Now that’s fashion he will love her more for. And vice versa. thekooples.com
KNIT PICK I
t’s not an easy task to make knitwear look tailored, but a team-up between designer Donrad Duncan and Massimo Osti Studio achieved the impossible. Their brainchild label MA.STRUM uses innovative high-tech fabrics (carbon-coated textured nylon cotton isn’t something you see everyday) while applying construction elements such as clean seams in unexpected places that create a great mash-up between sporty and lush. mastrum.com
SHE’S A BAD GIRL M
AL isn’t just named after designer Marissa A. Lomonaco’s initials. With a brand name synonymous to her bold aesthetic, she comes up with pieces that are simply badass. A bronze leather collar inspired by the toughness of a leather jacket attests to that. Casting found objects and textures and turning them into sculptural yet feminine pieces, Lomonaco constructs her jewelry with an uncompromising sense of individuality. maljewelry.com
Creepy Crawly M
inimalist and modern, DU MANILLE drags the creepy crawlies out from under your bed and chucks them onto laidback, slouchy basics. Entitled Insects and Bones, this black and white collection cleverly uses cutouts and illustrated prints to imply one’s skeletal structure, making the wearer feel either sexy or freaky—or just freakin’ sexy. dumanilleclothing.blogspot.com
statusmagonline.com - 17
THREADS
ODE TO LEGENDS C
ARRIE K. designer Carolyn Kan is quite the storyteller. In her latest collection, Odyssey, she takes on the role of Homer, retelling age old epics through her lustrous little trinkets. Rings and earrings of silver and gold look like they came straight out of Odysseus’ loot bag from his journey back home to Ithaca. Good thing that silver Calypso pinky ring wasn’t lost in battle. carriekrocks.com
DEVIL IN BLUE F
rom Sweden comes DENIM DEMON, a brand dedicated to producing more than just a mere pair of jeans to cover your bum. From their latest collection come patchwork plaid button-downs, knitted apache print sweaters, and of course, their signature blue denims. Introducing a new collection of worn-out denims, they show that old can be new too. denimdemon.se
SPOT ON F
ollowing the latest runway trends, ACCESSORIZE turns childlike prints into mature sophisticates with their new collection of scarves, clutches, and small boxy bags. Reminiscent of the 1950s pin-up girl—clad in classic black, red, and white—these babies are chic without the ridiculous price tag. accessorize.com
TO A TEE R
emember those Hard Rock Café shirts that your weird uncle used to wear? Those tees are now on the backs of all the It girls, like those of BleachBlack. THE INDIE PIN serves up these authentic kitschy vintage tees from the 80s and 90s so there’s no need to scour Salvation Army. Pair ‘em with frayed 501s, beat up boots, and wavy, ombre strands for maximum grunge appeal. theindiepin.bigcartel.com
18 - statusmagonline.com
FRIGHT NIGHT H
alloween seems to be year-round for shoe designer MINNA PARIKKA. Her latest collection includes shoes that are made not just for a sexy vampire costume, but also for the chic, casual everyday you. Inspired by creatures of the night, she creates towering heels with fangs and cobwebs. It’s definitely hard not to be tricked into buying these sole treats. minnaparikka.com
THREADS
DREAMWEAVER B
rooklyn-based designer ALEXANDRA GRECCO keeps her signature tulle, silks, and vintage millinery flowers in her latest collection of dresses and outerwear. Inspired by burlesque dancers and vaudeville actresses, Grecco tempers her romantic and ethereal style with autumn colors like mustard and navy. Ditch your boring black coat for a sky blue cape, and retire your LBD for flowy cinch-waist 7UV!Q+CZ(RR+BC+8'Z5+G*)3 7UV!S+:('.3+,$+('Z5+)*)3+ !" #$,"%&'()"#*0,"-'./ !" #*LL"%&'()"#K^,"-'./ vintage-inspired dresses. !" .:I;@I18:E"7<546?:"B<><46@D"F6?" !" .:I;@I18:E"7<546?:"B<><46@D"F6?" alexandragrecco.com !" Y5:"1="6"J<5E_"7<546?:"<@@:?;>6@<4<:8 !" Z<546?:"6881@4:E">:64A:@"84@6I8 !" *+N"O"*QN"O"^N !" &65E"B6E:"<5"4A:"R'S
!" Y5:"1="6"J<5E_"7<546?:"<@@:?;>6@<4<:8 !" Z<546?:"6881@4:E">:64A:@"84@6I8 !" KKN"O"KLN"O"0N !" &65E"B6E:"<5"4A:"R'S
Y(HZ[
Y(H
GRAPHIC CONTENT W
ho doesn’t love a good graphic shirt? Clothing brand VAPOUR surely has a huge love affair with them. Always on the lookout for something fresh, their printed-to-order items mix music, art, and sports to generate shirts that will satisfy everyone’s graphic needs. vapoursoftwear.com
b(H-HU[G"[GHUHYT
WILL BE THERE D"::
G>
=*,#6
b(H-HU[G"[GHUHYT
W
hether you hang it or you wear it, WILL LEATHER GOODS delivers a solid assortment of accessories, including bags, belts, and cuffs. Using Guatemalan fabrics and Serape blankets in their bags and belts, they’ve fused vintage and modern craftsmanship that are sure to make you look chic while echoing traditional American heritage. willleathergoods.com
FLOWER CHILD A
VELKA does the hippie shake with its fresh 60s-inspired collection. Taking a cue from its Luciena-derived name, it explores the indigenous heritage of Southern California through free-flowing maxi dresses, woven trousers, cinchwaist picnic frocks, and slinky silk slips in shades of vermilion, tangerine, yellow, teal, and steel. Aztec prints, floral patterns, and dip-dyed lace finish off the rough edges, bringing a groovy sophistication to Spring/Summer 2012. avelka.com
butterfly dancing dress in teal basket
STICK IT TO ‘EM, NATHAN F
RANCESCO NATHAN gives ‘em a big, fat, middle finger as his new collection spreads the word of rebellion and revelry through wisecrack white tees. The Kennedy tee asks, “Who shot ya?” while the High All the Time tee puts the crater faced moon on front. Not a bad day’s work for the designers who say they do nothing but “design shit and put it in clothing.” francesconathan.com
statusmagonline.com - 19
SETTING
CORKAGE
THE BIG EASY
A
lmost like fulfilling a Raymond Chandlerthemed noir fantasy, you enter BEAUTY & ESSEX through a pawnshop front filled with dusty relics and antique furniture. The back door sweeps open to a wood-paneled lounge where dim lighting sets the mood and empty drink glasses are chicest of accessories. Luck is a lady as the house spoils its female clientele with freeflowing champagne in the women’s bathroom. Meanwhile, couples mingle, mix, and indulge with Dark Chocolate Velvet (Brooklyn Chocolate stout mixed with prosecco) in hand and Jewels on Toast between whetted lips.
GRUB
SUITE
TO AND FRO
D
esigned by Danish fashion house Maison Martin Margiela, the reopened HÔTEL MAISON CHAMPS ELYSÉES is bipolar in design, being both glaringly modern and charmingly vintage. Minimalist decor melds with the building’s original 18th century architecture to fashion the sensation of being in two periods at once. The theme of contrast continues in the design of the suites. Half of the rooms are filled with tone-on-tone white walls, furnishings (divans and chairs complete with cotton covers), and muslin
sheets thrown over crystal chandeliers. Other rooms shroud themselves in the mystery of black-painted walls, scorched wood, and leather, livened only by the surrealist lighting fixtures like the Winged Lamp in suite 124. Through its mind-bending redesign, the Hôtel Maison Champs Elysées creates a point outside the labels of past and future—one that exists only in fantasy and within the walls of the rejuvenated Parisian address.
lamaisonchampselysees.com
HUNK O’ BURNING LOVE
F
ast food restaurants give burgers a bad reputation, but places like CITIZEN PUB & BURGER BAR reignite our love for the American classic. The pub serves reinvented versions of dangerously overexposed dishes, livening them up with decadent ingredients like Saliccia di Roma and intercontinental beers. The best-selling Crazy Burger has quickly achieved cult status thanks to its deep-fried, all-beef patty topped with crabmeat and wasabi mayo. Repeat visitors reverently call it the best burger in town. We dare you to disagree.
PL ATE
SAWADIKA
Ride a tuktuk to NAV MODERN THAI CUISINE and reward yourself with a spread of perfectly blended spiced dishes.
20 - statusmagonline.com
Son-in-Law Eggs Deep-fried eggs in tamarind syrup will have you licking the sauce off the plate. Warning: this leads to intense cravings.
Tom Kha Gai This bowl of chicken, galangal, and fresh coconut cream has just the right amount of heat.
Pad Thai Stir-fried rice noodles with chicken, squid, and crushed peanuts. Squeeze the lime over the noodles for more flavor.
Thai Sticky Rice with Fresh Mangoes Sticky rice balls and fresh mangoes paired with coconut sauce is the perfect end to your Thai meal.
Hôtel Maison Champs Elysées photo by Martine Houghton, Citizen Pub & Burger Bar photo by Paolo Antonio Buendia Words by Rita Faire and Viva Gonzalez
beautyandessex.com
BEATS
MUSIC REVIEWS
ON THE SPOT
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE “[If I wasn’t in a band], I’d own a sandwich and milkshake café, as well as a giant white tiger that I can ride across the country,” says Allan Malabanan, bass player for hipstrumental band WILDERNESS. As that’s no longer a viable option, I guess we’ll have to settle for awesome music instead. Describing their sound as spicy salmon sashimi-flavored ice cream, placed snuggly between bread buns with cone crumbles for toppings, Allan and his bandmates Mau Torralba (lead guitar), Miguel Hernandez (drums), Chiko Hernandez (percussion), Pat Sarabia (percussion and management), and Jorge Wieneke (effects and ambience) were quick to cite The
Backstreet Boys as one of their biggest influences, even if they don’t sound a bit like any boy band. “What’s not to love?” says Allan. “Back in the third grade, my best friend lent me his Backstreet Boys cassette tape. I played that tape on repeat every night and would sing and dance in my room as if I were in a music video. It was my first love affair with music.” Years later, the affair is kept alive by their own music. As Allan describes it, “Our songs are basically an orgy of thoughts and ideas glued together by lustful, gut-wrenching transitions.” Now working on their first full-length album, looks like Wilderness is just looking to spread the love. RITA FAIRE
Andrea Estella photo by Shawn Brackbill, Nika Roza Danilova photo by Angel Ceballos, Phanie Diaz photo by Josh Huskin, Wilderness photo by Red Rivera Words by Rita Faire
LISTEN UP
Andrea Estella of Twin Sister Ann Margret – “He’s My Man” Beautiful and sexy.
The Smashing Pumpkins – “Farewell and Goodnight” I love hearing the other members sing. Lost Boy? – “Dairy Queen” “She was my apple pie, now she just makes me cry.” Blondie – “Rapture” An old time favorite that I like to put on all the time. Avoxblue – “A Place Without Time” I think this song is perfect, makes me feel magic.
Nika Roza Danilova of Zola Jesus Britney Spears – “Till The World Ends” I’m not a club kid, but this makes me want to be one! Aphex Twin – “At the Heart of it All” It’s like Hans Zimmer glitch. That tuba! My God, I’m all about the tuba. It’s a crusher. 808 State – “Flow Coma” This reminds me of when I was a punkass hacker.
Ensemble Economique – “Psychical” Listening to it while I’m walking through Los Angeles just makes the city feel that much more animal and corrupt. Xanopticon – “Psicicite” Xanopticon is a beatsmith for real. Anything he touches makes my head explode.
Phanie Diaz of Girl in a Coma The Drums – “Best Friend” Just a super catchy beat.
La Roux – “Reflections are Protection” We are big Yaz and Depeche Mode fans, and she definitely found that sound.
Barry Levinson’s Academy Awardwinning film Diner is getting the song and dance treatment as it makes its way to Broadway with new original songs by Sheryl Crowe. Yay or yikes?
Adele – “Rumor Has It” Awesome, amazing voice.
Agent Ribbons – “I’m Alright” An amazing band out of Austin.
Carla Morrison – “Compartir” Another amazing singer.
Indulge your electric dreams when Steve Aoki, Dave Clarke, Agoria, Cassius and the gang hit Paris for I Love Techno on December 17.
Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and War are among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s repeat offenders, each receiving their second nomination for the coveted spot after failing to make the final cut the first time around.
statusmagonline.com - 21
SCREEN
MOVIE REVIEWS
DIRECTOR’S CUT
ALAGWA (2012) Fresh from a fellowship with the Asian Film Academy, Berlinale
Talent Campus alum IAN-DEAN LOREÑOS is finishing up the production of his latest film Alagwa (Breakaway), and writing more screenplays about love, violence and his Chinese-Filipino roots.
A
“
It makes you think about how people can be so brutally inhumane, especially when money is involved
lagwa” is a Filipino word that literally translates to “flow” in English. Sometimes it is also used to announce when a kite breaks away from its string during a kite fight. I used the literal meaning as a metaphor for a child’s sudden disappearance as a kind of breaking away from his father. The film was inspired by an urban legend involving a kidnapping incident in the Chinese community during the early 1990s, as well as by true events of child trafficking and forced slavery in the country. I remember watching a TV
report about a kidnapping victim who was eventually found dead with many of his organs missing. News like that always makes me think about how people can be so brutally inhumane, especially when money is involved. The sad part is, most of the culprits were never identified. One of my goals in making Alagwa is to give tribute to the kidnap victims, their families, and the survivors of these vicious crimes—not to scare my audience, but create awareness about this issue that is continuously happening in our society. Ian-Dean Loreños
CINEMANTICS
PL AYBACK
ALICE IN THE CITIES (1974)
YOUNG ADULT (2011)
A
R
lice in the Cities is the first film in Wim Wenders’ famous “Road Movie Trilogy.” Inspired by the single parent adventures of his long time collaborator Peter Handke, the film tells the story of reporter Philip Winter (Rüdiger Vogler) as he finds himself stuck with a young girl named Alice, forcing
him to accompany her as they travel all around Germany in search of Alice’s long-lost grandmother, whose name and address she can’t even remember. Vogler plays Philip with speechless intensity. A memorable scene sees him alone in a dinky motel room with nothing but an old television to keep him company. Hours seem to pass as he tries to cope with the solitude, only to break down screaming when he can’t take the seclusion any longer. The perfect example of an early Wenders masterpiece, Alice in the Cities is a love letter to the open road that won’t soon be forgotten. Featuring long shots without a hint of dialogue, the themes of restlessness, loneliness, and isolation that come with life on the open road rest firmly on the strength of the movie’s emotive black and white cinematography and its cast’s honest performance. RITA FAIRE
a love LETTER to the open road that won’t soon be forgotten
eliving one’s awkward teenage years is a thing dreaded by most. This is exactly where Mavis Grey (Charlize Theron) finds herself in Diablo Cody’s Young Adult. 30-something divorcée and young adult fiction writer Mavis returns to her Minnesota home to try
and rekindle sparks with ex-boyfriend Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson) who is now married with kids. Seeing that going home isn’t as easy as it seems, she forms an unlikely bond with an old high school classmate (Patton Oswalt) who, like herself, hasn’t quite gotten over high school. Young Adult sees the second time Diablo Cody teams up with director Jason Reitman. Unlike the early fanfare for his previous movies Up in the Air and Juno, Reitman kept things under wraps for Young Adult, creating less hype prior to the premiere. But how can a Reitman film not have hype, especially when he’s breaking new ground and putting a darker spin on subject matters like regret, celebrity, and chasing the unattainable? I bet no one would have guessed, judging by the movie’s powder pink poster. ZOE LAURENTE
A 30-something divorcée returns to her Minnesota home to try and rekindle sparks
TICKET
TAKE THIS WALTZ A woman tries to choose between passion and commitment in writer/director Sarah Polley’s bittersweet dramedy starring Michelle Williams and Seth Rogen.
22 - statusmagonline.com
WE BOUGHT A ZOO Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, and Elle Fanning star in the adaptation of Benjamin Mee’s bestselling memoir that tells how his family bought and ran a rundown zoo for exotic animals.
A SEPARATION Set in Tehran, a woman wants to pack up and leave the tremulous conditions of her country while her husband, concerned for his father’s debilitating mental health, refuses to follow.
THE SITTER A babysitting gig takes a turn for the wild when suspended college student Noah (Jonah Hill) finds his cakewalk night to easy money ruined by the appearance of two psychopathic drug dealers.
THE DARKEST HOUR Olivia Thirlby, Emile Hirsch, and Max Minghella attempt to escape what they can’t even see as they try to survive the host of invisible aliens that have invaded Russia.
ink
BOOK REVIEWS
ONE SITTING
Steve Jobs
By Walter Isaacson
S
teve Jobs is easily the most recognizable face among Apple Inc.’s founding trinity. Former members and fellow geek gods Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne left the company years ago, but good old Steve remained with Apple as it led the conga line to progress with new generations of software, hardware, animation, digital publishing, lifestyle gadgets, and communication innovations. Steve Jobs provides a rare and uncensored look into the life of a true multidisciplinary pioneer. Jobs forced no limits on writer Walter Isaacson in the content and publishing of the book, allowing the biographer to include over a hundred accounts of perfectionism, passion, devilry, obsession, artistry, and compulsion control from Jobs’ closest friends, colleagues, family members, and adversaries. Released following the aftermath of his death, readers are reminded of Jobs’ overwhelming legacy. If you’re
rea d ing group
Christian Dior: Couture
By Anita Desai
E
works as they are translated from her native tongue of Orissa to English. The last novella, ”The Artist of Disappearance,” shows a recluse man living in the depths of the wilderness when his life is shaken by the sudden appearance of a TV crew. Hailed by The Guardian’s Maggie Gee as India’s greatest living author, Anita Desai weaves stories that could easily be cautionary tales or self-fulfilling prophecies. Despite pure, enthusiastic, and wide-eyed characters, the book itself ends in a bleak and jaded note with their inevitable disillusion. RITA FAIRE
stories that could easily be cautionary tales or self-fulfilling prophecies
over a hundred accounts of perfectionism, passion, devilry, obsession, artistry, and compulsion control
PICTURE BOOK
The Artist of Disappearance xpectation and reality are firmly split in Anita Desai’s latest offering, The Artist of Disappearance. A collection of three novellas, it explores the world of art in its creation and suffocation, with the rich and spicy backdrop of Indian culture. The first novella, “The Museum of Final Journeys,” tells the story of a failed writer tasked with taking care of an elephant that’s been eating through an ancient family’s meager wealth. The second novella, “Translator Translated,” is about an English teacher who experiences the literary savaging of her life’s
looking to be the next big hyphenate mogul, then Steve Jobs would be as good a place as any to pick up tips. RITA FAIRE
By Ingrid Sischy & Patrick Demarchelier
D
“
id Demarchelier confirm?” Miranda Priestly coldly asks Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada. To those unschooled in the language of fashion celebrity, Patrick Demarchelier is a legendary French fashion photographer who has shot numerous covers for magazines like Elle, Vogue, and Harper’s Bazaar, as well as campaigns for Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Calvin Klein. Exclusively shot by Demarchelier, Christian Dior: Couture is a collection of portraits of over a hundred gowns from Dior Haute Couture, including some pieces designed by Christian Dior himself. With words by Ingrid Sischy, former editor-in-chief of Interview magazine and international editor for the European editions of Vanity
Fair, this book pays homage to the grandeur of one of fashion’s greatest and most influential brands as well as the genius and innovation of its founding designer. In the wake of the John Galliano debacle, the lackluster Dior Couture 2011 show, and the continuing rumors about who their next head designer will be, Christian Dior: Couture is a reminder that the legacy and glamour of the iconic fashion house is beyond comparison. VIVA GONZALEZ
the grandeur of one of fashion’s greatest and most influential brands
FOOTNOTES
You don’t need to fly all over the world to get a little taste of culture. One sip of TAZO CHAI sends you straight to the humid, spicy atmosphere of India without even getting up from your couch.
Feel the overwhelming urge to jumpstart your life and be the next tech tycoon? Well, orders up! These ANDY SMITH SCREENPRINT POSTERS, with their amazing typography and colorful designs, will do more to brighten up your day than decorating your wall.
Dior isn’t just a brand. It’s a lifestyle. With sapphire crystal, steel, gold, diamond and mother-of-pearl components, the hand-assembled DIOR PHONE TOUCH proves that your mobile could be more than a gadget–it can be a bangin’ accessory, too.
statusmagonline.com - 23
tech pack NIKON 1 V1
• Has 10.1-megapixel resolution • Shoots Full HD videos at 30 to 60 frames per second • Has Smart Photo, which selects the five best shots out of 20 high resolution images based on facial expression, composition, and focus SRP:
P56,300
sony personal 3d viewer
• The dedicated 1280x720 resolution OLED screens provide an immersive 3D experience without the need for image layering • Comes with on-board ear pieces • Simulated 5.1 channel surround sound SRP: P32,570
watch the chrome Live it in luxe with gadgets that have as much glitz as gigabytes.
ZEGNA X Vertu mobile phone
• Designed in collaboration with Ermenegildo Zegna • 18-karat rose gold handset • Features a collective of 106.96 karats of sapphires for the faces and keys, and a 0.35-karat ruby for the select button • Comes with a brown alligator skin back cover SRP: TBA
Æ+Y MOBILE PHONE
• Stainless steel handset designed by Christian Dior design collaborator Tom Hingston • Features a 2-inch LCD screen and a laser-engraved keypad • Comes with advanced LED backlighting • Pre-installed with ringtones and alert sounds composed by Vietnamese-Danish jazz bassist Chis Minh Doky SRP: P437,750
C SEED 201
• 201-inch foldable outdoor television • Features a high resolution retina LED display • Fully daylight compatible • Has a 100,000 Hz refresh rate • Capable of HD video transmission SRP: TBA
32 - statusmagonline.com
face paint
BEAUTY CONFIDENTIAL Play drama queen in deep purples and reds as seen on Hollywood sirens.
Nars Cream Blush in Cactus Flower, P1,450
Clinique Brush On Cream Liner, P660
Too Faced Lip Injection, P1,056 Chanel Nail Polish in Paradoxal, P1,350
Tarte Lipsurgence Lip Tint in Fiery, P1,056
Hourglass Film Noir Lash Lacquer, 1,240
Benefit Brow Zings, P1,320
Dior Style Liner Intense Liquid Eyeliner, P1,500
L’Oréal Double Extension Beauty Tubes, P845
MAC Lipstick in Lady Danger. P1,000
Versace Crystal Noir, P3,850
34 - statusmagonline.com
Benefit Eye Gotta The Annie Collection Eyeshadows. P1,590
Charlotte Ronson Finishing Powder in Rashida, P880
Dior Eyeshadow in Gris. P2,600
Model photo by Anna Thiessen
Shiseido Automatic Lip Crayon, P1,100
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Color, P1,100
about face MILK MAID
Milk isn’t just good for your bones but also for your skin. Nourish your skin with DIOR PURIFYING CLEANSING MILK WITH CRYSTAL IRIS EXTRACT. This velvety cleanser gets rid of impurities while balancing normal and combination skin types. P1,850
Expert
Advice Never ever go to sleep with your makeup on. It’ll clog your pores and cause breakouts.
WIPEOUT
THE CLASSIC
BARE NECESSITIES Nothing beats a clean, pretty face, so give yourself room to breathe with these products.
Beauty junkies can’t stop gushing over SHU UEMURA CLEANSING OIL. It’s an advanced high-performance cleansing oil system, which doubles as a makeup remover. It also contains deep sea water, which enhances skin transparency. P1,700
No need for liquids, cotton swabs, or even facial wash with these presoaked ALMAY HYPOALLERGENIC MAKEUP REMOVER PADS. Their mild formulation is perfect for those with sensitive skin. P235
LAZY DAISY
NEUTROGENA MAKEUP REMOVER CLEANSING TOWELETTES is perfect for those days when you can’t be bothered to scrub your waterproof mascara off. Just whip one of these gentle towelettes out, and you’ll get a clear face in under a minute. P350
Model photo from Bobbi Brown & Tibi Makeup Collection
GIVE IT A REST
CLINIQUE TAKE THE DAY OFF CLEANSING BALM gives your skin a well-deserved break from your everyday prettifying routine. The solid balm quickly transforms into a silky oil upon application and instantly erases even the most stubborn eyeliners. P1,250
EXTRA STRENGTH
URBAN DECAY MELT DOWN MAKEUP REMOVER GEL is one mighty powerful makeup remover you should have in your boudoir. Its creamy gel formula is non-greasy, so you won’t even have to wash after. P1,080
beauty bite
FREYJA DAY AND NAIL SPA
R
est your head on plush brocade armchairs at FREYJA DAY AND NAIL SPA, and let your mind and body take a breather from the daily hassles of city life. Warm tones of teal and brown with touches of gold on the walls keep the space lively, while the water well in the corner provides a calming soundtrack. Even more relaxing is Freyja’s high-grade disinfecting procedure, ‘coz nothing can get more stressful than the idea of contracting fungi from poorly sanitized tools. Sit back as their aestheticians prettify your digits and spoil you with their vast selection of Orly nail polish. Get the Vana Goddess Whitening Hand and Foot Spa, which includes a scrub, massage,
and intensive moisturizing, for the full Freyja experience. All of their spa services come with a neck and shoulder massage; they place a soothing heat pad on your nape and work out all your kinks. Whether it’s a full body scrub and massage for an entire afternoon of pure R & R or a quick mani-pedi pick-me-up, Freyja will leave you feeling every inch a goddess. 368 Ortigas Avenue, Unit 202, Sekai Center San Juan, Metro Manila, 1500 +63-2-345-8880 freyja_nails@yahoo.com
statusmagonline.com - 35
brick and mortar VANE, NEW YORK 125 Rivington St, New York, NY 10002 wearevane.com Dime to drop: USD42-USD220 (PHP1,850-PHP9,680) Don’t leave without: A graphic tee and a unisex brass connector ring from Vane
V
ANE concept store on Manhattan’s Lower East Side invites passersby to come in and explore the brand’s philosophy of creative independence and discovery. Its bleached wood tabletops—filled with curious tools and objects—and black painted shelves lined with an assortment of books entice one to walk in and go on a treasure hunt. Its floor-to-ceiling imagery of the wilderness and mood lighting are reminiscent of the dark, mysterious forests of childhood fairy tales, from which they draw the theme and inspiration of their collection. Vane’s hand-sewn signature footwear as well as their recent collaboration with Sebago, together with their exclusively designed graphic tank tops and tees, are exposed in an industrial looking cabinet. Scour the store for their line of unisex jewelry— brass rings, cast metal pendants, and chain-link cuffs are scattered among the odds and ends on display. Keep a keen eye out for a wall-mounted glass display case, and you’ll be rewarded with your pick from a selection of vintage watches and sunglasses.
OWN, BRUSSELS 5 Place Du Jardin Aux Fleurs Bloemenhofplein 5 B-100, Brussels +32 02 271 95 71 own.be Dime to drop: EUR120- EUR280 (PHP7,200-PHP16,750) Don’t leave without: a pair of A.P.C. jeans
I
DOLLS KILL
D
OLLS KILL stocks fox fur tails and then some—Dirty Pretty Things lingerie, Chrishabana metal accessories, Chaser vintage tees, and Quontum bodycon dresses that fit like a glove. UNIF, a current favorite on the site, carries knits,
36 - statusmagonline.com
denims, and crocheted dresses that were a fixture at this year’s Coachella. If rock ‘n’ roll came in the form of these, our souls are sold. dollskill.com
Words by Viva Gonzalez and Zoe Laurente
t takes an artistic eye, or even just a little curiosity, to spot OWN. Nestled at the city center of Brussels, on the ground floor of an old building, the shop may keep a low profile, but inside lies a secret for the fashion-forward few. Behind its windowed green doors is a boutique, boldly decorated with potted trees, paneled wooden platforms, and suspended clothing racks. It’s like shopping inside a posh aquarium with its large bay windows and high ceilings decked in fluorescent lights that form interesting shapes. But the main attraction of the store is the clothes and accessories that designers and owners Hervé and Theirry curate from brands like A.P.C., Acne, Comme des Garçon, and Belguim designer Atelier 11. They also house some knickknacks like a seamless lighter holder from Il Bussetto made of molded leather and silver necklaces from Stéphanie Schneider. Let’s see how long you can keep mum about this secret.
style id
neon lights
Bleach Black blogger Valerie Killeen, wearing a neon striped Marc Jacobs dress.
Summer’s neon trend is certainly not dying this Fall. By JP Singson and Rosario Herrera Cute girl at New York Fashion Week in bright orange trousers.
Photographer Michael Stephens looks chic in his hot pink top.
jponfashionspeed.blogspot.com
This Danish beauty’s skirt ain’t mellow in yellow.
A Swedish gal pairing allblack with a bright pink Cambridge satchel.
Young designer Janna wears an asymmetrical shift with neon orange paneling.
This lady brightens up her day with cyan trousers and an apple green blazer.
statusmagonline.com - 37
go see Look no further than the streets for all the best and boldest in style. No need to roast chestnust on an open fire to look this hot. Black Corset Photographed by Rosario Herrera, JP Singson & Nikki Ruiz
Tone on tone Bright Colored Sneakers
Sunglasses
Turban
Denim Button-down
Leather Shorts
Denim Vest
Knee-high Boots
38 - statusmagonline.com
Colorblocking
Creepers Maxi Skirt Leopard Print Slip-ons
Two-tone Brogues
Oversized Tote
Pocket Square
Printed Socks
Slim Tie
Terrycloth Shorts
Red Coat
School Boy Blazer
statusmagonline.com - 39
FLUORESCENT ADOLESCENT Fall in love with a shooting starâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;in the corner, shuffling her ruffles, shaking tail feathers, binging on fringe, and embellished in petals and metals. Bright eyes reflect neon lights, so donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stare too long, kiddo. Photographed by Lee John Mann Styled by Victoria Barban Makeup Sandra Bermingham Hair Eleni Georgiou Model Andi of Profile Model Management
red dress by Jasper Garvida earrings by Fiona Paxton
40 - statusmagonline.com
dress and fur jacket by Kate Wallis
statusmagonline.com - 41
metallic dress by Jade Kang earrings by Fiona Paxton
42 - statusmagonline.com
green dress by Jasper Garvida earrings by Fiona Paxton pendant necklace by Imogen BelfieldÂ
statusmagonline.com - 43
white dress by Jasper Garvida earrings by Fiona Paxton
44 - statusmagonline.com
flame tunic dress by Ada Zanditon
statusmagonline.com - 45
red jacket with pins by Paradigm Shift dress by Topshop shoes by Alexander McQueen
statusmagonline.com - 47
bodycon dress by Olivia and Fifth platform booties by Das
48 - statusmagonline.com
red vest with sheer cape by Proudrace coated jeans by Mango
statusmagonline.com - 49
printed dress by Proudrace gold chains by Forever 21
dress worn as top by Olivia and Fifth harem pants by Proudrace bangles by Mango shoes by Das
statusmagonline.com - 51
SWAG DECEMBER 2011 They dash through the snow with colliding personalities, yet there’s no reason they shouldn’t receive gifts this season despite the trouble they may have brought in the past months. So, here’s a gift from STATUS to you, a CHRISTMAS SWAG LIST for the people you can’t stand, but love anyway. Product Photography by Miguel Miranda Words by Loris Peña and Zoe Laurente
CLUB KID
DANCER
She spreads holiday cheer like no other. With parties left and right, she’ll be gone before you can say “Ho, ho, ho!”
54 - statusmagonline.com
CLOCKWISE A/X jacket [P7,450], Model co. One Night spray tan [P1,550], Shady Lady balm [P670], Blackberry Bold mobile phone [P31,690], Hollywood Feet heel cushions [P499], Accessorize clutch [P2,100], A/X dress [P5,950], Charles & Keith shoes [P3,250], Charles & Keith wallet [P1,399], Smashbox lipgloss [P787.50], Forever21 ring [P200], Banana Republic bracelet [P2,575], Tommy Hilfiger watch [P6,950], Tous Touch perfume [P3,750]
TRENDSETTER
COMET
‘Tis the season to get decked out, but next to this girl, you’ll always just be second best dressed.
CLOCKWISE Promod sunglasses [P895], Accessorize necklace [P750], Promod cuff [P695], Smashbox Blush Rush Radiance blush [P1,300], Smashbox Pout Photo Finish lipstick [P1,030], Sony VAIO laptop [P26,999], 7 For All Mankind jeans [P10,998], Juicy Couture watch [P17,750], Thierry Mugler Angel perfume [P7,260], Accessorize scarf [P1,100], Charles & Keith bag [P2,799], The Elements of Personal Style book [P1,750], Promod vest [P2,995]
statusmagonline.com - 55
ARTSY
CUPID
She draws more than she talks. Let her illustrated Christmas card speak for itself.
56 - statusmagonline.com
CLOCKWISE Promod sweater [P2,995], Andy Warhol watch [P7,950], Juxtapose Illustration book [P1,915], Juxtapose handmade book [P1,915], Staedtler pens [P1,250], Urban Rituelle soy wax candle [P825], Aldo boots [P5,395], Promod skirt [P3,295], Terranova bag [P1,345], Accessorize wallet [P425], Burtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bees Hibiscus tinted lip balm [P650], Durance LYS Blanc Madonna Lily eau de toilette [P895], Mandatary beanie [P795], Accessorize glasses [P600]
PUNK
VIXEN
Even this tough cookie admits jamming out to Jingle Bell Rock.
CLOCKWISE Terranova jacket [P4,045], Ray-Ban sunglasses [P7,260], Anna Sui Rock Me! perfume [P4,200], Studio Makeup Volume Lift mascara [P795], Greenhills Shopping Center bracelet [P150], Charles & Keith wallet [P1,199], A/X jeans [P695], Aldo boots [P4,295], Accessorize clutch [P2,100], Sony E series mp3 [P4,999], Promod top [P1,495]
statusmagonline.com - 57
E C O - F R I E N D LY
DONNER
Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even think of cutting down a tree for your living room. He might just stuff your stockings with coal.
58 - statusmagonline.com
CLOCKWISE Terranova beanie [P595], 7 For All Mankind jacket [P21, 498], Sony VAIO laptop [P79,999], Benetton Verde perfume [P1,350], Toms shoes [P3,795], Terranova jeans [P2,695], Greenhills Shopping Center bracelets [P30 each], Citizen watch [P13,750], Alternative Apparel shirt [P1,350]
HIPSTER
RUDOLPH
He may find Christmas too mainstream, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sure he wants his fair share of presents as well.
CLOCKWISE Alternative Apparel shirt [P1,310], Trilogy glasses [P1,379], Wize and Ope watch [P2,950], Wright Disen perfume [P800], UNLTD by Marc Ecko shoes [P2,795], 7 For All Mankind jeans [P9,998], The Early Bird: The Art & Design of Morning Breath book [P960], No Signal, No Future by Ryan McGiness book [P1,125], Sony W series headphones [P3,999], 7 For All Mankind button-down [P8,498]
statusmagonline.com - 59
H I P- H O P
BLITZEN
He’s always looking dope and his version of Christmas carols is Snoop’s holiday mixtape. No one out swags him.
60 - statusmagonline.com
CLOCKWISE New Era hat [P2,125], Jay-Z Decoded book [P1,750], Samsung laptop [P23,900], Tommy Hilfiger watch [P4,950], Dunhill Desire perfume [P4,150], Marc Ecko shoes [P3,890], 7 For All Mankind jeans [P10,998], Urbanears Plattan Grass headphones [P2,950], Sony mp3 walkman [P6,558], Manhattan Portrage bag [P3,125], Boxfresh jacket [P3,290]
PREPPY
DASHER
No knitted reindeer sweaters please. Preppy boy prefers cardigans and loafers with his eggnog.
CLOCKWISE Terranova cardigan [P1,995], Fred Perry shirt [P5,998], Blackberry Playbook [P23,990], Ganzo case [P8,400], Tissot watch [P15,350], Skechers shoes [P2,150], Red Herring pants [P2,750], Blackberry Curve mobile phone [P14,950], Azzaro Chrome perfume [P3,350], Fred Perry wallet [P2,040], Fred Perry belt [P6,198], New Era hat [P2,195]
statusmagonline.com - 61
M U S E
FINNISH LINE SAARA SIHVONEN can’t help but gush about her two favorite NYC moments— staying at the five-star Trump Soho hotel and opening Rodarte. Fivestar or not, after walking in New York, London, Milan, and Paris runways for the first time, she’s excited to get her much-needed dose of Zs after the craziness that is Fashion Week. By Viva Gonzalez Photos courtesy of Silent Models NY
F
or someone who has never been interested in reality shows, Saara Sihvonen found herself in one. She explains, “One of my mottos has always been, ‘We only live once.’ One should be curious and try everything possible.” Making it to the finals of Finland’s Next Top Model is only the beginning for this Helsinki native, who walked for the likes of Helmut Lang, Paul Smith, Doo.Ri, and Theyskens’ Theory this past season.
NATURAL HIGH “When I’m talking to my boyfriend, family, and friends, they always give me a huge energy bomb. Also, if I’m in the show and I need to get sugars up immediately, I take a bite of raw chocolate—super nice!”
62 - statusmagonline.com
TRAVEL BUG
LET IT SNOW
“I was working three months in Singapore and I won’t ever forget that period of my life… [I] got a chance to do different shoots in Malaysia’s, Langkawi Island and Kuala Lumpur. Then I went to Jakarta, Indonesia. Such places I would never get a chance to see if I wasn’t a model.”
“There are many different kinds of cities in the world, but there is only one Finnish Lapland—the real winter wonderland. I personally prefer Lapland in the winter… Snow makes it really, really amazing, although being without sunlight needs getting used to… Sauna and candles in the cottage with your loved ones, what else do you need?”
silentmodels.com
M A E S T R O
the CHOPPER TECH N9NE has been killing it in the underground hip-hop game since the early 2000s. Despite sold out US-wide tours and a rabid online following, his name is new to most hip-hop fans. And, if you’re one of those who don’t know about Tech N9ne, it’s about time you recognize. By Viva Gonzalez Photographed by Estevan Oriol
T
ech N9ne, born Aaron Yates, put up his own label, Strangemusic, back in 1999. Since then, his label has earned millions. His recent album, All 6’s and 7’s—featuring tracks with Kendrick Lamar, Twista, Yelawolf, and Busta Rhymes—was well-received by critics and fans alike. Starting his Lost Cities tour a day after our interview, Tech N9ne tells me, “[It’s been] hectic as hell. [I’m] trying to rehearse with no time to rehearse so it’s super stressful, but [it’s] wonderful preparing for it.” Between his tour, his new album Welcome to Strangeland, and his brief but attention-grabbing turn in Tha Carter IV, he says, “Beautiful things are happening right now… I don’t know if this is the hilt. I don’t know if this is the pinnacle yet. I think I have a lot more ways to grow.” This Kansas native, known for his fast rhymes and uncensored lyrics, will finally land on everyone’s radar, but he’ll do that without ever compromising his hard-hitting style.
All 6’s and 7’s sold over 56,000 units in its first week proving that you don’t need the major labels to sell. Any advice for rappers who want to take the indie route? That’s the best route to take because you’re in control of everything that comes in and goes out. But it also takes a ton of money to start, so it’s hard. I’m living proof that the reward comes later. What’s the worst thing about being an independent artist and running your own label? There’s not enough time in the day to do everything. Not enough time in the day to do everything in the office then go to the studio and try to work [there] also. Your track in Tha Carter IV completely stole the show for me. (And a lot of fans think so too.) It’s crazy. I love the response. That made the people really love what I do. To put me in the same category as Wayne, Andre 3000, Busta Rhymes, and Nas… it’s flattering. That means I’m on top of my game. I thank Wayne
tremendously for giving me the opportunity to be recognized by people that wouldn’t even look my way before this album came out. Is Tech N9ne gonna go all out mainstream or sign to a major label? No. I’m sticking to what I know, and this is what I know. What I’m rapping about right now, that’s what I know. As my life progresses, I’m gonna keep rapping about other things, but I’m not about to change the course of what I’ve been doing. What I’ve been doing has gotten me to this point. I don’t wanna change it just to appease these new folks that are coming in. The new folks that are coming in are digging the old stuff I’ve been doing, so why would I change it now? It’s not like my stuff is gonna turn into super pop. I’m gonna always have my darkness, my party songs, my sexual songs… that’s my formula. That’s all I know. Major label? I’m not ready to do that.
therealtechn9ne.com
“I’m gonna always have my darkness, my party songs, my sexual songs… that’s my formula.” statusmagonline.com - 63
maestro
SUPERLATIVE SYMBIOSIS
Nobody does anything alone. Take, for example, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, or Spongebob and Patrick, or Speek and Whuzi of AFTER THE SMOKE. As they combine their creative powers, expect an outcome that transcends musical and mythical proportions. By Reena Mesias Photographed by Wanessa Yajure
S
peek (producer/social activist) and Whuzi (lyricist/graphic designer) of After The Smoke have been plotting their mission since college, wherein they looked at their similar artistic affinities—musically and visually—and took over the industry with two things: their fusion of funk, alternative, hip-hop, and R&B music; and a Tumblr account
TIGHT AS TICK
which posts everything that’s sensorially good—from their new songs to self-made merchandise, photos of girls, animals, and basically any sort of cool-looking artwork. “We didn’t get any accolades [in school],” says Speek. But, really, who cares? They won Best Freshmen in mtvU, opened for big guns like Wiz Khalifa and Ludacris, and directed their own music videos—without industry insiders. Whuzi says, “[These things] happened with just the fanbase supporting us…
We would just get up and say, ‘Yo, we’re gonna make this happen,’ and it would actually come true.” They may have heard “no” a few times from labels and artists before their growing success, but Whuzi says, “Fuck it. We just did our own thing; it worked, and it made us happy. So if you’re not on the same page as us, then we’ll just keep moving. That’s how we operate.” That impeccably unanimous teamwork is a beautiful thing, and it’s best we keep moving with them, lest we get left behind.
afterthesmoke.tumblr.com
THE ROOTS are lucky, coming out with their thirteenth (but firstever concept) album, Undun, via Def Jam. The Philadelphia band is spreading their neo-soul while attesting to their legendary crew status.
You can never go wrong with indie rock band GUIDED BY VOICES. Celebrating more than a decade’s worth of songwriting and beer-drenched shows, they are releasing their new album, Let’s Go Eat The Factory, on New Year’s Day.
DEER TICK knows how to throw a welcome home party after touring USA, Europe, and back. You’d think they’d catch a nightcap, but instead they come up with Divine Providence, showered with sweat, beer, and more beer. By Macy Reantaso Photographed by Scott Alario
KID CUDI might’ve been inspired by Lil Wayne’s Rebirth as he dumps hip-hop for rock. Patterned after The Cudder’s kicking of his drug habit and wanting to learn an instrument, Wizard promises no raps—just unsullied singing and guitar-ing.
J
ohn McCauley mainstays as Deer Tick’s ringmaster on lead guitar and vocals. Alongside Chris Ryan (bass), Ian O’Neil (guitar), Dennis Ryan (drums), and Rob Crowell (keys and saxophone), the band grants audiophiles their dose of indie folk juice, but John’s deep, ragged, and gruff vocals give Deer Tick the edge that earns them a rightful place under grunge/rock. While John has written most of the songs in Deer Tick’s repertoire, their recent album, Divine Providence, is a different story. It is accurate to “[Deer Tick’s] live sound,” and it experienced a lot of ‘firsts’ for the band: one, it’s their first album recorded in
64 - statusmagonline.com
their hometown in Pawtucket, Rhode Island; and two, both Dennis and Ian take on the position of lead vocals for songs they themselves have written for the album. “Sound-wise, it’s a lot louder and more frank… It’s very rock and roll,” Ian describes. “I think I can judge from my lyrics—and probably assume from some of John’s—that our time spent [in Providence] had some
effect on the writing,” he adds. Ian candidly invites, “Come to a show of ours, and you’ll have your own funny stories to tell.” With another Europe tour as well as collaboration projects in the works, Deer Tick has a lot in store for themselves and the fans—apart from the overflowing beer, of course.
deertickmusic.com
Irish singer-songwriter FIONN REGAN steps away from his Dylan-inspired The Shadow of an Empire and returns to acoustic roots and hushed melodies in 100 Acres of Sycamore. The grass is greener on this side for him.
maestro
dogg days AREN’T 15 years in the Hip-Hop looks. From rapping and release from Cash Money to prove he can stay on even win it.
game isn’t as easy as it acting to a first album Records, BOW WOW is about top of the game and maybe
“A lot of people lie. I like to tell the truth.”
By Loris Peña Photo courtesy of LBW Entertainment
I
“
’ve just been blessed, man. Like I said, not a lot of artists get the chance to be surrounded by―and be cool by― a lot of guys who paved the way for us. I’ve never been the person that’s scared to ask for help,” Shad Gregory Moss, aka Bow Wow recalls growing up surrounded by hiphop’s greatest. Being affiliated with the likes of Snoop Dogg, Birdman, and Lil Wayne, Bow Wow shares, “I think everybody should have that person in the game that’s been doing it longer than them, so when they need somebody to talk to, they can go do that.” Though he missed out on college pursuing a career at a very young age, he wouldn’t have it any other way. “No regrets, because if it weren’t for the mistakes I made, I wouldn’t be here where I am now.” Releasing his much anticipated album, Underrated, this December, Bow shares, “It took me so long because it’s my dream project. This album is my everything and I got the chance to work with other people. I’m going to make sure that my fans love it. I know I’m going to love it, but it’s not about me. It’s more about them.” Bow’s first single featuring Lil Wayne, titled “Sweat,” is a rap song for the ladies. Obviously not worried about the critics anymore, he tells us he
isn’t as conscious about his raps. “I want to talk about what I go through… I’m just being honest and, through time, you do change. I’m not a little boy. I’m not a young man. I’m a man. I can pretty much do whatever I want to do, but I feel and keep a little consciousness to understand the mind, but at the end of the day, I can only be me—a 24-year old man.” Being himself indeed pays off, having recently announced the birth of his daughter (despite his previous denial), Bow says, with pride, “It just makes you feel like you’re 50 years older. It definitely matures you. It definitely puts things in perspective. It got me looking at me—especially my life and how I handle myself.” With his maturity in check, a whole lot of respect from his fans, and his priorities more solid than ever, he wants to let people know that he’s competitive. “I have to let them know I can go there, too, if I really want to. As any rapper or ball player, you should feel like you got this thing going. If you don’t, who’s gonna do that? I feel like I’m better than some [rappers]. A lot of people lie. I like to tell the truth.”
TOUr LIFE THE REALITIES OF THE ROAD 1.
My mom calls me ten times a day. It’s hard to miss somebody that calls you [that often] [Haha.]
2.
[I miss] my home, being at my house, sleeping at my own place.
3.
Food is cool, ‘coz there’s always great food around. Never really trippin’ on a home-cooked meal.
4.
The first person I want to see when I get off tour is my daughter.
twitter.com/BowWow
statusmagonline.com - 65
maestro
FOR THE
REC RD While tarsiers may be a breed that is slowly dying, the music of TARSIUS is far from extinction. Diego Mapa and Jay Gapasin like to think of their brainchild as a new specie that is slowly emerging. By Zoe Laurente Photographed by Julius Sebastian
I
t’s a little after lunch, and the boys of Tarsius— Pedicab vocalist Diego Mapa and Radioactive Sago Project drummer Jay Gapasin—still haven’t had anything to eat; yet, here they are, sitting on a couch in a quaint vinyl shop in Cubao Expo that houses records from some of music’s greatest like Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles. They talk about how they started out and their dreams of having their very own vinyl record. It might take a few years, but maybe someday their record would, too, end up on the store’s shelves. So, why the name “Tarsius?” Diego: We really wanted a Filipino name. It came from the word “tarsier.” We went to B-Side to catch [Daedelus’] set. We didn’t have Tarsius back then, but that’s when we first formed a bond. We were both busy with our separate bands (Pedicab and Radioactive Sago Project), with tours, and we even went to Switzerland and Hong Kong together. There, we really got to bond over music, drinking, and the like. What challenges did you guys have to go through in the process of making the music? D: [Playing a laptop] is not as easy as playing the guitar or drums. We’ve been playing our instruments for so long and it’s become organic. Our challenge was to play the live drums and the laptop and keep [the sound] tight and synchronized. Jay: Another challenge was finding a venue with good monitoring. If the monitoring sucked, it all wouldn’t work. D: The playing has to be
66 - statusmagonline.com
continuous. Sometimes, we try hooking a drum machine to add a live element when playing. We don’t want it to seem like we’re just pushing buttons. So, what makes your instrument sexy? D: Sexy? I think as long as the music is danceable, then it’s sexy. We play different genres like house, jungle beat, and others. But it’s not us trying to be sexy! What does it take to be a master in the music industry? D: Long-livity. The more and the longer you play, the more you master it. Jay is a drum master. J: When you’re able to express yourself and you don’t even have to think about it. It just comes naturally. D: Our goal with this band is just to fulfil our need to play
electronic music. We just want to experiment with other stuff and try something new. Christmas is just around the corner; anything on your wish list? What are you guys planning to get each other? D: Our one wish is to be able to play in Hong Kong. That can be my gift to Jay. We’ll be good when that happens. We could disband for one year after that. [laughs] What’s next for Tarsius? D: The only thing we’re waiting for now is the album cover. Maybe someday we can have a vinyl record too. That’s why we’re here at this shop, so we get the vibe of the vinyl. But that’s in the long run. That’s our ambition.
numberlinerecords.com/artists/ tarsius-ap
maestro
RICK ROSS may not have forgiven himself for Teflon Don debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200. He will soon forget that when God Forgives, I Don’t—featuring songs with Nicki Minaj and a single produced by Just Blaze— hits #1, and he can reclaim his title as boss.
THE VAGABOND
CASS MCCOMBS is no stranger to life on the road. His years of being nomadic have given the musician a trove of stories to make beautifully haunting music out of. Despite his self-professed dislike for interviews, he talks to us about the new stories he tells in his recently released album, Humor Risk.
British electro rock duo THE BIG PINK told NME they were “turning their backs on indie to make a hip-hop record.” One listen to their single, “Stay Gold,” which has the same electro rock feel makes us wanna know what else producer Paul Epworth has in store for Future This.
By Viva Gonzalez Photo courtesy of Domino Recording Co Ltd.
T
he notoriously enigmatic Cass McCombs reveals how he feels about his new album, Humor Risk. “Every time you put out a record, it’s exciting. It’s years of work, and you get to unveil it. It’s exciting because you don’t know how people are gonna receive it; no one has screwed it into something yet—it’s a volatile concept.” The singer-songwriter spent years performing and touring with different acts like Iron and Wine, Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire, and The Decemberists. He says, “I did my time. I enjoyed opening for all these bands, I’m grateful for the education, and it was interesting to meet different musicians and songwriters from all over the world. It’s been about ten years now… It’s time to do something different.” That’s exactly what he set out to do with Humor Risk. “A few songs in here are just stories… I transmit through a character… interesting little stories that kind of put you in a [particular] place and time with a person… in a kind of adventurous scenario. It’s something that I never really did before,” he says. Cass’ music is a rare combination of haunting melodies and incredibly insightful lyrics. His words come from a
place of vulnerability that only a handful of artists can reach. He confesses, “I don’t really like to talk about my writing process. I don’t think anyone wants to hear about it anyway. It’s boring, you know. It’s not really what it’s about. It’s about the fruits of the labor. Writing is a job. It’s a great job. It’s fun, but the songs and stories aren’t even about me so it’s easy for me to keep moving; I don’t have to get caught up with my own stuff.” He views his role as more of a messenger, transforming other people’s stories into soulful tracks, “I don’t ever think my records come from me. They come from something else. I transmit them,” he says. If you haven’t been initiated into his music, that would’ve come out vague, but once you hear his songs, you would understand that Cass does pull from somewhere otherworldly. Having wandered for years— although now he calls New York City his home—Cass still believes in “a transitory kind of attitude towards the cosmos.” How he lives his life and writes his music all correspond to this belief: “Go with the flow. If the heavens want something to happen, they’ll make it happen—you just have to make
yourself available. Chaos is the only way,” he explains. As his site describes, Humor Risk is aimed at laughter instead of confusion—chaos instead of morality. “It’s all chaotic, I like it that way. [My crew and I] never have a plan when we go into the studio, and we don’t even stay very long,” he says. Disorder and uncertainty are his ingredients for success, and for someone who has drifted through various cities for years, that sounds just about right. Cass is no average musician nor average human being, for that matter.
THE BLACK KEYS got goofy when they teased everyone with a fake car commercial to announce El Camino. The new LP, packed with signature blues rock and coproduced by longtime collaborator Danger Mouse, is still worth taking seriously.
cassmccombs.com
“If the heavens want something to happen, they’ll make it happen… Chaos is the only way.”
Profoundly idiosyncratic filmmaker DAVID LYNCH had a Crazy Clown Time producing a DIY album (down to the eerie vocals) that’s as ethereal and surreal as you’d expect. What else is there to know?
statusmagonline.com - 67
M A S T E R M I N D
DOUBLE TAKE Like Clark Kent (or Hannah Montana, if you please), 90210 star MATT LANTER gets by with a double life. On one side, he’s a celebrity with everything going for him. On the other, he’s a normal dude, sitting on his family room floor, checking the special features on his new Star Wars Saga Blu-ray, dreaming bigger than we ever expected him to. By Reena Mesias Photographed by Elias Tahan
P
laying a tougher gangster version of 1990s TV icon Dylan McKay, 90210 actor Matt Lanter’s character, Liam Court, is a rebel shaking West Bev with prepossessing blue eyes and bad boy charm, but recently, he’s caught up in a redemption story. “They kind of shifted [Liam’s] whole character in season 2,” says Matt. “The guy is just constantly apologizing to different girls.” Maybe Matt better start making his own apologies as he drives a stake into the hearts of hopeful ladies who aren’t in a category “right in between [90210’s Naomi and Annie].” Translation: Matt’s ideal type is the sweet girl-nextdoor who isn’t afraid to have a little bit more than just fun. I hear a jealous groan; don’t worry, there’s always hope. “I love when fans come up and say how they
appreciate your work and they love the show,” says Matt. “As long as no one gets crazy on me, it’s all good.” Before all these adventurous fan encounters—sometimes involving girls who randomly show up outside his house—and supporting roles in Heroes, Commander in Chief, The Roommate, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Matt Lanter could only dream of being in them when he was younger. “I have always been amazed by film and TV,” he remembers how his love for acting kicked off. “I thought the process of making [films] was just as fun as watching them, so I would watch a lot of DVD special features before I would even watch the movie.” Later on, he did some background work on a film shooting in Atlanta
and just figured he’d make a career out of it. 90210 aside, there is so much more to Matt than just starring in everyone’s guilty pleasure. Liars All, his upcoming movie with Sara Paxton is, to him, “probably the most different thing I have done yet… It’s basically about a group of friends that play a game that goes horribly wrong. It’s told from a few different perspectives, so the audience is left trying to figure out whose story is the truth.”
As if he weren’t busy enough, Matt still looks to the future. “There are so many things I want to do,” he describes the bucket list that justifies how he intends to shift from teen heartthrob to serious actor. “I would love to be in a huge WWII epic. I would love to do a sitcom. I would love to do a superhero movie,” he pauses, then adds, “Just to name a few.” Matt throws a wrench in his own identity crisis with another mission that does not
sign up Christmas wish list: A drum set.
68 - statusmagonline.com
twitter.com/mattlanter
Baddest thing he’s done : That might just be my biggest secret.
On down time: Play golf.
Imagine we’re back in the 90s and Matt Lanter is writing in your slam book.
involve his face on the TV screen. “I have a couple of ideas for a few TV shows I would like to produce, so I actually can’t tell you any of this,” he tells me cheerfully. “You may end up seeing it on your TV screen.” Considering how much his ambition is matched by his enthusiasm and his smolder, I suspect Matt will see this one through.
Has an eye for: Photos.
mastermind
the TIN MEN Though JOE CORNISH might say that “the British have always been very proud and also a tiny bit useless,” he and EDGAR WRIGHT are two of the fastest rising British talents in the film industry today. They have recently co-written The Adventures of Tintin—a feat proving how they’re defining the malleability of comic adaptations. By Kristine Dabbay Courtesy of © STUDIOCANAL 2011
and also create something that works for a 90-minute or two-hour movie. So it’s not easy, but not impossible. J: Perhaps one day. At the moment, I have too much fun just reading them… I’m a big Jodorowsky fan, for instance.
© STUDIOCANAL 2011
N
obody forgets shows and movies such as Spaced, Shaun of the Dead and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World by Edgar Wright. Nobody would want to miss a documentary about the cult favorite Little Britain or the critically-acclaimed directorial debut Attack the Block by Joe Cornish. Lastly, nobody would want to deter these frequent collaborators from tackling their ultimate geek fantasies, which include working with Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg—but they’re no mere protégés. Names aside, STATUS dives into the paneled minds of Edgar and Joe who are on the third draft of their Ant-Man script for Marvel. How was it working together for The Adventures of Tintin? Joe: Edgar and I have been friends for years. I’ll always leap at the chance to work with him. To do so on a project as exciting as Tintin, plus on my own film, has been fantastic. You guys know a lot about anti-heroes. In real life, which characters do you most relate to from your own scripts?
Edgar: I relate to Shaun from Shaun of the Dead; I think he’s a version of me with less ambition and drive, perhaps. I also relate to Scott Pilgrim and his capacity for daydreaming and healthy imagination. What was it like when you were just starting your careers? E: I started very young as an amateur filmmaker in my teens. Indeed, both Steven and Peter were heroes of mine, because they both started making Super 8 movies. J: I started out on Super 8 too but ended up making comedy for television before I made my first feature. It was a good place to experiment and learn. Working on Tintin meant working with at least three of my alltime heroes: Mr. Spielberg, Mr. Jackson, and the character of Tintin himself. Is there a lot of pressure involved in adapting comics into movies? Would you consider writing a comic book together? E: There is as much pressure as there is adapting any book with an ardent fanbase. It’s a tricky balancing act, writing an adaptation, as you have to honor the fans
Can you tell us more about your creative process? E: When it is going well, we sit opposite each other writing pages, exchanging ideas, blocking out scenes and reading them aloud. A bad day is just procrastinating watching films. J: My favorite part of writing with Edgar is reading scenes out loud with him. He does some really good voices. He did a particularly good Captain Haddock while we were working on Tintin. Is The Adventures of Tintin a sign of moving into animation? E: I wouldn’t count out making an animated film in the future, but I am staggered and exhausted whenever I think about the work that Steven, Peter, and WETA have done on this movie. A lot of amazing brush strokes make up this film.
Scott Pilgrim was such a hit. How do you feel about the audience’s intense reaction to it? E: It was made with a lot of tender loving care, so it’s very pleasing that… it has made a number of appearances on the revival circuit. That people are enjoying it still today or just discovering it for the first time is all I could ask for. tintin.com
statusmagonline.com - 69
MASTERMIND
“When I was working for Terry [Richardson]… I was naked most of the time.”
DANGER Aside from being his own urban legend in the streets of Japan, photographer KEIICHI NITTA is very much into music. One day, he’s into Mötley Crüe, the next, he’s nostalgic for Black Flag and Michael Jackson. As long as he keeps the jam going, the shoot goes on, and all the clothes come a-falling. By Nante Santamaria Photos courtesy of Keiichi Nitta
Prince a few times!” he recalls. “I really liked the idea and built upon it on my own.” Rewind: I haven’t mentioned that in 2000, Keiichi worked in New York as the infamous Terry Richardson’s right hand man. In fact, Richardson once shot him—in drag, no less— for the cover of Vice. That experience is a big part of how he became a photographer, but since he returned to Japan six years later, it is a fact slightly misleading to mention. Keiichi has become a cult figure of his own. There’s a role, though, that he’s been very much into—being a father to little Milo. More than outtakes from his shoots with sexy models, Keiichi’s Facebook is all Milo, Milo, Milo. “Every day is different,” he tells me, “but taking care of a small child is hard work!” He’s quite used
K
eiichi Nitta is looking for an assistant. Drawn on his website’s home page, a long-haired skeleton with a snake crawling through its skull, says so in Western font. While it wields only a camera, any wannabe photography assistant to Keiichi should know better. It is a cowboy’s job, that’s one, and dangerous things will inevitably get into their heads, that’s another. Half-contemplating becoming one, I ask Keiichi what it takes to lug his lights around. “Hard work and being able to handle a crazy schedule,” he says. Hard work is common sense given his work for numerous magazines (Japan’s Dazed & Confused, Numero, Nylon, Popeye, Russh, etc.) and clients (Anna Sui, American Apparel, Billionaire Boys Club, Nike, Bape, etc). These days, he’s also working on releasing a followup to Bowery Boys. His schedule includes juggling these things around and, it appears, living in airports,
70 - statusmagonline.com
hustlin’ in the streets, and doing overtime in studios. Today, he shows me how his team looks: all gamine in shiny catsuits—armed, deadly and gorgeous. They might as well be called Keiichi’s Angels, and if anything, they’re the ultimate reason to be another assistant. But, are they for real? “[Just] imaginary,” he admits, “only the concept for the video, but wish I had them around in real life!” It is actually his latest work for the Autumn/Winter
2011 collection of the Japanese womenswear line Le Ciel Bleu. Like all photographers who are quick to adapt, he has now ventured into moving images. Morphing is nothing alien to Keiichi. In his project, 100K, he posed as iconic characters like Elvis Presley, Charlie Chaplin, and Marilyn Monroe. While he could have easily hired models to play these roles, Keiichi took the art upon himself. “Well, when I was working for Terry, I had dressed up as Michael Jackson and
“Panther Man”
to that. “Working for myself is great, but [it is] more stressful than when I was working as an assistant for Terry. When I was working for Terry [Richardson]… I was naked most of the time,” he exclaims, laughing. Before becoming a photographer’s assistant, Keiichi took Apparel Design in Bunka Fashion College. While he studied how to put clothes on, he worked on how to take them off. More seriously, he says, “[It] helps a lot to know about fashion when doing fashion shoots.” As much as nudity is part of his guru’s style, Keiichi knew the clothes well and how to show them, how to make wearing them just as exciting as throwing them away. Clothing and characters have become so much part of his everyday life that shooting the likes of Tom Ford, Kiko Mizuhara (Norwegian
OUS “Halloween”
Wood), and Tadanobu Asano (Ichi the Killer) has become commonplace to him. He lists his favorites; Masatoshi Nagase (Mystery Train) and pop singer Eikichi Yazawa among them. “[They have] great energy!” he says. Recently, Keiichi just closed a show with New York’s Tim Barber, also formerly from Vice, now invaluable champion of the most exciting new photographers through TinyVices.com. “I miss the passion and energy of NYC!” Keiichi says.
perhaps New York-based illustrator Daisuke Nomura’s work, which you can see in Keiichi’s Twitter page’s background would explain it: a long-haired skeleton photographing Medusa a la Blow-Up. On one hand, there he is with his skull growing the signature long hair, the rest all bones, symbolically a dying body, and so he’s doing what he loves while alive. On the other hand, there is the model, a woman beneath his lens—a scene commonly seen as plain objectification—but in this image, the woman is Medusa, and when Medusa stares back, the man is paralyzed, turns into rock. He is enamored by his subjects, and they consume him. This is how I see Keiichi going. His blog header says, “Everyday is like Sunday.” So while he’s
ON THE REIS There is no message behind the structurallyinspired, eco-hugging work of NAOMI REIS. If she wanted to send one, she would have been a scientist, an activist, or a writer. Instead, she’s an artist. And that’s fine by us. By Rita Faire Interviewed by Miguel Escobar Photographed by Anna Wolf
W
“Shibuya”
While he keeps many excited, not everything he has done has excited everyone. For example, his show I Think Japanese People Should Be More Open (2008) divided people’s reactions. It was his first time shooting gay and lesbian couples in intimate settings. “But I am happy with how it turned out,” he affirms. It is a tricky dynamic—the one he has with his subjects—and
accomplishing everything with “hard work and a crazy schedule,” crazier than when he started as somebody else’s disciple, he knows, “Sundays are meant for relaxing.” While he’s all booked, and he’s making books, possibly showing in Taiwan, too, late this year, he says, “I like to think of everyday as a day off,” with some occupational hazard of course. That’s the real space waiting for the new assistant in Keiichi’s studio.
keiichi-nitta.com
mastermind
hat would Naomi Reis’ life be like if she hadn’t become an artist? “I’d be sitting on a couch somewhere, getting fat and depressed. Possibly in a mental institution, ” she says. Luckily for us, she made the right choice. Featuring an assortment of discarded utopias, paleofuturistic cityscapes, and architectural fantasies, Naomi’s artwork celebrates her whims and creativity, not the limits of structural stability. “In this age of environmentalism, such impractical work would seem irresponsible—but that’s why I’m an artist and not an architect,” she says. After contributing to the Matthew Jensen-curated collection at Soho’s James Hotel, the Japanese-born, New York-based artist hits the refresh button on her work as she explores new media
through a fellowship with the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop as well as a residency at the Lower East Side Printshop. According to Naomi, “I just want to keep learning, making, meeting as many other artists as I can, pushing hard to improve, and seeing where it all takes me. The unknown is what makes it scary but also exciting.” In the end, Naomi doesn’t mind the long, energy-draining hours it takes to make her art meet the standards of her wild imagination. It’s all for a good cause. After all, “If we lived in a world with no art, no music, and only mundane necessities, we’d be thoroughly fucked.” That’s what I call a creative charity case.
naomireis.com
“The unknown is what makes it scary but also exciting”
statusmagonline.com - 71
MASTERMIND
PRIVATE EYE
When JAKE ROSENBERG shoots the homes of fashion industry insiders for The Coveteur, we find ourselves breaking one of the commandments: thou shall not covet your neighbor’s goods. By Viva Gonzalez Photographed by Kyle Kaminsky
A
t age 23, Toronto-based fashion photographer Jake Rosenberg already has a very impressive resumé. He has shot stylesetters like Gucci Westman, Khloe Kardashian, Harley VieraNewton, Lauren Santo Domingo, Jonathan Adler, and Simon Doonan for The Coveteur, a website that celebrates everyone’s inner fashion voyeur and takes our obsession with closets to a whole new level. The Coveteur’s worldwide buzz has led Jake to collaborations with Elle, Teen Vogue, WhoWhatWear, high-end retailer Holt Renfrew, and London Fashion Week. “I’ve always dreamed of shooting for these publications, but never thought it could ever happen so fast. Being able to say I
“I like to see all the little intricacies of everything I shoot...” 72 - statusmagonline.com
have published work with them still blows my own mind,” he gushes. The brainchild of fashion designer Erin Kleinberg and celebrity stylist Stephanie Mark, the site has captured the attention of the fashion industry and its fans through artful styling and rich, dramatic images. Rubbing elbows with Bergdorf top execs, LA PR agents, and Harper’s Bazaar editors can be quite an experience, Jake confesses, “I always try to mentally prepare to some extent… it can be a little nerve-wracking showing up at a market editor of Vogue’s house and invading them. I always want to make a good impression—I mean, these are the trendsetters of our generation, and to have them tell me they enjoy my images is so amazing.” Rosenberg’s photography, which he describes as “vivid, bold, yet romantic,” blends itself perfectly with Kleinberg and Mark’s styling and art direction. Playing up details and colors, Jake says, “I like to see all the little intricacies of everything I shoot. But I always love the bright, bold, and beautiful.” The trio’s vision gives an intimate portrait of the lifestyles, personalities, and quirks of these fashion creatives through the objects on their bedside tables, coffee tables, and inside their massive walk-ins.
With a degree in Industrial Design from Ontario College of Art and Design, Jake initially didn’t think photography was going to be his career. “I walked in with my photography portfolio… but quickly changed after I realized that their photo program just wasn’t for me.” He adds, “I never stopped shooting, though. I think I might have been a bit scared to just jump into photography, but eventually I had to say, ‘Fuck it’ and just do what I love. So far, it’s working out splendidly.” In between shoots for The Coveteur, Jake also does editorials for Canadian fashion magazines. “I love working with people and shooting with models. The personal interaction is a huge part for me,” he shares. “I could never say I enjoy one more than the other because [the site and my editorial work] both fulfill different desires within me and are so much damn fun to do.” His 12-hour days shooting editorials are a huge contrast to the ones for the site, which take less than three hours, “It’s fast and raw—super improv shooting, and I learn something new from every shoot.” At the rate he’s going, it won’t be long until he changes the fashion landscape, too, just like his subjects.
jakerosenberg.ca
mastermind
LE FREAK, C’EST CHIC “What is crazy to one may not be crazy to another,” says Filipino-Danish fashion designer ALEKSANDR MANAMÏS when asked about his craziest outfit. Being a strong believer of individual style, he is convinced that there is no such thing as an insane outfit or an insane idea. By Zoe Laurente
A
number of hypotheses run through my mind as I picture what Aleksandr Manamïs’ craziest outfit could be. Then again, my idea of crazy might not be the same as his. Try talking to someone who refers to himself in the third person. Sound crazy? Yes. But Aleksandr does this in a way that makes him sound selfreflecting rather than detached. You might find him quite eccentric, but, then again, aren’t all brilliant minds? Aleksandr translates ideas into clothes that attract celebrities like Miley Cyrus. He also admits to dressing himself in his own creations (e.g. asymmetric blazer jackets and baggy linen pants) which means a lot of black. Even with a monochromatic wardrobe, I imagine his closet to house a number of interesting pieces, like hooded chinchilla vests— pieces as interesting as the man who owns them. Hi Aleksandr! Not to sound like a stalker, but what are you wearing now? A lush black woollen pant and a draped shirt take you a long way—and for our notorious Scandinavian winters, a huge scarf would be imperative. How did your interest in fashion start? It is more a state of mind than an interest in fashion. “Fashion,” in its [literal sense,] remains a rather shallow concept. The DNA of Aleksandr Manamïs is quite strong and is not connected to what may or may not be “fashion.” It has always been around, just waiting for the right time to surface accordingly. How has your personal style changed through time? It has become more defined and austere.
What fashion crime are you guilty of? Having a wardrobe consisting of 95% black garments may be a fashion crime to some; guilty as charged. Which musical genre would you relate your design aesthetic to? Classical music. There is something melancholic about violin music that is truly inspiring for Aleksandr Manamïs these times. What job would you have if you weren’t a fashion designer? Probably [still] working with aesthetics and ways to express one’s self. This [creativity] remains in our genes and cannot be held back. Being true to oneself and following one’s true passions will always take [that person] where he should be in life. What does it take to be a master of fashion? There may be masters of fashion, but what is really interesting are the masters of style. That takes a strong personality. Christmas is just around the corner. What’s on top of your wish list? A turntable and old French LPs to go with it. What’s next for Aleksandr Manamïs? We are constantly evolving the design process, using and experimenting with new materials, washes, and artisanal treatments. Furthermore, the following seasons will see the implementation of authentic pop-up showrooms in Copenhagen, Milano, and Paris, true to the Aleksandr Manamïs philosophy.
aleksandrmanamis.com
statusmagonline.com - 73
+ “I DO HAVE
a fairly schizophrenic life.”
PEROUVIAN WASTELAND
Hawking back and forth between London, Tokyo, and New York while doing photoshoots for megabrands like Levi’s, Reebok, and Vivienne Westwood, British photographer and reality TV star PEROU forecasts what’s next on his itinerary: “same shit, a different day.” By Toff de Venecia Photos courtesy of Perou
HEAVY HITTER
76 - statusmagonline.com
“Some people say they’ve seen the light. I say I’ve seen the dark.”
HEAVY HITTER
there
is a plane currently en route to Rome, and onboard is A1 photographer Ralph John Perou who has set out to capture real women donning their Curve ID jeans for an ongoing Levi’s campaign. You might remember him as that judge with the fierce eyewear in Bravo’s Make Me a Supermodel alongside Nikki Taylor and Tyson Beckford, verbally assailing models and unnerving delicate emotional cracks via his sardonic and harshly critical commentary. Unfortunately for the models, he was almost always spoton. “I’m a lunatic, I flip out every time there’s a full moon,” muses the reality TV judge who is also part of yet another model-centric series on British network E4, Dirty Sexy Things. “I do have a fairly schizophrenic life.” Having been schooled in photography, film, and video arts at the University of Westminster in Central London, Perou has mounted a magnificent career shooting the likes of Ryan Gosling, Justin Timberlake, Daft Punk, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Dita Von Teese, and even British
punk fashion dame Vivienne Westwood, adding an element of whimsy and other times serious grit to his staunchly telling portraits. Though admittedly he’d assuage towards unsung individuals who aren’t so much a morsel of the mainstream. He shares, “I’m not interested in people who like to think, dress and act the same way the majority of other people do. I like to meet and photograph people who are happy to share their thoughts and stories about life—people who are interested in others and not just themselves.” Since 2002, the former born again Christian (“I still believe in God, but have chosen not to have anything to do with Him on a ritualistic daily basis. Some people say they’ve seen the light. I say I’ve seen the dark”) has been maintaining an online photo diary for family and friends, which has served as the latter’s virtual almanac to zeroing in on the photographer’s constantly peripatetic lifestyle. He shares, “Having multiple personalities is
statusmagonline.com - 77
HEAVY HITTER
okay, but I’m still trying to work out how to get us to all work independently from each other.” Perou’s work has been known to traverse the boundaries of music, fashion, and portraiture, creating a visual vernacular of space and time, making the lowdown on “magical moments” immortalized as an impactful still. Once upon a time, though, he was labeled a “fetish photographer,” having orchestrated three shoots of the nature when he first left school. “I don’t know if I’m a fetish photographer or a fetishist, but like most photographers, I suffer from some kind of OCD for almost everything,” he says. “I’ve been kicking against that label ever since.” Artistically, his sights have gravitated towards Japaneselooking women, though lately, he has been drawn to what he calls “Father Christmases.”
78 - statusmagonline.com
“I would like to think that I’m an iconographer more than a photographer,” shares Perou of his unique style. “I aspire to produce photographs that people remember, that stand out from everything else.” Nowadays, he says, the community gets so bombarded by images 24/7 from billions of photographers from all over the world that this socalled democracy of choice has become overbearing to the consumer. “Superabundance is a great word for it,” Perou states. “The industry is imploding, for many reasons.” With the World Wide Web serving as a quick and easy portal through which greenhorn photographers or even crafty poseurs are freely able to put their work out there—sometimes without the training or necessary skill set needed for the art form—what was once an Illuminati of top-notch photographers has become this Mad Hatter hodgepodge. His best advice is to get into something else as he himself has been actively discouraging his children to follow in his footsteps. Otherwise, for those who are determined to succeed in photography, he shares: “If they want to be a photographer, they have to dedicate themselves to it: live it, all the time. It needs to be their passion. This is not a job; it’s a lifestyle.” For Perou, it’s one thing to be able to practice the craft; it’s another thing to bounce rhetoric off of it with other individuals. That is the distinction that the British photographer has made between those like him who are schooled in the craft and those who learned hit-the-ground-running. He submits, “No one needs to go to school to learn how to be a photographer. On-thejob training is much more
useful. However, I know about semiotics, psychoanalysis, and all kinds of shit that indirectly relate [to] photography that I’d have never picked up if I hadn’t been to school. My theory background is sound.” On photography alone, there is perhaps no imaginable obstacle that the larger-than-life Perou can’t overcome. In like fashion, his personal style has been known to push the limits of what is usually allowed by man’s sartorial sensitivities. “I wear clothes people wouldn’t want to be seen in,” he insists, which has also, in a way, helped set him apart from all the other industry practitioners today. Of course, his presence on the boob tube helps, too.
HEAVY HITTER
"I ASPIRE TO PRODUCE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT PEOPLE REMEMBER, THAT I STAND OUT FROM EVERYTHING ELSE.” statusmagonline.com - 79
HEAVY HITTER
“They see me more often,” he shares. “I get spotted in the street and asked for autographs.” Aside from Dirty Sexy Things, Perou has other TV shows lined up, all in their pre-production stages and none of which are about models or modeling contrary to his preliminary undertakings. Admittedly for the British photographer, fame has become somewhat of a double-edged sword. “Some of my clients assume they can no longer afford to employ me.” And for some reason, he’s become popular with very young girls and gay men of all ages, to which he apologizes, “Neither demographic works for me.” As a photographer, Perou is all about the stills— that magical moment that photographers like him quest for, like a hunter transfixed on his prey. When asked which sort of still he’d like to animate for the sake of beauty and palpability, in order to pare out the picture’s backstory and move the idea forward, he insists that stills should in fact
80 - statusmagonline.com
stay still. “Despite many photographers rebranding themselves as directors, I still think in still frames.” That’s his purist self talking, championing the potency of a frozen moment as a photographer’s elusive game. “I can do anything!” he says casually. “My mother brought me up with this certain knowledge. I already multi-task: being a photographer has very little to do with actually pressing the button on a camera. However, I like manual labor and anything that gives one an honest sweat.” Aside from photography and his TV ventures, Perou is working on a retrospective book to accompany a big retrospective show. He has also channeled his art towards philanthropic goals. “I’m currently shooting with a British homeless charity trying to do something to help kids off the streets before they become part of the hopeless homeless beyond help.” Surprisingly, Perou is carving his own niche in the music industry, too, “I’m in a band. And I’m learning to Morris dance.”
perou.co.uk
HEAVY HITTER
"I like to meet and photograph... people who are interested in others and not just themselves."
statusmagonline.com - 81
HEAVY HITTER
l r i g
T I H
and
alouse ous J , l l a (After r fam
on’t? uld be in he ad d s l r i It g t co r-he e r u r e o c h y e t s a o e that anyone.) The et-them-outt v a h A REIR en to just le, can’t-g R E F ok. o Y h K b v e S i a h g s g t e ’t in n o What d e covers aren hair or her s got us all o she lam , azin g y g a a l l w m i t r s V -but-s tunes. Eithe t p m e alez k un pop a Gonz ofsky Phot
82 - statusmagonline.com
By Viv ossom Berk l ed by B ograph
HEAVY HITTER
“
Moroccan
oil and Mane n’ Tail,” says Sky Ferreira when I ask her for the secret behind her tousled blonde locks, which actually have their own Tumblr, by the way—skyferreirashair.tumblr.com, in case you’re interested. Her hair has spawned several YouTube tutorials and magazine how-to columns, and yet, no matter how intently you follow the tips, you can never come close to Sky’s effortlessly cool waves. Chalk it up as one of the mysteries surrounding this celeb It girl. Only Sky can look good beside Kanye West and Jourdan Dunn, with remnants of eyeliner from last night’s party, trademark grungy strands, and imperfectly lined bright lips. Any normal human being would probably look like a hobo. Sky is the farthest thing from average—growing up with Michael Jackson as a family friend, partying at Paris Fashion Week, and inking a record deal before the age of 15. Most surprisingly, she made the deal happen with one gutsy move. After writing, recording and uploading songs to MySpace, she sent a message to Swedish producers Bloodshy & Avant through the site. “I basically demanded them to sign me, and somehow it worked,” she recounts. The star-making duo, who has worked with pop royalty Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, and Kylie Minogue, agreed to work with her. At 16, in 2009, Sky signed with Parlophone Records and appeared in Uffie’s “Pop the Glock” music video. If you think this is where I say, “The rest is pop history,” you’re wrong. Although her much-buzzed debut album was postponed, she released her EP album As If! March of this year. The three singles released, “One,” “Obsession,” and “Sex Rules,” epitomize Sky’s music—danceable, giddy electro pop with hooks that just won’t quit. But it seems like her debut will showcase a more mature side. “I was 15 or 16 when I wrote all of the songs on As If! I’ve grown a lot more as a person and songwriter since then… Now I’ve experienced [love], and it inspires me. I kind of write whatever I feel. I’m inspired by being numb, too. Numbness translates into numbers to me” she says. “I’m still figuring out what my sound is. It has a lot more live elements to it, and it also shows my voice a lot more
than before, to prove I’m not some kind of auto-tuned troll or something, she”. “The next three months, I’m only going to be recording. I’m really excited.” Although pop is her musical weapon of choice, Sky is an old soul. “Roy Orbison, David Bowie, Glenn Danzig, Madonna, George Harrison, Donna Summers, Drugstore, John Frusciante, and Michael Jackson are all people I love and aspire to be,” she shares. Her love for the classics isn’t limited to music. She professes her love for her most recent vintage purchase, “My new Grateful Dead T-shirt. It’s perfectly worn out and has a giant hole in it.” From features in Interview, Dazed & Confused, Nylon, Elle, and Purple to being the campaign girl for Adidas and CK One—alongside Lara Stone, no less—Sky is one of the fashion industry’s favorite muses and also one of its most reluctant style icons. “I don’t really consider myself a fashion icon,” she says so very humbly. “I just like wearing short skirts, T-shirts, and boots. School girls and Kelly Bundy are probably my style icons. I always get outfit envy when I see girls walking home from school. It’s really weird and creepy, actually.” She also revealed in an interview with Elle that, “For a long time, I did not like to use stylists because they always try to make you look like Rihanna or
Lady GaGa or M.I.A., and that’s not how I like to dress.” Spoken like a true It girl, standing out from the rest of them. Living the life that most teenagers dream of, Sky is sitting pretty in the front row of fashion shows, getting photographed by The Cobrasnake, and attending the most exclusive parties and afterparties—no sneaking around this time. She tells Interview, “I’ve been making music, going out, and sneaking into clubs to see bands since I was about 14.” ‘Fessing up to me about bumping into her brother at a club when she was supposed to be home, Sky clearly doesn’t apologize for anything and doesn’t try to hide her, uh, fun-loving ways. Her feisty sense of style and even feistier lifestyle have often been compared to Pixie Geldof and Courtney Love (minus the rehab, of course). Sky’s antics, dress, and music have altogether catapulted her into online notoriety, which has gotten her more fans and, naturally, some haters, too. “Haters Anonymous” is a song she penned for her online bullies,
with lyrics that go, “Everything goes online/ And that’s when things start to get severe/ Subject: Skank appears/ And soon it’s popping up everywhere/ And now watch the slander machine/ As it’s kicking into full gear.” Now, she seems to have moved past the negativity, “I just try not to read it, or [I] try to find humor in it. Sometimes, it motivates me to do better if it really bothers me. The best thing to do is ignore it.” Born and raised in LA, Sky recently moved to Manhattan, “I just felt I needed a change, and I really love living there.” And just like any other young girl trying to make it in the Empire State, she has a lot planned for her future—her debut album being priority numero uno, of course. “And the rest is a secret,” she says. Oh, It girls, you always keep us guessing.
skyferreira.com
“I’m inspired by being numb, too. Numbness translates into numbers to me for some reason.” statusmagonline.com - 83
HEAVY HITTER
, S T H G I L , A R E M CA AW
! D R A W K
While pop culture is already heavily saturated with the image of the anti-heroine, fashion and fine art photographer JULIA FULLERTON-BATTEN brings something new to the table in her staged (but not photoshopped) representations of those cringeworthy awkward years. By Alice Sarmiento Photos courtesy of Julia Fullerton-Batten
amidst
mainstream insistence that the life of a teenage girl is a 24hour wall-to-wall party, Julia Fullerton-Batten has taken the tweets and bleats of the world’s Blair Waldorfs and Katy Perrys and woven another tale of what it means to be young and female. “I related the content of my first project, Teenage Stories, very much to my own adolescent years,” she says of the teenage Gullivers wandering about the miniature scale models of castles and supermarkets. Her more recent series, Awkward, continues the Teenage Stories, this time replacing the inability to find a place in the world with the inability to form healthy relationships. “It’s a state of mind at a certain stage in a late adolescent’s development to maturity that anybody—or everybody— can go through.” By using conventionally beautiful models, Fullerton-Batten sheds light on the universality of relationship
84 - statusmagonline.com
hang-ups, exorcising her own demons in what is no doubt “a very cathartic and rewarding experience.” If photography is dependent on flattened states and framing moments, Fullerton-Batten is more of a storyteller than a lensman, capable of adding that elusive dimension that demands a second look. “You can shoot only what you believe in. It will not please everyone, and it is worth realizing that varied response is a good thing,” she said in a previous interview with Exposure Compensation. Indeed, what is most striking about both Teenage Stories and Awkward is their capability to turn the viewer’s eye inward: to the same kinds of narratives that give other teenage stories—from Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret to Twilight—their universal appeal. Now that everybody and their mother is a proud owner of a DSLR, photography has
“Nightdress,” Awkward
HEAVY HITTER
“Bathroom,” Awkward
"You can shoot only what you believe in." further evolved into a largely misunderstood art form. Taking the expertise of working with film out of the equation has resulted in the misguided notion that photography does not require the same surgical focus and marksmanship that it used to. This may contain a few shreds of truth, now that digital media allows unlimited takes of a subject—especially with Fullerton-Batten’s fine art photography, which allows her to stage situations rather than capture circumstances—but this does not diminish the importance of a good idea, which FullertonBatten stresses is a crucial component for anyone looking to pursue fine art photography. What truly sets Julia Fullerton-Batten apart from the starving, neurotic artist stereotype is her recognition of photography as a profession.
When asked what are essential to a successful shoot, the 40year old stressed the importance of “systematic and thorough preparation, above all.” This is how Fullerton-Batten has been able to climb the ranks in an already saturated European art market, still standing out despite a world of instagrams and hipstamatics, and taking a well-deserved turn from selling out to creating for the love of creating. “In the past, my commercial work has funded my fine art work; this is changing now,” she says. Another change to watch out for is a forthcoming project in which she transitions from shooting scenes with a model and a crew to documenting real-life relationships between mothers and daughters. This ties in deeply with Fullerton-Batten’s belief that true role models for young women should be found in their own homes. “There are no air-brushed, sensationseeking role models worth being imitated,” she shares. “Being a role model doesn’t mean being unblemished and without fault, but that person having the ability to cope with the ebb and flow of life in a positive manner.” She might as well be talking about herself.
juliafullerton-batten.com
“Charlie,” Awkward
statusmagonline.com - 85
B L O C K P A R T Y
A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS
It may be easy to write off this group of friends as a closet hippie commune. The truth is, there’s nothing like constantly being in a room of like-minded people to help you create, innovate, and experiment. After launching their first group exhibit together, these guys (and girl) give STATUS the scoop on what it’s like being a not-so-struggling-artist. By Rita Faire
JULIA CHIANG Conceptual Artist
What gets your juices flowing? People and their stories inspire me—personal histories, finding ways through new places, discovering something I’ve never seen or heard. Tell us about yourself as an artist. I keep notes with words or phrases I continually think about, or anything that can’t seem to make it’s way out of my mind… I love to collect things and they often wind up in my work. Sometimes I see objects over and over and feel like I want to incorporate them some how into something I’m thinking about.
86 - statusmagonline.com
What do you do on your downtime? I don’t really have a pattern when I’m not working. Living in New York, there’s never a shortage of something to see or do. I’m always up for something different. I love riding my bike. I really like to cook, too, even though I’m not great at it. What’s next for you? I’m looking forward to working on a new series of paintings that I have been making notes and studies for. In the past few years, I mostly focused on sculpture. Painting is now taking my work in new directions and also inspiring future sculptural projects as well.
BLOCK PARTY
ANTON LOPEZ
Graphic Designer AND Painter Tell us about yourself as an artist. Things tend to unfold on their own with the way I work. I guess I do what I can to surround myself in the right space, [with the right] tools, and see what happens. That’s as close as I have to a process. What can’t you work without? Music, peace… nighttime? It’s usually when I make things.
What types of media do you enjoy exploring? I’m most interested in combining digital media with found objects, structural things, and architecture. There’s definite excitement in seeing motion creep onto a static object. I’m getting excited talking about it right now. What gets your juices flowing? Travel, adventure, experiences, and—most importantly—people.
Y OUNG KIM
Performance Artist
How did you get into art? Until the age of ten, Seoul was my home, my only cultural reference. As my adolescence and early adulthood was spent in the US, my identity became AsianAmerican… My next job-induced relocation took me back to Asia… My face fit, my persona did not. Suitman is the manifestation—in a physical, plastic form—of this lifelong alienation. The circle, which my return to Asia closed, eliminated the possibility of fitting in anywhere, leaving Suitman the freedom to create his own world everywhere.
What gets your juices flowing? People, places.
Tell us about yourself as an artist. Film, photography, installation, performance, and found objects to create hype art.
statusmagonline.com - 87
BLOCK PARTY
CHRIS RUBINO GRAPHIC DESIGNER
DAN PAK
Photographer
Tell us about yourself as an artist. I work out of my studio in Brooklyn, New York, I’ve been a New Yorker for the past 14 years and don’t have any plans to change that anytime soon.
What do you struggle with? My mortality. What’s next for you? Unknown. It’s best that way.
What can’t you work without? Heat, coffee, music, and time. I don’t need a hangover or the Internet. What gets your juices flowing? Movies, girls, two colors next to each other.
Tell us about yourself as an artist. I always wanted to be a writer, but somewhere along the way, photography led me away from that. I’d still like to think that I tell stories— that my candid portraits, fashion editorials, and travel landscapes are all essays and narratives.
What do you struggle with? Interviews and shellfish. What types of media do you enjoy exploring? I’ve been working more in motion pictures. I just directed two short films in the last two years—one for Nike and one for W Hotel—so, I’ve got plans to move more in that direction. I’d still love to write a novel one day; I just have to figure out the story I want to tell. What can’t you work without? A good night of sleep.
88 - statusmagonline.com
BLOCK PARTY
CODY HUDSON PAINTER AND SCULPTOR Tell us about yourself as an artist. I was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin but moved around quite a bit before settling in Chicago. I’ve been running my studio, Struggle Inc., for about 15 years and working on personal work for about 20 years. What gets your juices flowing? Everything around me: music, the environment, the materials
JON SANTOS Installation Artist How did you get into art? I started DJing and designing flyers in Detroit in the early 90s. What gets your juices flowing? I wouldn’t have started making visual art if it weren’t for music. Growing up in Detroit, I was consumed by the local techno and electronic music scenes—
I have to work with, folk art, furniture design, bourbon, outer space, 2012. What do you do on your downtime? Sleeping or taking care of our one-year old daughter.
music that mostly had no lyrics— and how graphic art on flyers and album covers would really set the context. Graphics were the lyrics. These days, living in NYC, an encounter or interaction between people that is either irritating or humorous is quite enough to inspire me, and it happens every day. Also, time spent in the country at my house is super inspiring. What do you struggle with? Finding time for everything I want to do. What do you do in your downtime? Work on my house upstate. Run around Prospect Park. Skate downtown NYC—alone.
statusmagonline.com - 89
NIGHTVISION TERRIBLE ANGELS by Gerard Estadella
statusmagonline.com - 91
NIGHTVISION
KOKON TO ZAI AFTERparty by The XOXO Kids
SATURCRAY @ Il Ponticello by Boo Umaly
92 - statusmagonline.com
NIGHTVISION
ny fashion weekâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;vfno by Gerard Estadella
STATUS LOVE ISSUE RELEASE PARTY @ Fiamma
by James Bringas
statusmagonline.com - 93
NIGHTVISION
gamers Rage by The Cobrasnake
Post Modern Masterpiece
by The Cobrasnake
94 - statusmagonline.com
NIGHTVISION
Belle Sauvage AfterParty by The XOXO Kids
RENEGADE: UP ECoSOC ADHOC @ World Trade Center by GJ Agregado
statusmagonline.com - 95
DIRECTORY BRANDS 7 FOR ALL MANKIND Greenbelt 5, Makati City A/X Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Makati City ACCESSORIZE Greenbelt 5, Makati City ADA ZADITON www.adazanditon.com ALDO Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Makati City ALEXANDER MCQUEEN www.alexandermcqueen.com ALMAY www.almay.com ALTERNATIVE APPAREL Trilogy Boutique, 110 CYA Land Building, Rada st., Legaspi Village, Makati City ANDY WARHOL Time Studio, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City AZZARO Fresh Fragrace Bar, Eastwood Mall, Libis BANANA REPUBLIC bananarepublic.gap.com BENEFIT Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City BENETTON Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City BEYOND RETRO www.beyondretro.com BLACKBERRY www.blackberry.com BOXFRESH Urban Athletics, Greenbelt 3, Makati City BURT’S BEES Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City CHANEL Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City CHARLES & KEITH Rockwell Power Plant Mall, Makati City CHARLOTTE RONSON www.charlotteronson.com CITIZEN Time Studio, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City CLINIQUE Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City DIOR Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City
DURANCE Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City FIONA PAXTON www.fionapaxton.com FOREVER21 SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City FRED PERRY Greenbelt 5, Makati City GANZO www.ganzo.ne.jp/ HOLLYWOOD FEET Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City HOURGLASS hourglasscosmetics.com IMOGEN BELFIELD www.imogenbelfield.com JADE KANG www.jadekang.com JASPER GARVIDA www.jaspergarvida.com JUICY COUTURE Time Studio, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City KATE WALLIS www.katewallis.co.uk/ L’OREAL Available in department stores nationwide LAURA MERCIER Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City MAC www.maccosmetics.com MANDATARY Debenhams, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City MANGO Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Makati City MANHATTAN PORTRAGE Debenhams, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City MARC ECKO Urban Athletics, Greenbelt 3, Makati City MODEL CO. Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City NARS Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City NEUTORGENA Available in all department stores nation wide NEW ERA Urban Athletics, Greenbelt 3, Makati City OLIVIA AND FIFTH www.oliviaandfifth.com
PARADIGM SHIFT paradigmshiftclothing.com PROMOD Greenbelt 5, Makati City PROUDRACE Myth, Greenbelt 5, Makati City RAY BAN ray-ban.com RED HERRING Debenhams, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City SAMSUNG samsung.com SHADY LADY Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City SHISEIDO shiseido.com SHU UEMURA shuuemura.com SKECHERS skechers.com SMASHBOX Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City SONY sony.com STAEDTLER Available in all bookstores nation wide STUDIO MAKEUP Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City TARTE tartecosmetics.com TERRANOVA SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City THIERRY MUGLER Fragrance Bar, Eastwood Mall, Libis TISSOT Time Studio, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City TOMS Leading department stores nationwide TOO FACED toofaced.com TOPSHOP Robinsons Galleria EDSA Corner Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City TOUS Fragrance Bar, Eastwood Mall, Libis UNLTD BY MARC ECKO Urban Athletics, Greenbelt 3, Makati City URBAN DECAY urbandecay.com
URBAN RITUELLE Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City URBANEARS Urban Athletics, Greenbelt 3, Makati City VERSACE www.versace.com WIZE AND OPE Time Studio, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City YVES SAINT LAURENT www.ysl.com ARTISTS Scott Alario (Photographer) scottalario.com Blossom Berkofsky (Photographer) www.ateliermanagement.comphotographers/ blossom-berkofsky Sandra Bermingham (Hair) www.sandrabermingham.com James Bringas (Photographer) bringas.james@gmail.com The Cobrasnake (Photographer) thecobrasnake.com Gerard Estadella (Photographer) icantrachyouhowtodoit.com Martine Houghton (Photographer) www.martinehoughton.com Lee John Mann (Photographer) www.leejohnmannphotography.co.uk Miguel Miranda (Photographer) miguelmiranda420@yahoo.com Estevan Oriol (Photographer) estevanoriol.com Anacleta Paredes (Makeup) twitter.com#!/ANACLERTS Julius Sebastian (Photographer) juliussebastian.com Elias Tahan (Photographer) eliastahan.com Anna Thiessen (Photographer) www.annathiessen.com Boo Umaly (Photographer) twitter.com#!/_BOObinator Anna Wolf (Photographer) annawolf.com The XOXO Kids (Photographer) thexoxokids.com
status invades Leica M4 / M7
These are the cameras I use on a daily basis and for personal works.
Helmet
Custom leather finish made by Diyango.
Obcura Wakeskate I miss CWC (Camsur Watersports Complex).
1964 Vespa GS160
My Sunday bike is almost 50 years old and still running.
JAKE VERZOSA
JAKE VERZOSA’s mad skills with a camera make him almost impossible to book as a fashion or commercial photographer. Ever the true artist, he continues to challenge himself, now sky-rocketing in the realms of portraiture, documentary work, and showing all around Southeast Asia and Paris. Check out his digs here. matanglawin.ph
Sennheiser Headphones
Given by my wife. I use this during late night edits.
Adidas Running Shoes
From my wife, so we can start attempting to lose weight.
Magic : THE GATHERING CARDS
I can’t let go of my high school collection. Love the art and the concept.
1979 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ40
Been up north and down south with this. It’s built like a tank, but a pain to maintain.
Loaded Dervish
My first longboard. It’s always in the trunk of my car.
Bialetti Espresso Maker For my everyday caffeine fix.
98 - statusmagonline.com