THE FACE
THERE WAS ONLY ONE PLACE TO SEE AND BE SEEN ON 20TH AUGUST THIS YEAR- THE FACE. MODELS, MAKE-UP ARTISTS, STYLISTS, FASHIONISTAS, DESIGNERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, PUNKS, GOTHS, YOU NAME IT- ALL DESCENDED ON THE LEGENDARY CLUB NIGHT, INCLUDING AGENT2’s VERONICA CARPIO…
AGENT2's Veronica Carpio
Despite a brief hiatus, The Face club night returned with a bang, promising to ‘turn London back to its best with a night celebrating eccentricity, art, eclectic music, fashion and excess’. And it certainly delivered. The Green Carnation in Soho saw a night dedicated to freedom, beauty, art, eccentricity and extravaganza with renowned DJs Steve Strange and Princess Julia hitting the decks in a celebration of 80’s fashion and music. The aim? According to party boy, model and host Alejandro Gocast, “This night is all about expressing yourself, being free, releasing the artist in you, being whoever you want to be”.
The Green Carnation is a fitting backdrop for such hedonism. A stylish bar inspired by Oscar Wilde, with elegant décor, dim lighting and green and gold walls full of quotes from the writer- “I can resist anything except temptation”- the atmosphere is a cocktail of Bohemian passion and Victorian luxury with a laid-back ambiance.
Vaudeville’s darkest muse Mr Pustra was the star of the show, presenting his fabulous new show King Midas. Covered in gold, with bruised make-up, very long lashes and extreme red lips, he moved elegantly around the stage dripping wax onto his semi-naked body, transporting the viewers to a world of decadence and melancholy. There is no attempt at storytelling, simply a creation of beauty, an experiment, a fantasy, both visually stunning and hugely entertaining.
Mr. Pustra performs on stage
Mr Pustra started in 2006 creating shows inspired by the 1930s, Charlie Chaplin, cabaret and burlesque, making Vaudeville’s art fashionable again. “I want to create something that is visually beautiful. I don’t do shocking things as people don’t get shocked anymore”. He looks for unexpected ways to entertain the spectator: “I am on a continuous journey of learning, always trying different things, always challenging myself”. He gets his inspiration from films, music, paintings and then creates a unique performance. “I don’t follow anyone. I just do my own thing. The most important thing is to be passionate about what you do. You have to believe in yourself and then people will believe in you”.
And this is certainly something that partygoers have taken on board- with guests encouraged to ‘Bring along a face like no other’, we can’t wait for the next one…
Words Veronica Carpio Images Dan Harley
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LUCY ROYLE’S CLINICAL FASHION
LUCY ROYLE, A MANCHESTER-BASED, LEEDS-EDUCATED BRITISH DESIGNER SHOWED HER GRADUATE COLLECTION DURING GRADUATE FASHION WEEK LAST JUNE. INSPIRED BY THE MEDICAL TEXTBOOK GRAY’S ANATOMY, ANATOMICAL DRAWINGS AND SKELETAL AND MUSCULAR STRUCTURES, HER FIRST SHOW WAS REPRESENTATIVE OF HER BACKGROUND. LYDIA MILLIGAN MET WITH THE DESIGNER TO DISCUSS SPINE AND STYLE.
Your final collection, inspired by the medical world, was beautiful. Where did the idea spanned from?
My dad is a doctor and my mum is a nurse so growing up, I was surrounded by a lot of medical books. For my final collection, I though it would be really nice to do something that was part of my identity.
Your designs mirror the look of the body very well, especially the spine while looking very contemporary and individual.
Yes, the spine did feature quite primarily. It just kind of happened. You just mess about with ideas; one day I had a sample and just literally pinned it to the mannequin. Then, of course, once you start putting bits together you end up with an idea. People do comment on how much the draw cords mirror the spinal cord itself.
I noticed a written print design, where did this come from?
These are my dad’s revision notes when he was a student. Like the textbook, they have always been around the house. My dad’s handwriting is immaculate, beautiful. These notes were on anorexia and bulimia and I thought I would use them to add another dimension to my concept.
All your collections appear quite different, yet with a similar darkness to them. What inspired them?
The idea was to get a variety. In one collection, I focused on Ancient Greece and Sophia Kokosalaki. Greek mythology was a fascination of mine for years so I really wanted to look into it. My Rick Owens-inspired collection was a university-imposed challenge to associate with the designer and to design to their style. As he is a dark designer, this collection probably ended up the darkest. These are designers I really like anyway and I always look at their work.
You design primarily for sportswear; do you intend to continue that way?
Yes definitely, I did my work placement with Reebok which was great inspiration. I never had an interest in it, then while working at Reebok I realised how versatile it was. I think sportswear is the way we dress now and what consumers look for. We were talking at uni about how none of us really wear jeans anymore and you wonder if even jeans will fade; we all wear jeggings now!
Why did you go in to fashion?
To be honest, I sort of fell into it. I didn’t know what I wanted to do at university and by default, as I was doing an English Literature A level I applied to do English; as I filled in the application I just knew it wasn’t for me. I got rejected from every University I applied to. I took a year out to do an Art foundation course; it gave me time to think about where I wanted to study. I ended up following the fashion route. I drifted in to it, but fate told me that it was right.
You’re going on to do an MA at London College of Fashion, how did you end up there?
Our external examiner came to visit us back in January to have an informal chat. He came up to me and tapped me on the shoulder. He said, “If you want a place in a MA, you have one!” When this offer came along I thought, ‘I can’t turn it down.’
Where do you see yourself in five years?
After the MA I definitely would like to be working for a high-end luxury designer because I have never had experience in that field before. Ultimately, I want my own business. I think working for a more exclusive designer, you would have more engagement with how the company works as a whole and how they work overseas. In five years, I would like to be based in London and working for a designer.
Words Lydia Milligan
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AKABI: FEMALE STYLE INTELLIGENCE
THE BLISTERING SUMMER ISN’T THE ONLY THING BRINGING A HEAT WAVE TO LONDON. SUSTAINABLE AFRICAN WOMENSWEAR BRAND AKABI SHOWCASED ITS GOOD-NATURED, PRETTY PRINTED COLLECTION IN JULY, JUST MONTHS AFTER LAUNCHING THE LABEL. INSPIRED BY THE STRENGTHS AND ATTITUDES OF THE CONTEMPORARY FEMALE ‘URBANITE’, THE ‘LOVE FROM AFRICA’ COLLECTION IS A FUSION OF THE BRIGHT COLOURS AND THE ENERGY OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT. GET IT WHILE YOU CAN AS THIS ETHICAL BRAND ONLY PRODUCES ONE COLLECTION A YEAR.
Akabi means love in Greek. J’Quita, Akabi founder and designer , picked the name because “The foundation of what we do here at Akabi is love.”J’Quita’s passion for social responsibility, international development, sustainability, as well as her love for Africa led her to set up Akabi. She brings ethical intelligence and knowledge to the style of females worldwide and so she birthed the tagline ‘female style intelligence’. Her triple aim is to “promote Africa / empower women / love Earth.”The line has a casual side and incorporates feminine shapes and prints to make the garments fresh for an evening out in the peak of the British summertime. Sculpted skin-tight trousers compliment edgy harem pants. Akabi’s eco friendly collection promotes Africa as a continent with a great future. It raises awareness of the possibilities of trading with Africa and supports existing sustainable businesses presently in Kenya and Ghana by incorporating their work in the Akabi collections.
The organic cotton pieces are sprinkled with batik print work from Ghana. J’Quita also uses war parachutes, creating jackets and outerwear with a military feel. The production is innovative whilst keeping traditional crafts alive and bringing it to new markets.
Akabi supports women from disadvantaged backgrounds, encouraging them to develop skills, such as sewing, to empower them so that they can set up their own businesses. J’Quita is passionate about pushing the eco friendly aspect of the brand, “Our intention is to be a sustainable, desirable and ethically made in Africa fashion and lifestyle brand. It’s our social responsibility to take action where possible and to reduce the environmental impact as much as we can and in all we do.”Environmentally friendly or water-based inks for printing are used on the cotton jersey styles to help reduce the impact on the environment. Many items are made in Bamboo as well as Hemp/Organic cotton twills. The organic cotton is ‘Made in Africa’ and 100% Organic Cotton & Social Standards Certified.
Akabi will donate 10% of sales to the Seed of Hope charity. The organisation works with orphaned, destitute and disadvantaged teenage girls in Kenya, and helping them to have brighter future.
Words Jennifer Butler
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KOPPARBERG KLASH X VICE
August 23, 2010 by Editor
Filed under EDITOR'S DESK
Passion for film? Check! Passion for music? Check! Passion for fashion and photography? Check, check! Then Kopparberg Klash in association with our friends over at VICE has got your name written all over it.
The Swedish cider Kopparberg has teamed up with VICE to bring you the newest wave of talent in all of the afore mentioned areas. Selcted by an uber-cool team with their fingers on the pulse, finalists will have their work showcased at one of four events at different locations across East London, with the winners of these being celebrated at one final Kopparberg Klash.
September 1st sees the big finale and the end result of the weeks of hard work with one final, almighty celebration of the talents that have been discovered. The band will play, the short film will screen, the photographers and stylists will have their work on display and AGENT2 will be there with a cold Koppaberg firmly in hand (well, it would be rude not to).
The finale takes place at the Queen of Hoxton, September 1st. Get yourselves down there and check it out for yourselves.
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BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL – AFRO HAIR AND BEAUTY SHOW 2010
August 23, 2010 by Editor
Filed under BEAUTY AND GROOMING
OVER THE SPRING BANK HOLIDAY THE 29TH ANNUAL AFRO HAIR AND BEAUTY SHOW WAS HELD AT THE CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS DESIGN CENTRE, ISLINGTON, LONDON. THE BLACK HAIR AND BEAUTY INDUSTRY IS WORTH MILLIONS OF POUNDS YEAR, YET GO INTO ANY MAINSTREAM BEAUTY OUTLET AND YOU’LL BE HARD PUSHED TO FIND SPECIFIC RANGES FOR NON-WHITES. AS A RESULT OF THIS UNDER-REPRESENTATION, EACH YEAR HUNDREDS ‘ETHNICALLY FOCUSED’ COMPANIES BECOME EXHIBITORS AND SET UP STALL PROMOTING PRODUCTS THAT, BY AND LARGE, ARE AIMED AT THE EVER GROWING AFRO-CARIBBEAN/BLACK/MIXED CONSUMER POPULATION.
This year the show’s buzzword was diversity. Gone are the days when the choice of hair style for women of colour was limited to wearing your chemically straightened hair either long or short. Today ‘Relaxer’ packs are still sold by the truck-load but we’re more likely than ever before to spot a woman of colour sporting her ‘natural’ hair. Subsequently, this year a greater emphasis was placed on natural hair options, which shone with ingenuity, and exhibitors were dedicated to spilling natures secret’s to incredibly healthy hair. A programme of seminars provided the opportunity to learn via the conventional methods; and Stop Watch Stylist competitions, challenged hairdressers to create inventive hair designs within a strict fifteen minute time slot to prove just how easy it is to tame a dense mass of afro hair, and win the approval of the celebrity judges in attendance.
Dyhema from the Southeast London salon, LocsTafari, specialises in ‘Locs’ and natural hair grooming, inspired by the legacy of her African heritage and upbringing. Whether it’s an Afro, Micro Thin Locs or organically grown Jumbo Locs her approach is the same; natural oils, blessed hands and hearts of love.
To create ‘Locs’ Dyhema explains that “several techniques can be used, so many, [laughs] just so many. You can use your fingers to twist sections of hair into ‘Locs’. You can get a flannel or woolly jumper and rub round in circles around your head – you’lll start to notice little ‘Loc’ balls forming. The most common technique is simply by doing it organically. Just leaving your hair and it’ll eventually mat together and form ‘loc’s on their own. Or there’s ‘Interlocking’ which involves using a needle to hook sections of hair together.”
She found herself within the professional ‘Loctitian’ circle when she “started just doing favours for friends. Then I realised that my hair diary was more hectic than my work diary. It’s something that I enjoy doing, so I decided to make a career out of it. It’s amazing how little is known about a natural hair style so it gives me a chance to help people express themselves.”
When asked whether she would advise going to the ‘Loctitian’ often, or just let the ‘Locs’ do their own thing, she continued: “It depends totally on the individual. Some people in the corporate world would go to the salon more often because they want to keep the ‘sharp’, ‘fresh’ look. They might need to go to the salon more often than someone is an artist. What I do say though, is that in life, too much of one thing is not bad thing. You can kind of over-do ‘Locs’ as constantly re- twisting the ‘Locs’ can make them weak, so I would advise grooming them not more than once every two weeks.”
Despite the attendance of exhibitors championing natural hair, the promotion of human and synthetic false hair is still the main draw for the thousands of visitors to the Afro Hair and Beauty Show.
Exhibitor ‘Neferlady’ boasts of supplying “100% Virgin Natural Brazilian and Malaysian Hair from 10 – 24 inches”, ‘Lace Wig Elegance’ peddles “Brazilian, Indian, Peruvian, and Malaysian hair that is 100% virgin, guaranteed tangle free that moves naturally”, ‘Bullfinch International Ltd’ are manufacturers of “luxurious, flowing 100% Virgin Remy Indian Human Hair”. It is exactly this massive demand for straight false-hair alternatives that inspired award-winning comedian and filmmaker, Chris Rock, to investigate this pandemic in his hilarious Fall 2009 documentary, Good Hair, Chris visits beauty salons and hairstyling battles, much like those of the Afro Hair and Beauty Show; but also visits scientific laboratories and Indian temples to explore the way hairstyles impact the activities, pocketbooks, sexual relationships, and self-esteem of the black community. The film was heavily promoted at the event.
The show also provided an opportunity to observe the beautiful models and fabulous designs from some of the finest UK designers of Afro-Caribbean/Black/Mixed heritage and be bowled over by street dance routines choreographed and performed by the stars of the latest dance movie StreetDance. ‘Tamarind Books’, the leading independent publisher of multicultural picture books held a creative writing workshop on writing multicultural stories for children and teens and discussed the importance of representing of black children in literature.
The Bank Holiday Weekend was brought to a close with the amazing ‘Sensationnel Icon’ competition. The most creative hair designers from around the country, each created a collection of elaborate masterpieces showcasing their visions in colour, shape and astounding workmanship. The winner was Angela Plummer of Sour2Sweet in North London who knitted and plaited the hair extensions into millinery inspired creations to music by Grace Jones.
Words and images Almaz Ohene
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MEET BENTMAN, AKA CHARLES TAYLOR JR, THE RAPPER SON OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA
Andy Capper editor of Vice UK went to report on the goings-on when he recalled that during his excursion into Liberian ghettos for the Vice Guide to Liberia he’d conducted an interview with Charles Taylor Jr that was left on the cutting-room floor. Jr is a rapper, aka Bentman, and his mother and Charles Taylor Sr are no longer married. Andy thought we should pull the piece out of mothballs and revisit it.
Read the full article here
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VIVIENNE WESTWOOD X LEE
Few things are more British than fashion’s Grande Dame Vivienne Westwood and few things are more American than Lee Jeans. What do you get when these two flag bearers of national style team up? A new fantastic collection of jeans with traditional Lee construction and the usual Westwood style and eccentricity.
The 9-piece capsule collection for men and women features everything from tiny shorts and ultra-skinny jeans to roomy boyfriend styles.
AGENT2 has ours already and we are guarunteed to make heads turn at the rodeo the next time we step out in these.
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DERMALOGICA EVENT
August 8, 2010 by Editor
Filed under EDITOR'S DESK
Beauty bloggers and journalists were invited to get under the skin of the Dermalogica brand earlier this week at Dermalogica Kensington. Taking us on the 25 year journey of the cult skincare range was founder Jane Wurwand, whose presentation proved to be super motivational.
Focused not just on the professional skincare industry, the talk touched on entrepreneurship (‘identify the pain and you’ve found the opportunity’), the power of marketing via word of mouth and a good dose of feel good, girl power -98% of skin therapists are women, after all. Jane quoted from former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (which I enjoyed so much I just had to include it) by stating that ‘there’s a special place in hell reserved for women who don’t help other women’. It was all unifying, sisterly stuff, which left you with the feeling that, as a financially independent and ambitious woman, anything is possible.
Jane is also the brains behind The International Dermal Institute and it became clear that the Institutes cutting edge research on the Dermalogica line is what gives Dermalogica its point of difference, and goes a long way into accounting for its massive global reach. The foundation of Dermalogica as a ‘skin wellness’ range, as opposed to a beauty brand consisting of luxury skin products, all over-priced packaging and cryptic content, remains refreshing and relevant.
Education over, it was hair bands on (very fetching) and we were all digging into Dermalogica’s ‘hero’ products under the guidance of a skin therapist (the Daily Resurfacer was a resounding winner in my group). A Face Mapping skin analysis was available at the end of the evening, which assesses and detects your problem areas and recommends a treatment prescription, a free service that’s available for anyone feeling complexion curious.
I left the evening something of a Dermalogica disciple, ready, in true Dermalogica style, to spread the word.
Words Emma Harding
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THE DOLL HOUSE JEWELLERY
HELEN TURTON HAS JUST LAUNCHED THE DOLL HOUSE, AN INDEPENDENT JEWELLERY COMPANY. EVERY PIECE IS INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNED, SOURCED AND HANDMADE USING DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES, CREATING A UNIQUE, KITSCH LOOK. ALMAZ OHENE MET HER TO CHAT ABOUT HER INSPIRATION, HER BUSINESS PLANS AND WHY SHE DIDN’T GIVE ALMAZ A PIECE FOR HER BIRTHDAY; SEE, ALMAZ AND HELEN GO WAY BACK…
We meet at a Sheffield bar. Helen orders pink fruit beer for both of us while I admire her outfit. She’s wearing… well, she places her hands in front of her on top of the bar, so that I can see her jewellery. On three of her fingers, she’s sporting dinner plate rings. Eggs, chips and beans on one hand, and a Full-English Breakfast on the other. About her neck is a rocking horse necklace. Clipped in her hair is a large, pink gingham bow, which, on closer inspection, forms the cloth of a tiny champagne picnic. This woman loves fashion – that much is obvious from her high-waisted tailored hot pants paired with floral print tights. Naturally, I ask her is why she chose to go into jewellery and not clothes.
“I started out modifying my own clothes, getting fridge magnets and gluing them onto shoes and generally trying to modify my own wardrobe.
“I like things to be unique. I’ve always had a passion for jewellery. The Doll House stemmed from having gone down to a little shop which sold miniatures for dollhouses when I was at college. I saw a little telephone and though that it would look amazing if I turned it into a ring. The whole thing just blossomed from there.”
I ask her where she sources all of the fantastic dolls house miniatures.
“I go into dollhouse emporiums, look around and decide which bits will look amazing if I turn them into jewellery. Sometimes, I come up with an idea and hunt down a piece, often through scouring free-ads pages or going to car-boot sales. I also find new and vintage material on eBay.”
As well as the themed collection ‘In The Kitschen’ and ‘The Music Box’, Helen creates individual pieces such as the Grandfather Clock Brooch, the Telephone Fascinator, the Rocking Horse Necklace and Teacup Earrings.
It was time for the inevitable question about her inspiration.
“There was no designer or person who I saw and then said, ‘Oh, right so I need to look like that.’ The people that inspire me are different. They include designers like Vivienne Westwood and like TigerMilk, who are some of my own friends. They spur me on and let me know that it’s cool to keep things different from everything else out there.”
She’s collaborated with photographer Holly Booth on a couple of promotional shoots which have a very distinctive style.
“We wanted to make the model look like a living doll. I had some crazy make up done by Lucy Engelfield, an amazing make-up artist. Holly and I worked on getting the right angles and the right lighting to make her look just like a Porcelain doll.”
Helen talks animatedly about the second ‘location’ shoot. She mentions a few different people who were part of that project; I wonder what it was like to work with a team.
“For the second shoot, I worked with Lotte Manson and Kirsty Mann, the TigerMilk girls, brainstorming ideas for backdrops. We had an idea for an Alice in Wonderland theme that eventually developed into something involving mirror and chandeliers in the woods.
“Having a crew made it more fun. Holly did some really good work, working out the best camera angles and the best lighting; angling the mirrors so the end product looked really beautiful.”
Helen’s jewellery is currently on sale at Syd and Mallory’s in Sheffield. I wonder how she sees her business developing from there?
“I got involved with Syd and Mallory’s quite recently. That was my first progression to taking the whole thing seriously, rather than just wearing my own jewellery. When I have more time I’m going to expand it, buy the materials in bulk and try to get more pieces finished. I really like little boutique shops but I’d like to branch out to other cities too.”
When pushed on the issue of her particular ethos she replies:
“I really like having clothes and jewellery that look different to what other people are wearing. My main idea is getting something kitsch and unique to everybody that wants to wear the jewellery. No piece of jewellery is exactly the same as any other piece; so when you buy a piece it’ll be completely different from anything that anybody else has.”
Words Almaz Ohene
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AGENT2 HAD A FIELD DAY
LAST WEEKEND SAW THE SAHARA DESERT DUSTY VICTORIA PARK IN EAST LONDON HOST THIS YEAR’S FIELD DAY. PEOPLE WERE OUT IN THEIR DENIM AND SUN HATS BRAVING BEING BURNT IN THE OPEN MEADOW. A HORIZON OF CHECKED SHIRTS MET YOU AS YOU WALKED IN AND OUT OF TENTS FOR SOME SHADE AND SOMEONE TO DRINK YOUR BEER WITHOUT GETTING A MOUTHFUL OF DUST AND STRAW. JENNY BUTLER OF AGENT2 MAGAZINE LOOKS AT A RUNDOWN OF THE BEST BANDS ON OFFER AND ALL THE DAY HAD TO OFFER.
When I got through the rather lengthy ticket queue just to get into another queue to get in the cider was really about to hit on. A plethora of fairground shenanigans were all around and I couldn’t help but be a little tempted by the coconut shys. From the corner of my eye I could see a number of crazy trendies having a go at a sack race. Of course this was no match for the skinny jean wearing boys, who were use to feeling restricted in their every day movements.
The first band that caught my eye was Amiina at the Village Mentality Tent. I could hear the familiar sound of violins, plus it was the first tent as you entered the festival. A chilled way to start the day, the use of a saw to create a haunting whistle was pleasing so early on in a hot day.
The early part of the day is generally spent spiralling in and out of tents trying to squeeze in as many acts as possible. As I went winding in to the Adventures in the Beetroot field tent to see Atlas Sounds, one of the bands I was desperate to see I could hear sound problems from the outset. Riddled with sound issues, the muffled vocals and crumpled instruments made this brilliant band sound terrible in comparison to their great album.
The main stage held host to a number of quality acts. Lightspeed Champion got the crowd dancing in the 4 o’clock heat. His raw energy and simple set up was perfect. By far the best band of the day was The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. It was Jay-Z with trumpets, synchronised moves and rippled six packs. If you haven’t heard of them this Chicago based 9 -piece is something special. Mix in the occasional rap and you have a mixture of soulful hip hop.
As night time fell the stage was lit for Phoenix. Having seen this band back in the Camden Roundhouse six months ago I didn’t rate them and went to see them, as most people, because they were headlining. Although they have improved and some of their songs are catchy, they are nothing more than a band of the moment. They were a light bite after some of the days more complicated and more musically capable bands, but they were nothing special. But, for a brief moment as least, they got my feet dancing like a cat on a hot tin roof.
Words Jennifer Butler Images Professor Nerdester
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