Forumist issue 15 temptation

The

Forumist

issue 15

Temptation

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Temptation Issue 15 “I can resist everything except temptation,” the author, poet and playwright Oscar Wilde once said. And that’s probably true for us all. Temptation isn’t just a common human experience, though, it’s something we can’t escape from, however hard we try. And why should we try? The feeling of temptation is, at its core, an impulse to try out the new and unexplored, a longing for the good and beautiful, an urge to set sail for uncharted lands.

It’s what drives us forward and makes us grow, what pushes us to become who we are destined to be. It’s an instinct that has shaped humanity. What lies beyond the horizon, we can only imagine. What is certain, though, is that our curiosity and desire for new experiences and inventions will continue to shape the world we live in. The possibilities are boundless.

So, we invite you to take part in the unique, temptatious stories in this issue, which are bound to leave you wanting more. We hope they make you want to get up in the morning and reach for the goals you’ve set yourself with a new energy and urgency.

Because, as the American writer and spiritualist Thomas Merton once said, “The biggest human temptation is to settle for too little.” It’s time to make your dreams come true.

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: DAN SJÖLUND. Styling: Pejman Biroun Vand. Hair: Elva Ahlbin. talent: Arvida Byström

Berlin Editors Editor-in-Chief Pejman Biroun Vand (Stockholm) Veronika Dorosheva Ole Siebrecht Creative Direction New York Editors See Studio (London) Karolina Brock Angel Macias Fashion Co-ordinator Emma Thorstrand (Stockholm) Online Editor Donato Christopher Lovallo Web Development Manager (Stockholm) Gustav Bagge (Stockholm) Beauty Editor Céline Exbrayat (Paris)

Music Editor Amanda Båmstedt (Göteborg)

Paris Editor Sophie Faucillion

Art Editor Ted Hammerin (Tallinn)

Marketing and production assistant Petter Bladlund (Stockholm) Contributing Photographers Anna Daki (Berlin) Thierry Lebraly (Paris) Marc Medina (Berlin) Alexander Neumann (New York) David Paige (Paris) Anton Renborg (Stockholm) John Scarisbrick (Stockholm) Dan Sjölund (Stockholm) Cedric Viollet (Paris) Wanderlust (Tokyo)

Contributing Fashion Editors Alexandra Conti (Paris) Natalie Olenheim (Stockholm) Haruka Suzuki (Tokyo) Saskia Schmidt (Berlin) Mine Uludag (Berlin) Contributing Editors Tor Bergman (Stockholm) Johanna Bergström (Stockholm)

Printing MittMedia Advertising ad@theforumist.com © 2018. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without permission from the publisher. The views expressed in the magazine are those of the contributors and not necessarily shared by the magazine

The Forumist AB Sveavägen 98 113 50 Stockholm SWEDEN info@theforumist.com theforumist.com facebook.com/theforumist instagram.com/theforumist

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Forbidden fruit

Close your eyes and hold in your mind what can’t be yours.

Let sparks of colour and gentle, romantic touches hide the images flickering beneath, the world beyond your reach — for now Photography by Cedric Viollet Make-up and styling by Céline Exbrayat this page: Face and Body Foundation in N2 by MAC, Lumière Creme in Royal Purple and Jade by BEN NYE opposite page: Face and Body Foundation in N2, Glitter in Emerald and Cremesheen Glass lip gloss in Nefertiti by MAC

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this page, TOP: Face and Body Foundation in N2 and Cremesheen Glass lip gloss in Nefertiti by MAC, Hat by Neith Nyer above: Face and Body Foundation in N2 and Mineralize Blush in Sweet Enough by MAC, Top by Millennium opposite page: Face and Body Foundation in N5 and Liquidlast Liner in Black by MAC

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les baign eusES Stockings, heels and sexy separates — the urban beach is calling.

Swimwear just got a sophisticated update Photography by Anton Renborg Styling by Karolina Brock OPPOSITE PAGE: Top by MATILDA IVARSSON, swimsuit by CALVIN KLEIN, earrings and short necklace talent’s own, long necklace by ACNE STUDIOS, tights stylist’s own, shoes by BACK

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this page, top: swimsuit by MATILDA IVARSSON, earrings and necklaces talent’s own, bracelets stylist’s own, shoes by MARIMEKKO above: Pleated coat by HOPE, jacket by RAVE REVIEW, coat by BACK, sunglasses by ACNE STUDIOS opposite page: swimsuit by & OTHER STORIES, earrings talent’s own, tights stylist’s own

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this page, top: body by BACK, jewellery talent’s own, socks stylist’s own above: Top by MATILDA IVARSSON, jacket by DIESEL, trousers by BACK, scarf stylist’s own opposite page: Swimsuit and socks by GANNI, earrings and short necklace talent’s own, long necklace

by ACNE STUDIOS, black belt by BACK, snakeskin-effect belt by HOPE, ring stylist’s own Hair and make-up: EMIKE SZANTO Talent: SARA SOLTANI BOLJAK Photographer’s assistant: BASTIAN LEMBECK Stylist’s assistants: JULIA PERSSON and LINNÉA TABERMAN

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Gaze Captivation can bloom in a heartbeat, in the time it takes for a moment to be shared. When colour catches your eye, it’s hard to look away, so be the object of anyone’s desire — especially your own Photography by Thierry Lebraly Make-up by Céline Exbrayat using MAC Styling by Alexandra Conti

this page, from left: Shoes stylist’s own; Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 Foundation in NC20 and Mineralize Blush in Flirting with Danger by MAC, Dress and earrings by Stella McCartney, shoes by Mulberry opposite page: Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 Foundation in NC20, Studio Eye Gloss in Pearl Varnish, Mixing Medium Lash with Pigment in Genuine Orange and Green Space, and Satin Lipstick in Brave by MAC, Sweater by Courrèges

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this page, clockwise from top: Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 Foundation in NC20 and Mineralize Blush in Flirting with Danger by MAC, Dress and earrings Stella McCartney; Tights by Fogal, shoes by Koché; Retro Matte Lipstick in Dangerous by MAC, Sweater by Mansur Gavriel opposite page, clockwise from top left: Retro Matte Lipstick in Dangerous by MAC, Sweater by Mansur Gavriel, tights by Fogal; Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 Foundation in NC20, Studio Eye Gloss in Pearl Varnish, Mixing Medium Lash with Pigment in Genuine Orange and Green Space, and Satin Lipstick in Brave by MAC, Sweater by Courrèges, hat by Mulberry, tights by Fogal; Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 Foundation in NC20, Bronzing Powder in Matte Bronze, Mixing Medium Lash with Pigment in Genuine Orange by MAC

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Winning looks

What does temptation mean in the realm of creativity? We put the question to the designers behind three of the 10 fashion labels selected to participate at this year’s Hyères International Festival of Fashion and Photography Words by Veronika Dorosheva

Considered one of the most prestigious competitions for young fashion designers and photographers, the festival – now in its 33rd edition – was held at the end of April in its usual surroundings of the striking modernist Villa Noailles, in Hyères, the south of France. Deciding on the fashion category’s final choice was a jury made up of luminaries including actress Tilda Swinton, jewellery designer Delfina Delettrez and editor Jefferson Hack, and presided over by the celebrated designer Haider Ackermann.

When it came to discussing what temptation means to them in terms of their creative process, the fashion finalists we spoke to unsurprisingly gave answers that were as diverse and unique as their collections and their identities as designers.

Botter

“Temptation to us is elegance. When we see someone who is very elegant, he/ she attracts our attention and this becomes very tempting.”

The menswear brand founded by Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh, Botter was this year’s winner of the Grand Prix at Hyères. Herrebrugh graduated from AMFI (Amsterdam Fashion Institute) in 2014, while Botter graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp in 2017, having been selected to take part in VFILES Runway 7 and show his collection at New York Fashion Week the year before. Working with 18

his master’s collection, entitled Fish or Fight, which won the Dries Van Noten Award and Ann Demeulemeester Award among others, he and Herrebrugh launched Botter last year.

For this collection, the duo were inspired by their roots – Botter and Herrebrugh both have a Caribbean background – and in particular, the local people you see around the islands of the Caribbean, from young people on the brink of adulthood to the fishermen and their work routines. Those young people who move from the Caribbean to Europe in search of a better life face a faster, more demanding pace in their new environments, as well as money issues. They are forced to be creative: the less money they have, the better they dress. It becomes important for them to show what they possess and thus to show their pride, because pride is really the only thing they have.

The designers have translated all these images and ideas into fabrics and shapes, with lots of layering, piles of colourful caps adorning the models’ heads, garments embellished with coloured nets, and pieces of plastic bags worn as scarves and necklaces.

And our favourite example of how they succeeded to translate all their inspiration into one piece is the shoe the duo sent down the runway. It’s a brilliant hybrid of a classic banker shoe – the type “your grandpa wears to church”, says Botter – and the footwear that represents the youth culture of today: the Nike sneaker.

Linda Kokkonen

“Temptation is desire, which can be something positive or negative. It’s when people try hard to get something they really want. On a personal level, temptation is something I can’t have.”

Currently a master’s student at Aalto University in Helsinki, Finland, Linda Kokkonen showed her BA collection at Hyères. It was inspired by witchcraft, Victoriana and motorcycling.

Kokkonen has always been interested in spirituality and nature and this is what she wanted to explore with her first collection: she wanted to create something very personal, something that represents who she really is as a designer. She combined leather with billowing dresses that nod to the Victorian era, as well as mesh, lace and yarn. The intricate mixture of materials and techniques all helped to create the witchy look she had at the forefront of her mind.

Colour was also used in a highly symbolic way.

The red represents power, while the black hints at the mourning etiquette of Victorian times, though Kokkonen’s aim was also to present a metaphor for the grief felt about the devastation humans have wreaked on the planet.

For her black leather pieces, Kokkonen used vintage jackets, which she altered and embellished, while for her red leather pieces, she sourced her material from Ahlskog, a Finnish company known for its ethical stance.

The beautiful collection is an amazing example of how a conscious design approach is possible in fashion. It’s one that everyone from the new generation of designers should aspire to achieve.

Antonina Sedakova

“Temptation is obsession, observation and mystery.”

The menswear designer Antonina Sedakova graduated with a BA and MA in fashion design from the Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in 2014, before going on to study fashion and textile design at Aalto University in Helsinki. The collection seen at Hyères, which featured in Aalto University’s graduation show last year, is called Communication Tube, a term Sedakova took from the cult Soviet film Assa (1987), directed by Sergei Solovyov.

For her collection, Sedakova looked to the youth subcultures of Soviet Russia in the 1980s, especially the musicians, artists and other young creatives she found in the image archive of the American rock singer Joanna Stingray.

However, the main inspiration was Viktor Tsoi, the lead singer of the 1980s Russian rock band Kino, who had a huge impact on generations of young people in the Soviet Union, and whose influence is still felt today. Despite the pressure of the highly ideologised society of Soviet Russia, Tsoi managed to stay true to himself, and it was his belief that you should feel free to be who you want that was Sedakova’s motivation with this collection – it’s what she feels fashion should stand for. Every look she created hints at the image of Tsoi, from the heavy materials of the trench coats to the light silk of the dresses, which she chose as a way of communicating the effortlessness that Tsoi represented and “that easy way to look at life”.

The starting point was military clothing and Sedakova used simple, slightly oversized shapes to reference the silhouettes of the 1980s. For the dresses, the inspiration came from the Soviet musicians of that era who wanted to be more daring when on stage but were limited in the clothes available, and so would use their mothers’ clothes and fabrics.

The result is a collection that is not just a wonderful homage to Soviet subcultures, but an empowering celebration of individuality and personal style.

THIS PAGE: ABOVE, DINA SIMONEN WEARS LINDA KOKKONEN; PHOTOGRAPH BY MARIA KORKEILA. ABOVE RIGHT AND RIGHT, SPREADS FROM THE COMMUNICATION TUBE RESEARCH BOOK BY ANTONINA SEDAKOVA. LEFT, A LOOK BACKSTAGE FROM ANTONINA SEDAKOVA’S COLLECTION; PHOTOGRAPH BY MARC MEDINA OPPOSITE PAGE: TOP, FROM LEFT, LOOKS BACKSTAGE FROM FISH OR FIGHT BY BOTTER, AND LINDA KOKKONEN’S SHOW; PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARC MEDINA. CENTRE, SPREAD FROM THE COMMUNICATION TUBE RESEARCH BOOK BY ANTONINA SEDAKOVA. BOTTOM, LOOKBOOK IMAGE OF JONI TRAVIS NURMINEN WEARING ANTONINA SEDAKOVA; PHOTOGRAPH BY ANTONINA SEDAKOVA

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Led purely by her creativity and curiosity, 26-year-old Arvida Byström makes art that does not try to censor or make bodies prettier. She lets them exist just the way they are.

Byström is currently in the spotlight with her first solo exhibition, Cherry Picking, at Gallery Steinsland Berliner in Stockholm. The show examines femininity in the digital age, its name a poetic metaphor for the ambiguous act of intentionally picking the most desirable cherries from the hypothetical cherry tree – in other words, selecting individual points to confirm a thesis of your own while ignoring other information that’s available.

It could be considered a kind of selective attention, something done both consciously and unconsciously in our society.

The aesthetic of Byström’s art quickly catches your eye, manifested as it is in motives, arrangements, light settings and, of course, Byström’s preferred palette of pastel shades. They’re all aspects that, historically, have often been coded as feminine.

Byström admits she has always had a thing for pink: “It’s a colour that, since childhood, I have had a hard time fending off. I’ve come back to it in a very strong and wide variety of ways during different periods of my life. I started using Tumblr by chance when I was 19 and then steadily ended up being drawn to feminine aesthetics.”

Her choice of colour palette and aesthetic seem to be in tune with her personal style, too, and she opens up enthusiastically about her love for Instagram accounts dedicated to the runways of the 1990s, as well as those that post photographs from the early 21st century featuring Paris Hilton, Juicy Couture or early-2000s Dior. Regarding fashion, Byström also admits to having a soft spot for Whyred dresses.

“I’ve got a dress of theirs that I’ve had since I was 16. It looks a bit Molly Goddard – it’s magic,” she says. “There was a blue dress that I got to wear for this shoot, too. It’s to die for.”

Another aspect of Byström’s art is the sexual connotations her aesthetics often have. She points out that her art is often read as being about sex and sexuality, as feminine and queer bodies have been sexualized to such an extent it’s now hard to look at them without assuming that they are just about sex.

It’s a subject she finds interesting for that reason.

Byström also often uses herself as the model in her art, playing with the conditions of visual media and identity, something she started doing back when she was in her teens. In the beginning, it was all about being too shy to photograph others, combined with feelings of frustration and wanting to understand how the world saw her. Nowadays, though, she uses a different approach.

“In one way, I think it’s interesting to be transparent with who is in front of the camera and the identity of who is taking the photograph,” she says. “In my selfies I often use a mirror, so that you can see that I’m the one taking the photographs as well being the subject. It shows the dichotomy of being a feminine creature in today’s world – people want you to be independent and even when you are, it’s easy to get stuck in old patterns regarding what the male gaze has constructed as sexy. It’s like anxiety and confirmation all at the same time.”

Being born during the rise of the digital age, Byström welcomes the omnipresence of the internet and social media: “It means everything to me.” She finds comfort among the online community when

Take a bite Artist, photographer, model and challenger of gender norms, Arvida Byström creates art that speaks to everyone.

Upfront and honest in its expression, it makes you question old structures and formats, as well as how you see the world Words by AMANDA BÅMSTEDT Photography by DAN SJÖLUND Styling by Pejman Biroun Vand Special thanks to WHYRED 20

this page: Boye Top, Hell Jeans Opposite page, top: Peigi Trousers, Talon Shoes. middle, from left: Poly T-shirt; showpiece top and skirt. bottom: Bob Lady Puff Jacket All by whyred

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depressed, with the internet also providing a space where she can explore her artistry. In fact, it is where she started off displaying her art and it’s where she found her genre and the context in which she still exists and expands.

Over the years, Byström’s work has often been talked of as art that breaks free from norms by showing things that are normally taboo in a positive light, such as bodies, body hair and period blood.

But she makes it clear that she doesn’t consider all norms to be bad. “To break free from norms should not be the goal in itself,” says Byström. “However, 22

there are many things that can make you feel bad or make people around you feel rubbish. When that happens, we can question whether that norm needs an update. Sadly, I don’t think there is a game plan of how it should be done.”

Even though Byström does not have a solution for how it should happen, she’s already made a big contribution to the debate about how media, society and culture influence the way we see the world. Through her art, she challenges us to investigate how we view ourselves as well as others, and makes us question how we construct our identities. @arvidabystrom. Cherry Picking, until June 23; Gallery Steinsland Berliner, Bondegatan 70, Stockholm (steinslandberliner.com)

This page, above: Peigi Trousers, Talon Shoes. right, from top: Dox Long Sleeve Collar Dress; Poly T-shirt; Poly T-shirt, Bob Lady Denim Waistcoat; Boye Top opposite page: Boye Top, Hell Jeans all by Whyred Hair and make-up: Elva Ahlbin

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under the sun Bold looks grow in the right conditions. Nurture strong silhouettes with confidence and creative palettes, and bask in the attention as nature takes its course Photography by Wanderlust Styling by Haruka Suzuki Make-up by Yoyo OPPOSITE PAGE: Skin Long-wear Weightless Foundation SPF15 by BOBBI BROWN, Shade and Illuminate in 1 by Tom Ford, Jumpsuit by Alice Rabot, shoes by Acne Studios

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this page, top: Skin Long-wear Weightless Foundation SPF15 by BOBBI BROWN, Shade and Illuminate in 1 by Tom Ford, Pure Pigment in Carmine

by Make Up For Ever, AMC Pure Pigment Eye Shadow in No 29 by Inglot, Intense Volume Mascara in Black Ink by Gucci, Dress by Alice Rabot ABOVE: Skin Long-wear Weightless Foundation SPF15 by BOBBI BROWN, Shade and Illuminate in 1 by Tom Ford, Intense Volume Mascara in Black Ink by Gucci opposite page: Skin Long-wear Weightless Foundation SPF15 by BOBBI BROWN, Shade and Illuminate in 1 by Tom Ford, In Extreme Dimension Mascara in Sweaty Betty and Paint Stick in Cyan by MAC

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this page, above: Body and boots by Neith Nyer. above right: Skin Long-wear Weightless Foundation SPF15 by BOBBI BROWN, Shade and Illuminate in 1 by Tom Ford, Pure Pigment in Carmine by Make Up For Ever, AMC Pure Pigment Eye Shadow in No 29 by Inglot, Intense Volume Mascara in Black Ink by Gucci, Skirt by Kenzo, trousers by Acne Studios, shoes by Sies Marjan opposite page: Skin Long-wear Weightless Foundation SPF15 by BOBBI BROWN, Shade and Illuminate in 1 by Tom Ford, Pure Pigment in Carmine

by Make Up For Ever, AMC Pure Pigment Eye Shadow in No 29 by Inglot, Intense Volume Mascara in Black Ink by Gucci, Dress by Alice Rabot Hair: Kyoko Kishita Model: Adja Kaba at Crystal Special thanks to: Atelier TOZF

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Lead us

Temptation is a stern mistress — when she beckons, who can resist?

Turn it up with top-to-toe luxe looks and watch the meek follow Photography by ANNA DAKI Make-up by Sine Velke using CHANEL Styling by SASKIA SCHMIDT THROUGHOUT: Hydra Beauty Micro Crème, Hydra Beauty Micro Gel Yeux, Vitalumière Satin Fluid Makeup SPF15 in Limpide, Éclat Lumière Highlighter Face Pen in Beige Tendre, Soleil Tan de Chanel, Les 9 Ombres Édition No 1 Affresco, Le Crayon Yeux Precision Eye Definer in Noir, Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour Stick in Blush No 21, and Rouge Coco Baume Hydrating Conditioning Lip Balm by Chanel this page: Illusion d’ombre Luminous Eyeshadow in Fantasme, and Rouge Coco Gloss in Burnt Sugar by Chanel, Bed Head Superstar Queen for a Day Thickening Spray by Tigi opposite page: Poudre à Lèvres in Rosso Pompeiano by Chanel, Couture Styling Mousse Bouffante by Kérastase, Modern Hairspray Multi-Task Styling Mist by Hair By Sam McKnight

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this page, clockwise from top left: Illusion d’ombre Luminous Eyeshadow in Fantasme, and Rouge Allure Ink Matte Liquid Lip Colour in Lost by Chanel, Bed Head Superstar Queen for a Day Thickening Spray by Tigi; Le Rouge Crayon De Couleur Jumbo Lip Crayon in Rose Clair by Chanel, Hair Couture Styling Mousse Bouffante by Kérastase, Modern Hairspray Multi-Task Styling Mist by Hair By Sam McKnight; Le Crayon Lèvres Precision Lip Definer in Rouge Noir – Vamp, and Le Rouge Crayon De Couleur Jumbo Lip Crayon in Rose Clair by Chanel, Couture Styling Mousse Bouffante by Kérastase; Illusion d’ombre Luminous Eyeshadow in Fantasme, and Rouge Allure Ink Matte Liquid Lip Colour in Lost by ChaneL, Bed Head Superstar Queen for a Day Thickening Spray by Tigi, Elnett Satin in Normal Strength by L’Oréal opposite page: Illusion d’ombre Luminous Eyeshadow in Fantasme, and Rouge Allure Ink Matte Liquid Lip Colour in Lost by Chanel All clothes and accessories: Gunvor vintage store, BERLIN Hair and make-up: Sina velke at clm Model: lisa at smc photographer’s assistant: luÍs bompastor

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Drug addiction, stripping and fairy-filled forests ­— in her acting and her art, Paz de la Huerta gives into temptation with electric effect. Sometimes, there’s really no other choice, she tells The Forumist

she is, among other things, working on the long-term film project Valley of Tears, for which she recently launched a crowdfunding effort to help with its completion. The plot is based on Hans Christian Andersen’s harsh 19th-century fairy tale The Red Shoes, a story about temptation and redemption, and about finding an end to suffering. “In Valley of Tears, Mary, the main character, redeems herself and is given a second chance. In real life we can get second chances, too, but we need to be careful. You always pay the price, one way or another.”

Another of de la Huerta’s current movies is Puppy Love, in which she believes she has given her best performance, and which she hopes to see premiering at this year’s Venice Film Festival. “My character, Carla, is a drug addict and feeds into her temptation every day. But at a very high price,” she says.

De la Huerta’s breakthrough performance could be said to have been in Enter the Void, a psychedelic melodrama set in the neon-lit nightclub scene of Tokyo. Notably, de la Huerta is said to have been

Words by JOHANNA BERGSTRÖM Photography by ALEXANDER NEUMANN Styling by MINE ULUDAG

Paz de la Huerta was born and raised in New York by a Spanish father and a Minnesota-born mother. She’s been acting since the tender age of 13, after being discovered by casting director Billy Hopkins when walking down the street in her Tribeca neighbourhood. “I was a punk-rock kid wearing leopard skin and spikes, with short, bleached-blonde hair. And I was asked to come in and read for the role of a girl giving herself an abortion. I had never taken an acting class in my life, but I knew it was about suffering. So I went into the room and I just cried,” says de la Huerta, recalling how she ended up starring in The Cider House Rules. It was the first in a series of bold productions, including A Walk to Remember and Enter the Void, as well as the HBO drama Boardwalk Empire, in which she played Lucy Danziger.

Apart from acting, de la Huerta is also a model and skilled painter who is known for her uncompromising artistic style. It’s a style that seamlessly leads us onto the delicate topic of temptation.

“My greatest temptation is the darker side of life – as in dangerous behaviours. While being aware of the consequences, I have fed into my temptations quite a lot over the years and paid a high price for that,” says 33-year-old de la Huerta, who is “tired but satisfied” after a long and productive day when we meet. She explains that she enjoys “taking things very far” and that she embraces the dark side – and the dark side of herself, which she then likes to express in her work as an actress and a painter.

“I am fascinated by temptation. It could be bad, but also good. If you do not give into it, you may never have your deepest desires fulfilled. So I feel it’s a lesson worth learning,” she continues. “But sometimes temptation can be fleeting and only give temporary satisfaction, while still demanding a heavy price. In love, for instance, we play a game where we can end up being hurt. But we are driven by temptation for that person, and we fulfil our fantasies through acting on what tempts us. It feels like heaven when you are in the midst of it, but it doesn’t last. Hence, temptation can also lead you into great trouble.”

Today, she describes herself as more cautious, having learnt from previous mistakes. And although she still likes to embrace temptation, she mostly does so through her work nowadays, which she considers “the safest place to do it in”.

“I dig very deep into my own demons and let them come out in my work. I approach my work with a huge appetite, and that’s where I also explore temptation a lot,” says de la Huerta. At the moment

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‘I dig deep into my demons’

chosen for her role by director Gaspar Noé, because “she likes screaming, crying and showing herself naked”. “Linda, my character in Enter the Void, was a stripper and gave into her temptation of stripping,” de la Huerta says. “But that is a dark world and she did not end up very happy. At the same time, though, she also did it because she had to make a living.”

As passionate about her art as she is about acting, de la Huerta prefers painting scenes and dreams from what she refers to as “a lost childhood”, such as a visit to the circus or a forest filled with good-hearted fairies. Innocent temptations. Dreams that she would have loved to have seen come true in the past. “I get to live what I missed out on as a child through my paintings. Some people would say they are just fantasies, but I still see them as temptations, just healthy ones that do not come with a price tag,” she says. She is currently working on a book project with some of her artworks, and preparing for her own show during the international art festival FIAC, held in Paris this October.

De la Huerta describes herself as an “extreme and honest” actor, and a model who is “creative and more of an actor”. Hardly anyone can have missed her appearances in the Vivienne Westwood SS15 fashion campaign, shot by Juergen Teller, and at the designer’s Paris show for her AW15 Gold Label, which de la Huerta famously closed by making out with a male model on stage.

“I had a lot of fun doing the Vivienne Westwood SS15 campaign. It all happened very organically. I felt that the outcome was quite strong – you can tell from the pictures how much fun we had. Juergen got some of his students involved and we had an incredible time. Vivienne told me that she had never seen a model working so hard before,” de la Huerta says of the shoot, which Teller conducted at the Academy of Fine Arts in Nuremberg, where he’s a professor of photography.

Despite growing up in New York with her family and having some of her closest friends in America, de la Huerta reveals she prefers Europe and the European lifestyle. Today, she is based in Paris. “America depresses me,” she says. “I feel that Europe is more built for artists than the US and that my work is more appreciated here. In Europe, creating art is about quality rather than just fame. And you create art because you live and breathe it. I feel inspired every time I leave my house in Paris.” @iampazdelahuerta

this page: JACKET AND TOP BY COS, KNICKERS BY BASERANGE, BOOTS BY CÉLINE opposite page, clockwise from far left: SHIRT BY ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, BIKINI BY BASERANGE, BOOTS BY CÉLINE; COAT BY ALAÏA; TOP by BALENCIAGA, KNICKERS

BY BASERANGE, BOOTS by CÉLINE; COAT BY ALAÏA, KNICKERS BY BASERANGE, BOOTS BY CÉLINE Hair and make-up: Helena Narra at Liganord using Balmain Haircare and Tom Ford Beauty

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Into the darkness While most of us hail the light in life and art, the visual and contemporary artist Kirstine Roepstorff celebrates its opposite, tempting the mind with a Renaissance of the Night Words by Ted Hammerin

This summer, Kunsthal Charlottenborg in Copenhagen – one of the largest and most beautiful exhibition spaces for contemporary art in northern Europe – presents Renaissance of the Night. It’s the most comprehensive solo presentation of the internationally acclaimed Danish artist Kirstine Roepstorff, and offers visitors the opportunity to step into a unique mindset of creativity and darkness.

Taking up the whole south wing of the Kunsthal, the exhibition will feature more than 70 works, including the incredible immersive sound and light work Theatre of Glowing Darkness, presented in a new format, and the 7.5-metre-long tapestry Renaissance of the Night.

Other pieces, both new and old, will be examples of her work with painting, collage, relief and sculpture.

Visitors will be transported on a journey from dusk to dawn as they pass through the exhibition.

When we reach the artist, she is in the middle of last-minute preparations for the show and, needless to say, is very busy. However, it is obvious she is thrilled by the concept. “The movement of darkness is transformative. It gives room for creativity and possibilities, and it influences human existence, in both strengthening and challenging ways,” she says.

An alumna of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of

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the Arts, in New Jersey, USA, Roepstorff has been described as dealing with re-ordered power systems and new associations through her art. She has become known for her collages but, in more recent years, has also engaged in the making of abstract sculptures, some of which have been shown around Denmark in the form of public-art projects.

Defining herself and her art is a more puzzling task for Roepstorff, and maybe that is the point. “I just don’t see it as that literal,” she says. “In terms of creative process, my work is about intercepting and trying to shape. Having initially learnt from collage-making, I have a core interest in the in-between, which is a container of massive information and which the physical eye doesn’t immediately register. This liminal space is loaded with an autonomous consciousness.”

Darkness as a theme seems to lie close to the creator within Roepstorff, partly because of its absence in our minds. “Darkness is about pre-creation and transformation. As humans, we are light, but we are also darkness, and many of us have been neglecting this part of us for thousands of years. The exhibition is a reminder of our relationship with this unlit space, but also an encouragement to re-engage with it with curiosity and courage, instead of fear and anxiety,” she says. “It’s all about a radical acceptance of the darkness.

The overall theme is to re-engage with what does not yet have a form. In darkness, things and beings lose their form. Culturally, we fear the dark and celebrate the light, which is also nurturing, but not without the dark. Everything in the bright light of the day has its origin in the dark. A gigantic tree, a truck, a child – even a thought was once without a form.”

Roepstorff gained a lot of attention with her contribution to the Danish Pavilion at last year’s Venice Art Biennale, one of the most prestigious events in the world of art. Gitte Ørskou, president of the Danish Arts Foundation Committee for Visual Arts Project Funding for the Biennale, said: “[Roepstorff ’s] artistic practice has had a major impact on the way that Danish art has taken in recent times, and her works have the high quality and the format required in Venice.”

Although it’s an honour to participate in Venice, Roepstorff appears even more excited about the Kunsthal Charlottenborg show. “The Biennale situation is a paradoxical circus, not suited for art. But as an event it can be jolly,” she says. “Many people will

never go to Venice to see art, so Charlottenborg offers an opportunity to continue, expand and elaborate the thematics, which is of course a huge privilege. And the audience that actually was in Venice are now presented with the possibility to re-experience and contemplate on these thoughts in less-stressed surroundings.”

For those unable to visit Renaissance of the Night this summer, or for those just fascinated by the subject of darkness, the exhibition will be accompanied by a podcast series featuring different voices discussing their relationships with darkness – from a blind boy talking about his sense of light and colour, to a renowned astrophysicist sharing his insights into stardust and its importance in the creation of planets. It will be available for free streaming and download from June 14, in both Danish and English.

With her exhibition, Roepstorff wants to tempt the visitor into deeper contemplation about darkness, and promises a walk through a reflective, challenging, multisensory landscape. “I’m curious about the stages prior to beginnings,” she says. “What is inspiration before we acknowledge it? What moves us?”

Renaissance of the Night, June 16-August 12; Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Nyhavn 2, Copenhagen (kunsthalcharlottenborg.dk)

this page: work from influenza. Theatre of glowing darkness (2017) opposite page, from top: Renaissance of the night tapestry (detail) (2017); work from influenza. Theatre of glowing darkness (2017); Renaissance of the night tapestry (2017); works from influenza. Theatre of glowing darkness (2017)

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All the feels With the release of her compelling new album, the Swedish singer-songwriter Tove Styrke reveals everything that’s going on in her head and why the pull of pop won’t be fading anytime soon Words by Amanda Båmstedt Photography by John Scarisbrick Styling by Natalie Olenheim this page, above, from left: Top by Adidas, Leggings by Remake Stockholm; Jacket by Matilda Ivarsson, top by Anne Tostrup, Jeans by Hannah Broström, Shoes from Humana. below: Jacket by Filippa K, Hoodie by Me and My Homies, Body from Humana opposite page: Dress by Rick Owens, Corset by Matilda Ivarsson, Swimsuit by Calvin Klein, Trainers by Adidas

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Face: BBU Pro Face Palette by Bobbi Brown, Touche Éclat in Ivory Radiance by Yves Saint Laurent, Cream Colour Base in Pearl and Eye Brows Styler in Lingering by MAC, Diorshow Lash Extension Effect Volume Mascara in Pro Black by Dior, NARSissist Wanted Cheek Palette I by NARS, Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder by By Terry eyes: Couture Palette in Rose Baby Doll by Yves Saint Laurent, Glitter in 3D Lavender by MAC lips: Matte Me Lip Cream in That’s So Fetch and Highlighter Palette Copperplate by Sleek

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Face: BBU Pro Face Palette by Bobbi Brown, Touche Éclat in Ivory Radiance by Yves Saint Laurent, Cream Colour Base in Pearl and Eye Brows Styler in Lingering by MAC, Diorshow Lash Extension Effect Volume Mascara in Pro Black by Dior, NARSissist Wanted Cheek Palette I by NARS, Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder by By Terry this page: Studio Eye Gloss in Lightly Tauped and Glitter in Iridescent White by MAC, Matte Me Lip Cream in Stonework by Sleek opposite page: Couture Palette in Rose Baby Doll by Yves Saint Laurent, Glitter in 3D Lavender by MAC, Matte Me Lip Cream in That’s So Fetch and Highlighter Palette Copperplate by Sleek

It’s hard to fend off Tove Styrke’s unique charm and insane talent for exquisite and well-made pop bangers. Since entering the music business in her teens, Styrke has continued to grow and has just released her third album, Sway, a record that means a lot to her personally.

“I’ve worked super-hard and put a lot of heart and effort into this project, and I’ve gotten to known myself much more during its making,” she tells us. “It feels like I’ve come out the other side another person. It’s a very personal album, so it feels good that it’s received such a warm welcome.”

When listening to Sway, you hear a significantly more stripped-down version of Styrke’s music, with the focus being on letting the lyrics and melodies speak to the listener.

She herself says she wanted to narrow down the sound as much as possible in order to keep the communication simple and direct. “It took much more time to create every element in the songs, since everything matters much more when you keep it simple,” she says. “Every tune, melody and lyric needs to lift each other, and the production has been tightly knit to the songwriting process. It has all been made from scratch.”

Listening to Sway is like taking part in delicate stories centred around human interactions, relationships and feelings, with its tracks revealing small doses of insight into human psychology. “When I started the

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this page: Top by Adidas, Leggings by Remake Stockholm, cap and belt stylist’s own, Shoes by H&M. left: Hoodie by Acne Studios, diving suit by Matilda Ivarsson, underwear by Tommy Hilfiger, Shoes by H&M opposite page: Top by Ashish, shorts by Levi’s, Trainers by Adidas. bottom right: top by Anne Tostrup

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Face: BBU Pro Face Palette by Bobbi Brown, Touche Éclat in Ivory Radiance by Yves Saint Laurent, Cream Colour Base in Pearl and Eye Brows Styler in Lingering by MAC, Diorshow Lash Extension Effect Volume Mascara in Pro Black by Dior, NARSissist Wanted Cheek Palette I by NARS, Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder by By Terry this page, main: Studio Eye Gloss in Lightly Tauped and Glitter in Iridescent White by MAC, Matte Me Lip Cream in Stonework by Sleek this page, inset, and opposite page: Couture Palette in Rose Baby Doll by Yves Saint Laurent, Glitter in 3D Lavender by MAC, Matte Me Lip Cream in That’s So Fetch and Highlighter Palette Copperplate by Sleek

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this page: Jacket and trousers

by Acne Studios, trainers by Adidas. left: top by Matilda Ivarsson, trousers by Acne Studios, belt by Hope opposite page, clockwise from main: Hoodie by Acne Studios, diving suit by Matilda Ivarsson, underwear by Tommy Hilfiger, Shoes by H&M; Coat and T-shirt from Beyond Retro, Shorts by Matilda Ivarsson, Shoes by H&M; Jacket

by Filippa K, Hoodie by Me and My Homies, Body from Humana, earrings by Skanshage Sweden throughout: Socks by Weekday Hair: Jacob Kajrup Make-up: Martin Sundqvist Photographer’s assistant: Andreas Sundbom Stylist’s assistant: Alina Bendikova

process I wanted to dig into other people’s minds, but halfway through making the album, I realised I was starting to get to know myself instead. The record contains a wide range of feelings, both romantic and the direct opposite. Say My Name, for example, is an anti-love song. My last record was very expressive, but this time I wanted to write songs that processed the feelings and dialogues you usually keep to yourself. They are songs about things you think about a lot but seldom share with others.”

But while you would expect making an album that thoroughly analyses human relationships in this way to help her gain wisdom, Styrke says she feels almost more clueless than ever. “I never cease to be amazed at how people behave. I almost feel less certain of the reasons behind why people act in particular ways now,” she says.

Even though she is only in her midtwenties, Styrke has been in the music industry for a long time and opens up about gaining greater confidence: “I don’t know if it’s related to getting older or if it’s just that I’ve been doing this for a while. There’s a great difference between knowing that you’re good and saying it and actually meaning it. I used to say it without meaning it, but now I know it. It gives me such incredible freedom. I can rest in the foundation of my artistry and recognise my strengths and weaknesses.

“Collaborations are important to me and something I enjoy a lot – I like finding the right people and creating exactly what I want to create. It doesn’t matter what the music climate looks like or what is happening around you, your greatest asset is yourself. You can never look to another person and try to do their thing better than they do.”

Next up for her is a tour with Katy Perry and a summer filled with festival gigs. Styrke sounds excited when she tells me about the clothes she tried on for the tour. “I would not have been able to dream of clothes this wonderful,” she says. “I get to feel like a superhero mixed with a cowboy-princess, a larger-than-life version of myself. I love using clothes as a way of personal expression, and to be able to just wake up and figure out what kind of person you feel like being for the day and then choosing your outfit purely based on that feeling.”

Even though Sway has only just been released, Styrke reveals that she has plans to put out even more tunes later this year. She is on a never-ending quest to fulfil her creative dreams and conquer the world through music, one song at a time. tovestyrkemusic.com

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Viva la vulva!

The female genitals are often seen as representing temptation, lust, pleasure and fertility, but they’re much more than that. It’s time to look at our body and gender in a different way from how society tells us we should, and the art collective Vulvae have made it their mission that we do Words by Ole Siebrecht

Was there something in particular that led you to come up with the idea of founding Vulvae?

EG: “Ida brought my attention to the documentary Vulva 3.0 by Ulrike Zimmermann and Claudia Richarz. This movie deals with a lot of aspects regarding the public’s perception of the vulva – the historic and medical-anatomic perspectives – with sexologists, psychologists and many others sharing their knowledge.”

IA: “The documentary deals with topics such as labiaplasty and beauty standards that affect us subtly and permanently. This trend of beautifying ‘down below’ hadn’t really been on our radar, to be honest.

The movie woke us up and so we started to deal with topics such as the human body, feminism, sexuality and gender in an intellectual and artistic way. Our art is not simply about the vulva, but about the perception of femininity and gender in toto.”

What’s the idea of Vulvae? What does it stand for?

What message are you hoping to spread?

EG: “As a postfeministic art collective, we want to create a new consciousness about body, sexuality and gender. With the help of our art, we show the body as we see it – with all its beautiful, alleged ‘imperfections’, which are actually colourful and diverse to us. We don’t work with terms such as ‘man’, ‘woman’, ‘young’ or ‘old’. Personally, I have found really loving ways to access my own body and sexuality through my art – and these are exactly the experiences and values I’d like to share.”

IA: “Our art focuses on topics that are normally censored, seen as taboo or marked with shame – genitals, transsexuality or menstruation. We want to talk about these topics and take away the shame associated with them. We see our art as a visual vocabulary for body, gender and sexuality. We want to fill the gap that has occurred between porn and medical books. Vulvae stands for a positive, all-gender perception of all bodies and sexes. You could sum up our message as, ‘Acceptance, confidence and love for each and every body’.”

Do you really think that talking about female body parts or publishing photos of them is still taboo in our society?

IA: “It sure is a taboo, but we have also noticed that something is changing. There are a lot of ‘vulva artists’ and like-minded people on Instagram who are dealing with the female body in different ways. We are part of a movement that doesn’t want to be limited by outdated censorship or questionable standards.”

EG: “Society perceives the female body and the vulva in a pretty biased way that’s connected with media-propagated beauty standards and pictures of genitals seen in pornography, leading to us changing our bodies, even our intimate parts. Images and bodies that don’t meet these standards are considered offensive or ugly.”

IA: “That’s why it’s even more important to talk about our bodies and the improvement mania – and to question them. This concerns women and men equally.”

EG: “And when it comes to the language we use, we [as a society] deny the existence of the vulva by talking about the vagina when we actually mean vulva. With that, we nullify the part of the female body that plays the strongest part when it comes to sexual pleasure.

Even how we refer to it is connected with shame, provoking negative associations.”

What would you like to change in people’s minds through your art?

IA: “We want to change the perspective, not only of our bodies, but all bodies, in a positive way. We want

Founded by Ellebasi Gorenpeng and Ida Aniz, the Berlin-based collective Vulvae deals with the topics of body, sexuality and gender using its protagonists’ artistic background. Vulvae questions common beauty standards, talks about what is generally seen as taboo, celebrates imperfection and does not care for binary attributions.

The collective brings together artists from different generations, countries and disciplines, including illustration, painting, photography, film, sculpture and installation. Some of their projects are intended to provoke: they conquer public spaces to raise awareness, they make caramel vulvas that are served at a Michelin-starred restaurant, they have created a huge clitoris sculpture called Clitzilla to teach about the female genitals. They dedicate their creative energy to fighting for self-love, acceptance and confidence and overcoming the clichés. Join their fight.

Ida and Ellebasi, you are the initiators of Vulvae. How do you know each other?

EG: “A mutual friend introduced us at [the counterculture music and arts] Fusion Festival in 2016. We noticed how much fun we had playing with stereotypes about men and women, especially in the surroundings of the festival. I’m incredibly happy and thankful – not only for the birth of Vulvae, but also for my fantastic friendship with Ida.” 44

to make our recipients question society’s standards and censorship – without a raised forefinger, but with joy, openness, curiosity and humour.”

What do you think is tempting about the vulva?

EG: “Primarily the vulva is an organ connected to sexuality, but that’s not its only role. We are much more than just a penis or a vagina, and our genitals are more than instruments of sexual pleasure.”

IA: “The vulva is connected with sex and fertility, but it also stands for the female mystery that still hasn’t been explored and decoded. This combination is especially what makes it so exciting and seductive.”

You’re currently collaborating with a well-known restaurant in Berlin, with diners being served caramel vulvas. How did you come up with the idea? And how have people reacted to it so far?

EG: “We’re collaborating with the restaurant Nobelhart & Schmutzig on the project Feel the V! because we both wanted to create more naturalness and freedom in art and in the kitchen. With them, we are questioning the current norms of food and the human body, especially regarding the female genitals.

“With the project, we want to involve different senses and show alternative images of the vulva. We want to see, experience, feel and even – in an abstract way – taste the vulva without it being in a sexual context. So we created a small delicacy in the shape of lifelike vulva imprints, with the aim of making people think about our consumption of images and foods.”

IA: “It’s a daring project that has attracted a lot of attention. Many visitors are surprised when they see their caramel vulva. That’s why it’s important to understand the message behind them – acceptance of our natural bodies. Seeing the caramel vulvas initially from a sexual point of view says a lot about the over-sexualized perception of the female genitals.”

How do people react to Vulvae in general?

EG: “People are more interested than shocked.

They’re usually curious, sometimes irritated or amused, and some are disgusted – if puking emojis on social media count.”

IA: “Most of the reactions are very positive – from both women and men. I’ve seen a lot of sudden insights on the diners’ faces.”

You collaborate with different artists – what future projects do you have in store?

EG: “The special thing about our collective is that we all come from different generations and countries. We welcome everyone to our collective who would like to deal with our message in an artistic way – so it’s not just for female artists. There will be performances at festivals, social projects about sex education and various art installations. We meet at the Vulvae regulars’ table once a month – everyone is welcome!” vulvae.co

this page, clockwise from top: Monochrome V (2018) by Ida Aniz; Photograph by Jennifer von Schuckmann. Clitzilla (2017) by Ida Aniz and Ellebasi Gorengpeng, featuring Carbon Company; Photograph

by Ida Aniz. Bunte Vulvae (2017)

by Cecilie Bluthardt opposite page, far left: Vulvae’s caramel vulvas, served at the Michelin-starred Nobelhart & Schmutzig, Berlin, since May; Photograph by Caroline Prange. centre, from top: vulvae’s logo. Bunte Vulvae 3D (detail) (2018) by Ellebasi Gorengpeng. Bunte Vulvae 3D (2018) by Ellebasi Gorengpeng. right: Polychrome V (2018) by Ida Aniz; Photograph by Jennifer von Schuckmann

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The decade temptation roared

However, if you were an American who really wanted to have fun, you had to go to Europe, where the US dollar was worth a minor fortune. Newspaper men such as Ernest Hemingway and Albert Hirschfeld only needed to write an article or sell a drawing a month to live a life of restaurants and cafes most of us could only dream of frequenting now. At night they still had enough money left over to visit a cabaret and experience the bare-breasted star of the time, Josephine Baker. And if by some strange mystery you happened to run out of money and had some artistic talent, you could always visit Gertrude Stein, the patron of American artists in Paris, who also named the young generation who had survived the First World War – the Lost Generation.

It was here, on the Continent, that American culture truly blossomed. Bars such as Harry’s in Paris presented cocktails and long drinks that had never been seen before. The Scottish bartender Harry MacElhone, who later took over the establishment, whipped up such classics as the French 75, sidecar, old pal, scofflaw, boulevardier and monkey gland. Some even claim he was the man behind the bloody mary.

He went on to write two books filled with recipes he invented or perfected at the bar; they have become classics of Prohibition-era mixology. Today, Harry’s is more of a businessman’s bar, but it’s still worth a visit.

In Berlin, the nightlife was said to be even more hedonistic, and the costs were even less. After the war, horrendous inflation took the Germans to breaking point, which was terrific for anyone else who wanted to live like a king or a queen. This Berlin was known for its decadence and anarchic and bohemian atmosphere, and was famously immortalised in Christopher Isherwood’s novel Goodbye to Berlin.

This golden era of nightlife, the arts and drinks is being celebrated all over the world now. The style of the 1920s is also the main inspiration for the Stockholm temple to art deco style, the Haymarket

The 1920s was a very bubbly period for sure. A revolution in music, art, hairstyles and drinks mixology.

After the Great War, young people wanted to have fun.

They wanted a change. And when amusement wasn’t found nearby, they went to a place where it was, where liquor and bubbles reigned Words by Alfredo L Jones Special thanks to Schweppes Over the past decade, ingenuity and sophistication in the sphere of spirits and bubbles have reached new heights. Professional mixologists and bartenders whip up drinks with new names and combinations that continue to excite our seemingly insatiable thirst. In this whirlwind of new influences, tastes, ingredients and products, beverage brands have had to get creative to stay relevant in the eyes of the quality-demanding drink lovers. It is with these conditions in mind that the traditional beverage brand Schweppes has thought outside the box, seeking to mirror the brand’s creative, revolutionary heydays in the 1920s, a time when its name was the one on everyone’s lips and the challenges of Prohibition in the US prompted people to use the company’s tonic water in new and unique ways. The path from this glamorous and challenging period to Schweppes’s new premium drinks mixers, which will

hit the market shortly, has been anything but straight, though. It all started with a veritable catastrophe: the First World War. The 1920s in America was a challenging period, but also a time of great opportunity. Gangsters were ruling the streets and a new postwar moralism was closing down the bars and liquor stores. Yet jazz music flourished, art deco peaked and women were finally becoming a force to be reckoned with in society. The highest contracts in Hollywood were being signed by women. Some, such as Clara Bow, became synonymous with the new outspoken attitudes towards sex and culture in general. And were often surrounded by vicious rumours of promiscuity. And cocktails.

Ironically, Prohibition, when liquor was banned for more than a decade, was the trigger that really shaped the underworld of gangsters. It was when speak-easies proliferated, sparking ingenuity in cocktail-making and the use of exotic ingredients. A bartender needed to find interesting enough flavours, even though the moonshine (as homemade spirit was called then) that was served was often of a less-than-acceptable standard. Still, classic drinks were in great demand.

Gin and tonic, for example, moved from being an eccentric British tipple enjoyed in India and the Far East to become the aperitif of the day. And the code words “Ask for Schweppes” were the cue shady barmen were waiting for before they grabbed that illicit bottle of liquor from under the bar. In the Schweppes posters of the era, we see sophisticated women smoking cigarettes and “asking for Schweppes”.

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hotel, situated across from the Concert Hall. It was previously a warehouse where Great Garbo used to work, before leaving for Hollywood and becoming a symbol of the time. This excellent hotel has made it its mission to celebrate the culture of the era, from music and interior design to mixology – it’s a place that truly knows how to tempt you with the treats of the 1920s.

And Schweppes knows those tastes and the value involved, from the spirits to the finest mixer around.

from top: fun times in the 1920s; a twist of lime and hibiscus, two of the new flavours from schweppes; haymarket’s bar manager Christian Grevius creates a san hibisco; bar life in the 192os. left: Grevius’s shimmy pink pepper and schweppes’s depiction of its key ingredient. far left and right: schweppes posters from the 1920s

Tribute to the 1920s With Schweppes Premium Mixers, Haymarket and The Glass Factory, we have created two original drinks and are celebrating a classic as a tribute to the pioneer days of mixology. Three glasses have also been specially made to complement these creations, their design echoing the art deco style of the period. And each drink is presented in a short film that can be found on YouTube. A great drink demands long-lasting bubbles, something Schweppes has provided since 1783.

San Hibisco Hibiscus Tonic Water, gin, pistachio syrup, lime, grape shrub, lime leaf.

Shimmy Pink Pepper Pink Pepper Tonic Water, Lillet, gin, lemon juice, elderflower syrup, elderflower foam.

Gin and Tonic – Twist of Lime Tonic Water – Twist of Lime, gin, a squeeze of lemon.

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fascin ating

prism Decoding desires can become too easy. Keep interest and intrigue high with architectural shapes and beautifully structured tailoring Photography by David Paige Styling by Angel Macias OPPOSITE PAGE: Shirt by MARNI, hat by SEAN SUEN

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this page, clockwise from top left: Top by AFTERHOMEWORK; Dress by CLARA DAGUIN, shoes by FLAT APARTMENT; Top by AFTERHOMEWORK; Shirt by MARNI, trousers by LA PRESTIC OUISTON, shoes by FLAT APARTMENT opposite page: Top by VÉRONIQUE LEROY, trousers by MANISH ARORA

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this page: Top by PICASSO, trousers by LA PRESTIC OUISTON, necklace by VIBE HARSLØF X ANNE SOFIE MADSEN opposite page: dress by CLARA DAGUIN, vintage bracelets, shoes by FLAT APARTMENT Hair: Nicolas Philippon Make-up: Akari Sugino Model: Liu Huan at Women photographer’s assistant: Clemens Kenk

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Driving force

“Most of what we present at A/D/O poses a question or provocation that is intended to spark conversation,” he explains. “We don’t expect an installation to create solutions to things such as living and transportation on its own. Instead, we are excited to see how our design community reacts to what we present and how it may inspire their own work.”

The urban dynamics highlighted in Spirit of the City are just the tip of the iceberg for Poekert, who says we will see radical changes in terms of how we spend our day, where we spend it, and who we spend it with in the next 10-15 years. “Too much time is spent talking about the technologies of the future and not enough on evaluating the underlying needs of people and how those needs are changing,” he says. “Our future depends not just on what technologies are available but also the human values and principles that guide our implementation of those technologies. We believe that great design is critical to problem solving and think designers should have a seat at the table when solutions are being sought. The biggest shift we are trying to create is that great design can be the catalyst for change.”

In this way, MINI’s aim to let the changes in the world draw out its solutions and technologies, as well as allow great design to be a core part of moulding the way we live, is shared by Poekert and A/D/O. “What we are more interested in at A/D/O is the ‘future of design’, as in the role that creative

The past few decades have seen radical changes in how we live, move and transport ourselves, and there’s no sign of things slowing down.

Fortunately, MINI knows how to convert the challenges this presents into opportunities to improve the world around us. Oh yes, this is more than just a pretty car Words by Petter Bladlund Special thanks to MINI

The coming decades are bound to bring a flurry of drastic transformations, as urban metropolises grow bigger and more congested, as gentrification increases, and as the winds of climate change continue to affect the planet. A new urban landscape is materialising, one that will force organisations to think about the world in new ways. For MINI, the renowned and unmistakable car brand, these global issues are being turned into opportunities for building a better, more humane world for everyone. And it’s not just about cars.

At MINI, problems are never really problems, but rather opportunities for change, for doing things differently, for building something better. This mindset has been deeply ingrained in the company’s outlook since the 1950s, when the designer of the first model, Alec Issigonis, had to turn a pressing socio-economic issue into an opportunity – and succeeded big time.

In the late 1950s, the Suez Crisis put huge pressure on fuel prices, resulting in major rationing around the world. In this environment, the often big and fuel-hungry cars were less than useful. Something had to be done, so Issigonis set about finding a solution that would revolutionise the world of automotive transportation: the MINI, a car that was small, fuel efficient and beautiful as hell. It quickly came to be regarded as a style icon, heralded for its good looks as much as its practicality – a creative design approach that has come to be at the core of the company.

Naturally, the issues of our times are slightly different from the ones faced by Issigonis. What remains the same, however, is the company’s willingness to take action, to be part of shaping the world of tomorrow, whether that means designing innovative models (the company will premiere its first

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electric car in 2019) or finding new ways of addressing urban living. As always, it’s all about turning challenges into opportunities.

One initiative is A/D/O, whose name pays homage to Issigonis’s first design team: Amalgamated Drawing Office (ADO). The “new” A/D/O is a creative space in Brooklyn, New York, which MINI launched as a way of bringing together design-orientated people under the same roof. Made up of shared workspaces, studios, a design shop and a top-class restaurant, A/D/O has all the elements needed to initiate creative alchemy. And the people at A/D/O have indeed been creative. In Spirit of the City, an ongoing installation in the building’s courtyard, A/D/O is presenting a modular system of revolving mirrored columns that continuously produce dynamic compositions of movement, reflection, light and shadow, mirroring the activity and pace of city life. Linked to MINI’s objective to create emotionally anchored solutions for urban life, it explores the emotional and physical response individuals experience when navigating urban environments. For Nathan Poekert, director of marketing and communications at A/D/O, it’s also a way to engage the design community in a conversation around the future of urban living.

above: Alec Issigonis. from top: the revolutionary design of an early mini; the mirrored columns and workspace at a/d/o. below: the exteriors of a/d/o, brooklyn

fields will play in navigating all this uncertainty ahead,” he says. “Who are we empowering to make these changes? We believe it should be designers and design-driven companies. In making values-based decisions about future advancement, we see designers as the heroes of the future.”

To turn the challenges of tomorrow into design-driven opportunities, Poekert wants to unite global creative communities, expand A/D/O to multiple locations and build a strong online platform to link these parts together. He also wants to adopt MINI’s mindset of thinking about the world in wider terms, of coming up with global solutions that will benefit many people in different parts of the world.

The intention to connect visionary people through different initiatives and from different fields mirrors MINI’s own philosophy of thinking outside the box and the company’s willingness to build bridges, to think about urban life in broader terms, and its ambition to shape the future, instead of letting the future shape us. And it’s not only about making efficient, attractive cars – its focus includes a holistic, integrated perspective of building urban landscapes in which people can flourish.

The issues facing the world today might be different, but just like it wasn’t 60 years ago, MINI won’t be fazed. Instead, the company will seek to turn these challenges into opportunities, to find ways of building a more humane and emotionally sound world, not just by continuing to design innovative, good-looking cars, but by being an important force in shaping the world of tomorrow. It’s a bold ambition, but if there’s one company that has shown it can transcend and alter the boundaries of possibility, it’s MINI. What we’re seeing now is just the beginning.

We’re in for a ride!

Art, Music & Tailoring 53

EXPERTS IN MIXING SINCE 1783

TONIC & TOUCH OF LIME

TONIC & HIBISCUS

TONIC & PINK PEPPER