1
ACE is an online advertising and promotions agency that is open to representing ALL TALENT from ALL walks of life, trends and artistic creativeness. ACE deals with Models, Artists, Fashion Designers, MUA’s, Special SFX, Actors, Musicians, Businesses, Sports, Photographers, Dancers, Tattoo Artists, Body Artists both alternatively and commercially orientated. ACE aims to inspire, stimulate, promote, advertise and help bring employment into the lives of their clients within various sectors of the community at home and abroad. Currently ACE has an open house ethos where no contracts need to be signed. Freelance clients are welcome to come and go as they please. ACE advertises by making high quality video adverts for their clients. Clients can be further promoted by being shared across ACE’s various relative networks. High quality photographs are accepted and shared also on ACE’s online page and across their various relative networks gaining clients a very high organic reach. Prices for video advertisements and photo sharing vary depending on the type of quality the client wants. There is a Standard video, High Quality and the Super Delux video advert. For more information and pricing contact: T: 07710260041 - E: equalfashionmagazine@gmail.com or send a private message to the ACE facebook page www.facebook.com/acealternativecommercialequalagency
Equal,& Forever...
Hello everyone welcome to the very first print edition of equal Magazine. My name is Shelley Rodgers and I am the owner and founder of Equal Magazine. I would like to tell you a little bit about myself how “Equal” came to be and what it is all about. In a nutshell the birth of Equal Magazine evolved from a life and death scenario. It was completely organic, non contrived and totally unforeseen.
I am an artist, a professional photographer with a Masters Degree in Fine Art Photography. I have achieved over 20 front covers in Northern Ireland. Several of those front cover features were for The Ulster Tatler, Ulster Life, Ulster Bride and Northern Women. I’ve had my work published on many billboards across Belfast City and have had the privilege to shoot the work of Vivienne Westwood. My main Job (with tenure) was having the further privilege to teach special needs children and other people photography for 15 years at SERC in my hometown of Bangor in County Down Northern Ireland.
A few years ago I had to give an equal amount of care and attention to both my mother who was terminally ill and my niece who was born very premature, so I called the magazine EQUAL! With a strong focus on mine and other peoples alternative creative artistic side i continued to build Equal with a passion. I find the alternative creative arts much more liberating, freethinking and wildly attractive.
Shelley Rodgers Editor and Founder
Equal Magazine has now become a beautiful and strong platform showcasing, advertising, promoting and celebrating the amazing talent that many people and artists have on a local and international level which can go largely unseen at times in both commercial and alternative realms. As an artist I am very fond of most forms of art.That is why Equal is diversely inclusive to all walks of life. I hope Equal eclectically evolves emanating euphoric emotions. Equal includes Photography, Beauty, Fashion, Culture, Art, Dancers, Music, Sports and Businesses.
EQUAL means for me Equality, Quality in Unison with Art and Love. Equal gives everyone especially within the creative alternative arts the opportunity to shine and some within the commercial realms as it is embracive of both.
Today we live in an amazing world. We have always lived in an amazing world. Who knows where our world and we as a human race will be in the next 50 years. I hope it is a wonderful place, I hope it is a wonderful race, I hope you enjoy the magazine and I hope you all have a wonderful day... I hope !
EQUAL Fashion Contact:
For Editorial Submissions and Advertsing enquires: E:equalfashionmagazine@gmail.com Tel: 077 1026 0041
Contributors: Julia Clements , Joan McCartney, Ray Noble, Gordon Flynn, Aleah Leigh, Emma Gilles , Bernie McCallister, Conor Kerr, Willy Gallagher, Blades and Beauty, Paula Graffin. Design and Layout: Colyn Cranney
on the Cover...
Kamil Lemie Page 55
Contents...
FASHION
Aleah Leigh - Page 5 Crafty - Page 10 David Henderson - Page 12 Kat Condon aka Kat O'Strophic - Page 14
MODELS
Damon Armstrong - Page 17 Conchubhar Corbmac Macdaibhidh - Page 18 Marinalva (Mari) De Almeida - Page 20 Gordon Flynn - Page 26 Sara Vogel - Page 28 Cathy Cobane - Page 30 Inga Persephone - Page 32 Chloe Aboud - Page 34 Rachel Love - Page 36 Daniela Margiotta - Page 38
BEAUTY
Julia Clements - Page 43 wecancervive NI - Page 46 Doris Hermann - Page 48, Jayne Daley - Page 52
Briggitte Akosua Appiah Page 22
ALTERNATIVE
Kamil Lemie - Page 55, Victoria Gugenheim - Page 62 Jay Freestyle - Page 64, Belfast Alternative fashion Week 2016 - Page 66, Binder Tohani - Page 80, Pink Octopus by Caroline Dausmann - Page 82, Amit Bittoo Dey - Page 88
ART & MUSIC
Alan Quigley- Page 93, Lee Boyd - Page 96, Larry Coryell - Page 100 The Vicunas - Page 102
PHOTOGRAPHY
Bernie McAllister of Argyll Images - Page 105, Conor Kerr - Page 108
BUSINESS
Blades & Beauty - Page 113, Waters Sports - Page 114 Cranney & McCabe - Page 115 ACE The Alternative Commercial Equal Agency - Back Cover
3
4
Aleah Leigh
Designer and Creative Director Aleah Leigh is a highly creative fashion designer and creative director from London. Having a flare for creating something out of nothing, not only making dresses from recycled materials but building houses out of wine bottles too it seems Aleahs creativity has no limits and she strongly believes that most things we throw away can be reused. Aleah says “anything can be anything it is up to you to create it”.
Aleah has worked with Ashley Roberts from Pussy Cat Dolls, Air New Zealand, Runway to L.A to premier league football players. She is planning her next runway which will include another world first dress, hoping to break another world record having already been in the Guinness book of records before for making the worlds first dress specifically designed to go over a wheel chair. Proceeds go to “No to dog meat” charity towards building a medical centre in China for the dogs.
Not only is Aleah a highly rated creative her daughter Olivia Leigh James is gaining an industry belt just like her mother (also known as the dragon Lady of Directors).
Mini Dragon just recently landed a role in a feature film coming out later this year, which has a cast list including Luke Evens and Kellie Reiley called 10 times 10.
Aleah Leigh has showcased her work for the first time in Northern Ireland at Belfast Alternative Fashion Week (BAFW) in late 2016 to great applause and through her impressive work and extensive experience has even decided to help extend the franchise into London beginning with working on the first Equal London Magazine. Like it’s sister magazine “Equal” that you are reading now these shows could also be a live extension of that magazine just as BAFW was for this one.
Not only does Aleah Leigh make fantastic works of fashion from recycling materials she has also an acute and very desirable talent in making high end commercial fashion and underwear. Aleahs style is fully across the board and to a very high standard in both spectrums of her field. She always delivers with excellent style and a potent passion. 5
“anything can be anything it is up to you to create it�
Image Credts Teddy Bear Image: Olivia Leigh Photographer: Paride Ernesto Odierna , Bottle cap dress photographer: by Deborah Selwood.
Credits for black & white dress: Designer: Aleah Leigh Dragon Lady Productions Model: Gordon Flynn Photographer: Shelley Rodgers 8
9
Hi, my name is Emma Gilles and I am the creator and owner of the Crafty Belfast brand and I can’t believe that Crafty is now in the place I always dreamed it would be. Fellow creatives from all walks of life whom I respect are wearing crafty wink clothing.
From my love of styling and colouring hair & making simple beaded hair clips way back in 1999 and before I knew I didn’t always want to do 'just' hairdressing. I knew I wanted to be creative in other ways, so I turned to customising clothes to sell in my salon. I had always had my own way of tweaking my own clothes to make them unique to me.
In 2010 'Crafty Belfast was recognised as Belfast’s first concept store and I was nominated for an MBA. When Crafty Belfast came up on the screen at the city hall event as 4th shortlisted out of 50 individuals & multimillion pound companies across Ireland for innovation & excellence.
The Lyric Theatre won 1st place and rightly so. I was in shock. It was the first time anyone had created a concept store and I had done it in Belfast. Crafty Belfast was a retail shop art gallery, tearoom and hair salon. It sold an array of items from fine art, antiques, design, independent designer wares, junk, kitsch and a load crap ta boot. Tea n Tunes afternoons on a Saturday afternoon was bonkers with BYO and cheese boards galore. It was even listed as a go see for inspiration by the Art College. The Guardian wrote a piece in their Cool Britannia issue which I think sums up what the shop was like although add a sprinkle of black books and you've got it to a tee.
10
THAT WAS THEN AND THIS IS NOW Crafty Belfast has evolved into an ethical lifestyle brand and the concept has had the luxury of being able to be transferred from a stagnant retail shop to one that can go on tour and be alive online. Selling all sorts of handpicked design objet d'art. My sustainable clothing collection #Craftylabel couture street wear is currently being sold in Camden in London. My hairstyling services I’m grateful for are now freelance which allows me to be able travel to any event or festival and to and fro to London as and when I need to be there at a whim. My private custom hair and clothing workshop is based in Co Down.
If you wish to book an appointment with me at my private country workshop get intouch via message - FB, Twitter, Instagram, Soundcloud @craftybelfast, #creativeswearcrafty
You can buy #craftylabel through any our social media sites and through our online shop. Check out the events/festivals we will be hosting or attending randomly throughout the year too. www.crafty-belfast.com We daydream for a living. Crafty consults on all levels boutique to big. For everything you'll ever need to keep it creatively green #keepitcrafty ;) Crafty ;) Design since 1999
Left to Right: Conor Cormac Davidson, Connie Barenskie, Designer Emma Gilles of Crafty, Mother and Daughter Lani & Jess. Photographer: Bernie McAllister.
David Henderson
Imagination and creativity that is unique and captivating
David Henderson’s imagination and creativity is unique and captivating. With high quality craftsmanship David has mastered the art of stitching leather and printing on dresses. With this fusion the combination is both fascinating and mesmerizing.
David has had his work published many times on the front cover of the Ulster Tatler, Ulster Life and much more. The Northern Ireland designer has raised the template for other designers across Ireland and his work has adorned many catwalks including the famous and historic Belfast Alternative Fashion Week of 2016 which was the first Alternative Fashion show of it’s kind ever held in Ireland.
David also makes commercial designs as well as alternative creations. His new business is called Made & Measured which is a new garment alterations and repair shop, specialising in bespoke ladies wear design. Located at the heart of Moira village main street, Northern Ireland.
David is also the designer, creator and owner at Inverse Couture where they say “Dare to be DIFFERENT! Unique is an understatement and subtlety is not our thing, you can love or hate it it but either way you will appreciate it!
“Dare to be DIFFERENT!
Credits for pink & black dress: Designer: David Henderson Model: Mellisa Lyttle Photographer: Shelley Rodgers Make Up: Julia Clements Hair: All Aspects Hair design
Credits for black & white dress: Designer: David Henderson Model: Christina Horner Photographer: Shelley Rodgers Make Up: Theresa Toner Hair: battisti Hairdressing
www.facebook.com/madeandmeasured www.facebook.com/InverseCouture/ www.facebook.com/DavidHendersonFashiondesign
Kat CONDON
Miss O'Strophic Couture As you can see from these amazing images Kat O’Strophic draws her inspiration from the sartorial elegance of bygone years, where quality and detailed attention to all aspects of garment making was the norm.
Whether you require a vintage wedding dress, statement-coat, cloak, or distinctive quirky one-of-a-kind accessories, each piece is an absolutely unique creation handwoven over weeks. Every single bead, feather or sequin in the design is hand stitched in a labour love to bring about the creation of something very special.
To begin with, Miss Kat O’Strophic will arrange an appointment at her studio to discuss ideas and fabric choices. Measurements are taken and a toile will be made for you. This s to ensure a perfect fit and to give you an idea of what the garment will look like when made in the fashion fabric. To ensure the garment is perfect for you, a second toile may be necessary in some cases.
Miss O’Strophic also enjoys renovating and restoring original vintage pieces to their former glory, giving them another day in the sun. Sometimes the vintage garment may be crumbling and cannot be restored and in these cases the item can be remade into new fabric.
Many of the previously made garments are available for hire for photo shoots. Contact Miss O’Strophic to discuss. Kat is on Facebook and her website is www.missostrophic.com
14
Image Credits: Photographer: Eddie Kavanagh Model: Natasha James (Professional Model, UK based)
...she draws her inspiration from the sartorial elegance of bygone years...
Photographer: Noleen Kavanagh Model: Sara Vogel MUA: Michael Browne Dreads: Pink Octopus