THE EDITOR'S NOTE // 11-25 THE PRIMER

THE COVER IMAGE

pictured STEPHEN GRAHAM

photographed by TOM O'DONOGHUE

interview MATT OWEN

THE COVER IMAGE

pictured STEPHEN GRAHAM

‘FASHION IS THE ARMOUR TO SURVIVE THE REALITY OF EVERYDAY LIFE.’ Bill Cunningham

THE EDITOR'S NOTE

Former New York Times fashion photographer Bill Cunningham may be smiling at the sweet irony that he, a photographer, is being fondly remembered for his words, rather than his images. Yet, the reason for the popularity of this quote is that it rings true, and will almost certainly ring true eternally. Fashion is somewhat nebulous, highly subjective, and a way to outwardly express without speaking. The clothing does the work, well, mostly. Fashion has become the accessory to individuality, it engenders confidence and, if you look behind the badge, there are often far greater stories than one would initially expect. Like every other industry, Fashion is adapting to the demands of the day, slowly realising that new methods of production and material technology will be required to reduce carbon output and waste material. This period of adaptation suits fashion, after all, fashion embraces the new and the daring. Cyclical in its nature, slightly expensive at points, the world of fashion continues to turn. This issue is dedicated to the people who keep fashion alive, and the brands looking to evolve as we step into the future. Welcome to EJ65.

JAI MCINTOSH EDITOR

WITH YOU ALL THE WAY

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FIVE IN FIVE

For EJ65, we took a look back at the best films about fashion of the last 25 years. If you're ever stuck for what to watch, try one of these on for size...

PHANTOM THREAD (2017) High society fashion turns deadly. PERSONAL SHOPPER (2016) Stylist Stewart, haunted in Paris. ZOOLANDER (2001) Ousted male model gets revenge. THE DRESSMAKER (2015) Australian village faces Winslet's wrath. THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006) Magazine mogul torments unfashionable intern. Images courtesy of Focus Features, Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox

WHO WE'RE TALKING TO ANDREW COMBS

Andrew Combs is often characterised as an Americana artist, yet, with themes ranging from the climate crisis, to depression, he has challenged the initial perceptions of the genre. With new album, Sundays, recently released, we caught up with Andrew bright and early in Nashville.

JAI Your new album came out August 9th, with two singles released previously. How are you feeling now it's out in the world?

AC I am very proud of the record, it feels like the most me record I have made so far.

JAI Having created the album following a mental breakdown, did you find the process cathartic and helpful or was it more challenging than anything?

AC I didn’t really want to make a record back when it happened, but I had a friend who I ended up producing the record with who would encourage me to get out of the house, have a coffee, and just make some music. At this point I only had two songs, so I just used to go over every Sunday to record what I had written throughout the week, hence the name of the album.

I also thrust myself into meditation to help me get over what I was struggling with, along with medication. A lot of the album is about cleaning and clearing your mind. JAI How did you find meditation and what was it about the process that worked for you? Also, do you find painting an extension of the meditative process?

AC Once I started meditating, I started painting about it. I tried to paint the visions I saw when I was meditating, so these two things are certainly intrinsically linked. We have some family friends who were raised in a transcendental meditation community in Iowa, and she has been into it since she was five, and now her husband does it, all of her family do. These people mean so much to me I thought I would just try it. They’re such genuine caring people, I wanted a little of what they had; that's how I got into meditating.

In terms of my family, my wife is so open and willing to support me in any way possible. If I wanted to join the circus tomorrow, I know she would find a way to support and facilitate that. Having a family doesn’t change my sound, but they have instilled a routine that actually really benefits my creative time.

JAI Your 2017 album touched on climate change, do you still want to address certain socio-political issues?

AC I am distraught at the state of the world and my country continually, but, with the new album, it is very micro rather

than macro. I focused internally rather than externally. Quarantine was seriously challenging, and it forced my blinders on, but generally, I am not opposed to doing anything artistic that is politically motivated. I feel at this point if you’re breathing, it is political (laughs). It just so happens that this time around I focused on the internal.

JAI Your music has loosely been defined as Americana. How do you find the reaction to your sound, which is informed by years of musical heritage, but also you address issues not typically encountered in the sphere your music belongs to?

AC It has always been frustrating for me to be placed in that genre. I guess when I started out, there was nowhere else for people to put me. Now I have made two or three Americana records, it is what it is. The great thing about travelling overseas is that the line between genres is a little more blurred, less polarised. I do think I probably alienate a majority of my listeners when I talk on certain issues, but I am here to express and create, that is fundamentally it.

I just love making stuff. Performing I like, but it is not the thing that gets me out of bed. I love it when it clicks on stage, there are few better feelings. However, now I have a loving family, my yearning to be back on the road decreases. JAI What differences do you encounter between US and European/UK audiences?

AC America is so hard because it is so different state by state. I would say overall, the UK and European audiences are more accepting and open, people really want to listen. Whereas in the states, people just come to shows to get fucked up and laid, which is a bit odd when it comes to this type of music.

JAI Who are you currently listening to?

AC My wife and I are huge Aldous Harding fans, so we listen to her a lot. My daughter loves this pop-punk grunge artist called Bully, and there is also a lot of Disney stuff now (laughs). I listen to a lot of my friends' records whenever they’re done with them, and I go through periods of seeking new music, but currently I am really relaxed with this and am just enjoying what I like.

JAI Do you think platforms such as Soundcloud and Spotify have been helpful to you as an artist?

AC On Spotify, the numbers are great. It is a great tool for exploring new sounds and finding new music. Do I wish we got paid better? Of course I do. Yet, I don’t feel the need to take my music off the platform, it allows other people to access my music who otherwise would never have heard it. I think they need to improve as a business, but it is a great tool that has certainly helped expand my listenership.

JAI How has your opinion of your music scene changed over your career so far?

AC It is interesting, I was thinking about this the other day. Now, I am so comfortable with where I am at now, happier than I have ever been due to the structure of my life and the love of my family. In the beginning of my career, I was chasing what I thought I needed to do, and then you start to figure out what makes you happy and what doesn’t. You work out who takes advantage of you, and who doesn’t. I am not sure I could have the happiness I find now if I had not experienced the challenges of trying to become a professional musician in this space. The business side of music is the worst part of it, perhaps that is the same for all creative fields. It sometimes feels as though creativity has to take a back seat for the sake of capital.

@andrew_combs andrewcombsmusic.com

WHERE WE'RE STAYING GUESTHOUSE, YORK

GuestHouse pride themselves on creating happy, personable, and endearing environments that provide guests with a luxury experience without the pretence. Behind GuestHouse are three brothers Tristan, James and Tom Guest, all aligned behind the belief that modern hotels need to adapt to the demands of the day, providing all with five key elements: happiness, indulgence, realness, hereness, and wonderment. With three spots established in York, Brighton, and Bath and a fourth in Margate arriving in spring 2023, GuestHouse house has clearly struck a chord.

Across all of the hotel restaurants, their chefs source sustainable, seasonal, and where possible, local ingredients to conjure the essence of a British escape, plus, and it is a big plus, there’s their signature cocktail, the Old Fashioned Parkin, which transports you to the fireside after a wintry walk in the dales. Oh, and there are even a few select rooms for shared rituals as well as experienced therapists to aid your search for wellbeing.

GuestHouse, a home for happiness.

WHERE WE'RE EATING OSTERIA AL SQUERO

The EJ team recently spent some time exploring the complex labyrinth of narrow streets that form the majority of Venice. Two things excited us; the effortless, timeless beauty of each street, and the food.

Osteria Al Squero, nestled in front of the Squero Di San Trovaso, offers a quaint yet detailed microcosm of Venice. The smell of Aperol is enhanced by the slight hint of sea salt in the air, whilst the sight of gondolas being repaired on the other side of the water provides a welcome catharsis.

Sandwiches and croutons are prepared with sausages, cheeses, San Daniele ham, pancetta, loin, smoked fillet, and salami sourced from the northeastern Italian area of Fiuli and Carnia. The wines are predominantly from wineries and vineyards in Friuli, Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto, and it is precisely this attention to product that provides reason enough to visit, yet, there is one other reason. Osteria Al Squero provides authenticity with ease, with finesse. When visiting Venice, this is what you look for. Trust us on this one, it is well worth a visit. Mind out for the seagulls, though.

PHOTOGRAPHY

THOMAS SUMNER

WHAT WE'RE LISTENING TO LUKE SITAL-SINGH: DRESSING LIKE A STRANGER

Steeped in varied themes from melancholy and moving-on, to embracing sadness and losing faith, the results make for a sweeping set that showcase his natural ability to craft songs rich in empathy and emotional resonance.

Dressing Like A Stranger is the new album from LA-based Londoner Luke Sital-Singh. The follow-up to 2019's A Golden State, Dressing Like A Stranger was written and recorded in California, with Luke initially working alone at home in Los Feliz as COVID-19 descended upon the world. He later rented a studio and cut a few songs by himself before enlisting fellow Brit and singer-songwriter Dan Croll as co-producer and Tchad Blake (Fiona Apple, The Black Keys, Elvis Costello) for mixing.

@LUKESITALSINGH

PHOTOGRAPHY

ANDREW PAYNTER

Images courtesy of London Design Festival

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL

This year, London Design Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary, returning to the capital from 17-25 September 2022 with a thought provoking programme of events, exhibitions and installations. The Festival will once again provide a platform for designers and creative businesses to showcase their work, and will invite a global audience to discover the breadth and diversity of talent found in London and across the UK.

Since its initiation in 2003, the Festival’s vision has been to celebrate and promote London as the design capital of the world. It has played a key role in the growth of the design industry, bolstering London’s position as a global destination for business, culture and tourism, and contributed to the UK’s reputation as a creative powerhouse. As one of the world’s leading design events, the Festival has also served as the blueprint for design weeks and festivals globally and continues to be a key moment on the cultural calendar.

The 2022 Festival will once again shine a bold new light on the city, and make the familiar fresh through its programme of sensational, must-experience installations; museum exhibits; the Design Districts which highlight clusters of creative activity across the capital; and the Global Design Forum, the Festival’s thought leadership programme which will bring together creative leaders to exchange ideas and solutions for some of the most pressing issues of our time.

@L_D_F_official

WHAT WE'RE WATCHING NOPE

"What’s a bad miracle?"

Oscar winner Jordan Peele disrupted and redefined modern horror with Get Out and then Us. Now, he reimagines the summer movie with a new pop nightmare: the expansive horror epic, Nope.

The film reunites Peele with Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Judas and the Black Messiah), who is joined by Keke Palmer (Hustlers, Alice) and Oscar nominee Steven Yeun (Minari, Okja) as residents in a lonely gulch of inland California who bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery. Keep your eye on the sky.

Nope, which co-stars Michael Wincott (Hitchcock, Westworld) and Brandon Perea (The OA, American Insurrection), is written and directed by Jordan Peele and is produced by Ian Cooper (Us, Candyman) and Jordan Peele.

DESIGN BY

FABER

WHAT WE'RE READING ENGLAND'S GREEN BY ZAFFAR KUNIAL

Birmingham born Zaffar Kunial has played an increasingly significant role in the British poetry scene over the last decade following his third place prize in the National Poetry Competition (2011). This success has been followed up by contributions for The Pity (2014), Faber New Poets 11 (2014), and US (2018), the latter of which aided Kunial in his being shortlisted for the 2018 T.S. Eliot Award and Costa Book Award for Poetry. The year later, Six (2019) was published as part of the Places of Poetry project.

England’s Green (2022) offers a contemplative look at place, language, and absence. Kunial’s most recent work evokes the other lives of the self and the formation of being, ‘we all have lives that go on without us. Unwritten. I have history on grounds I’ve not played on’. A clear, authoritative yet curiously compassionate and understanding tone bleeds from each poem, toying with the roots of language and structure that at once harmonize and disrupt the collection, forcing the formation of questions and considerations.

England’s Green (September 2022) is available at Faber.co.uk

WHAT WE'VE BEEN COOKING ARGENTINIAN BEEF CARPACCIO

Fernando Trocca is one of the jewels of the Argentinian culinary crown. Renowned for his ability to combine international influence with open fire cooking techniques, Trocca has spearheaded restaurants in Argentina, London, and Dubai. Beef is a considered and serious staple of Argentinian cuisine, so when we bring to you a beef carpaccio recipe from one of the best, it is certainly worth a try.

INGREDIENTS

500g 8 tbsp 3 tbsp 1 tsp 1 50g

2 Good quality beef tenderloin Extra-virgin olive oil Freshly squeezed juice from 2 lemons Dijon mustard Egg yolk Grana Padano cheese (slice very finely, or use a smooth peeler) Anchovy filets (in oil) Kosher or rock salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

Wrap the beef tenderloin in cling-film, and chill in the freezer for 1 hour.

Using a very sharp knife, cut the beef across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Place the slices between sheets of cling-film or waxed baking paper and gently pound with the flat end of a meat mallet or roll with a heavy rolling pin until paper-thin. Arrange the slices on 6 individual chilled plates with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place remaining 4 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, mustard, egg yolk, chopped anchovies salt and pepper in a small bowl and combine until thick with an immersion blender.

Drizzle mustard sauce on top of the beef and serve with the parmesan cheese on top. I highly recommend serving a handful of wild rocket on top.

RECIPE BY

FERNANDO TROCCA

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