VOL. 1 ISSUE 7
MARCH 2013
HAMELEON ‘Something in the water’ EP release
Biological technology CINEMA WILL NEVER BE THE SAME
Experimental foods PLUS COVERAGE FROM LONDON FASHION WEEK 2013
Creative Focus
Editor Letter
THELMA LAY
Brainstorming topics for upcoming editions is an exciting and fun part of working for a magazine. I never fail to be amazed at the wealth of talent out there and meeting and talking to the people behind the stories is one of the most rewarding aspects of the job. At MANIERA we look for features from a wide range of lifestyle options, from the traditional to the downright quirky, from art to science, music to technology, fashion to food, as well as taking our readers to cultural places of interest and great places to visit. It is immensely satisfying when I see it all come together in a finished edition of the magazine. At MANIERA we are especially interested in introducing our readers to new and emerging talent and in our February 2013 edition we had the privilege of featuring some of the work done by the fashion illustrators from the Gallery of Fashion Art (GoFA). One of the main aims of GoFA is to generate interest in the work of modern fashion illustrators whether those artists are already well known or are artists who are yet to be discovered. Here at MANIERA we were not only impressed with the quality of the art, but also with the entire concept of GOFA, which seeks to reintroduce people to the the lost art of fashion illustration. Chief Operations Officer and senior staff writer Juliette Lord approached GoFA to see if they would be interested in holding a contest for our April 2013 edition with the winning piece being featured on the cover. The artists were given a brief which was to focus on the meaning of the word MANIERA , which is Italian for ‘style’ and to incorporate the company colors of black, gold and lavender. We have already received some excellent
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entries and I think selecting just one winner will prove very difficult. We pride ourselves on being an international magazine. Our staff are based all over the world and our stories cover people from across the continents. Our readership also is becoming increasingly global and over the last few months we have seen a marked increase in readers from Latin America, Asia as well as in the Middle East. This year has been really encouraging and positive way with our readership, and impressions continue to steadily climb each month. Keep up to date with what is going on by following us on Facebook and Twitter. But keeping up our standards and scouring to find you intriguing people, places and things takes time. In order to produce the best magazine possible and maximize our online distribution we need to make some changes to our online platform. One of the major changes will be a move over to a paid subscription base effective May 15. The cost of the subscription will be competitive, and this move will allow us to utilise the various digital newsstands and produce a quality magazine not only on the web but also with tailor made apps for the full range of digital devices. In this way we can keep up with the demands of an ever changing online publishing environment. As a thank you to the loyal readers who have been with us from the outset and our much appreciated subscribers ,we will be offering a generous discount on the subscription price so please watch out for further details.
Thelma Lay MARCH 2013
Where fashion and art join together to create something amazing! ăťŒ
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EDITORIAL
editor-in-chief Thelma Lay
Read past issue of our digital publication at mymaniera.com archive
writers Cyntia Aranday, Gabriel Berger, Thelma Lay, Juliette Lord, Sara Lovelace graphic design & layout Sara Lovelace
BUSINESS
publisher/owner Thelma Lay chief operations officer / promotions Juliette Lord
ABOUT US
MANIERA Magazine is a art, fashion and technology lifestyle publication owned, operated and published by MANIERA LLC. Any views, opinions or interpretations expressed in columns are solely those of the author and do not represent those of Maniera LLC and its subsidiaries. Maniera LLC will not accept any responsibility for any views, opinions or interpretations expressed in the pages of Maniera Magazine, MyManiera.com or other communications.
EDITORIAL INQUIRIES
All editorial inquiries including submissions and feature ideas are to be sent to editorial@mymaniera.com.
BUSINESS AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES
All business inquires are to be sent to our chief operations officer at juliette.lord@mymaniera.com All advertising inquires are to be sent to advertising@mymaniera.com.
VISIT US ONLINE
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CONTENTS
MARCH 2013 | VOL. 1 ISSUE 7
REGULARS
Publisher’s Note Creative Focus Health & Beauty Mani Style Man Style Int. Travel
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FEATURES THE END OF ‘NO BATTERY’ BIOLOGICAL TECHNOLOGIES REDEFINING AVANTE GARDE
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LONDON FASHION WEEK 2013 CHAMELEON
COVER
THE ART OF SWING
14 MARCH 2013
EXPERIMENTAL FOOD SOCIETY
|CHAMELEON
THE STORY
4 20 70 72 74 80
10 14 22 24 56 64 66 76
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The end of the....
DEAD BATTERY?
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BY JULIETTE LORD
One of the worst things about cell phones is running out of battery... and being unable to recharge because either you don’t have the charger with you or there is nowhere to plug in. With smart phones now able to carry out a multitude of tasks, we are using them more often and for longer periods, draining out the battery while go about our daily business. French based company Wysips®( pronounced wee-zips and standing for “What You See Is Photovoltaic Surface”) may have come up with the answer to this annoying problem. Wysips® are part of the Sunpower Group, a firm which specializes in the research, development and application of innovative technology in the area of photovoltaic solar energy. “Wysips technologies are based on an optical process: a layer of semi-cylindrical lenses is bonded to a layer of photovoltaic cells,” the company explained. “Together, they generate an optical effect that masks the photovoltaic cells and produces electricity by capturing energy from natural or artificial light. The photovoltaic cell is invisible to the eye, regardless of the viewing angle.” In effect what this means is you cannot see it and it generates electricity! At the 2013 World Mobile Congress held in Barcelona last month, Wysips® introduced an entirely functional smartphone equipped with this technology. The Wysips Crystal® component, placed beneath the screen, supplies enough energy to guarantee your phone stays
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permanently charged. Light energy is recovered and transformed into electric power that is directed back into the phone charging circuit, as if it were plugged into an electrical source or connected to a USB port on a computer. The component is a mere 500 microns thick (approximately half a millimeter) and is situated between the phone screen and the touch panel without any effect on either the aesthetics of the design or the touch screen properties. The best way to generate power is by exposing the screen to either natural or artificial light. An additional benefit is that the viewing angle on the screen is increased. On the iPhone 3G, which was used to demonstrate the technology, the average 50-degree viewing angle on the device was enlarged to 180 degrees by placing the film inside the device. This could present a low-cost answer to improving the viewing experience on cheaper devices with lower quality displays that currently perform poorly when viewed at an angle. Because the technology is suited to both indoor and mobile applications it can be adapted to any type of screen such as tablets, computers, watches and billboards and windows. The first mobile phones equipped with Wysips Crystal速 technology are expected to be on the market by the end of the year. For more information go to http://sunpartnergroup.com/
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DIVERGENCE Choosing from the many worlds of interactive cinema BY JULIETTE LORD
The future of Cinema has many outcomes “Interactive” films have been around since the 1960s and usually center on the notion of “audience choice”. This choice is often illusory with the outcome predetermined or limited by the Director, a concept which was used to full effect by one of the pioneers of the genre, director Radúz Cincera, who directed the world’s first interactive movie Kinoautomat in 1967. The film was actually made as a satire of democracy, where everyone votes but the outcome remains the same. This is one of the reasons why Alexis Kirke, Director of the 15 minute short film Many Worlds prefers to describe his new movie as ‘intelligent cinema’ as opposed to ‘interactive’. The film premiered last month at the Algoshorts Film Festival which was part of the Peninsula Art Contemporary Music Festival (Plymouth UK) . The festival staged a number of what are known as algorithmic films. These are films which include computer-generated scripting, editing, direction and soundtracks. Kirke is already well known as a composer who has worked across multiple platforms, producing large-scale multimedia and acoustic works, and the creation of science-based algorithmic musical scores. He is no stranger to ground breaking technology with a previous project including a duet featuring sub-atomic particles. He is a member of the University of Plymouth’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research, and has published articles on Algorithmic Composition and Performance. However Many Worlds takes the concept of
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A research version of the braincap that is worn by the audience during the screening to measure their EEG. The one used in the premiere was much smaller and went round the head like a headband. | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF ALEXIS KIRKE
technological advancement a stage presented is based on the biological further by getting the audience to signal feedback received from the subconsciously determine both the audience to determine the plot and development of the story and the soundtrack. For example, with the soundtrack to the film. The apsoundtrack the music can be made proach he adopts however is not deeper slower and more discordant one of audience choice but rather to create more fear, if the readings an attempt to ‘read’ the mood of the indicate the audience are feeling too audience by means of their biologi- laid back. cal signals. A sample of the audience The title of the film is based are hooked up to special monitors, on the quantum physics theory, no more intrusive than a pair of 3-D the many-worlds interpretation glasses which then mea(MWI), which postulates sure certain physical that the universe is responses to the composed of “In 100 years it film. many paral“The lel worlds could make reading is which exstandard forms of achieved ist in adby meadition to storytelling seem as suring the one primitive and inflexible as heart which rate, how we are stone carvings on a cave conscious well the skin conof. Each seem to us now.” ducts electrictime a quanKIRKE ity (a measure of tum experiment perspiration), muscle which has more than tension in the wrist, and front one outcome is performed, the activation of EEG alpha brainwaves,” theory states that in fact all outKirke explained. “Weighted nucomes are obtained, each in a differmerically and summed these give a ent world, even though we are only measure of what is called emotional aware of the outcome in the world ‘arousal’ across the sample. It comes we inhabit, according to Relative from a two dimensional model of state formulation of quantum meemotion called the valence-arousal chanics in the book entitled “Review model. Valence is positivity of emo- of Modern Physics” by H. Everett. tion, and arousal is physical intenThe plot of the film includes sity. For example, joy and happy are a physics experiment including a both high valence, buy joy would be depressed girl, a box and a cyanide higher arousal. Similar fury and de- gas-capsule connected to a Geiger pression are both negative valence, counter, a type of particle detector but fury would be high arousal, and that measures ionizing radiation. depression low arousal.” Much of the rest is determined by There are four possible endthe audience. ings to the film, and the ending Although the technology associMARCH 2013
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ated with the movie is in its infancy in terms of cinema, Kirke sees the possibility of it being adopted in some form by Hollywood. “OK, they may not be able to afford multiple story versions, but how about multiple cuts or two to three endings or slightly changed soundtracks?” Kirke said. “We live in the era of blu-rays being released of multiple cuts of films, sometimes on the same blu-ray! It may be that this technology starts to blossom in homes before it does in cinemas. But will entertainment companies be able to resist the call of the high publicity, high prestige world of cinema? Also it brings back a uniqueness to cinema that cannot be found in the home – a truly communal experience of created entertainment perhaps?” There are plans for the film to be shown at other festivals and locations in the near future, and it is possible that a “four way version” will be released whereby the screen is split into 4 parts and shows all versions of the film simultaneously thanks to some excellent editing by editor Craig Whyte. Kirke teasingly mentions that he can “foresee ways in which the film will be viewable in a reactive way on a laptop or over the internet, but I won’t go into these now, as I’m still developing them!”
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However Kirke does not believe that the potential for this technology is confined to cinema or film. “There are immense opportunities for setting up feedback loops,” Kirke tells MANIERA of his vision. “I originated a project a couple of years ago which is for scanning a person’s brain in real time and using that to control a computer that composes and performs music live to the person. The system attempts to learn (using artificial intelligence) what types of music and sound trajectories will drive a person’s emotions in the desired direction. This obviously has therapeutic uses – e.g. for anxiety and depression, as well as entertainment uses. Now music is powerful, but music and vision is even more powerful! So imagine a system which could do the above, but uses both music and computer generated visuals. Now imagine that the system could also utilize well known emotional techniques from film such as characterization and dramatic arc. If such a system could learn to fine tune itself using AI then we are looking at an audio-visual impact unlike society has ever seen. A drug of tremendous proportions. In 100 years it could make standard forms of storytelling seem as primitive and inflexible as stone carvings on a cave seem to us now.”
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TOP - a rehearsal shot of Charlie Boyle and Olivia Gentile. RIGHT - BOTTOM Director Alexis Kirke, Boyle, sound man Joel Forde on set of the film. | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF ALEXIS KIRKE
Creative Focus
Portraits
capturing likenesses in charcoal BY JULIETTE LORD
In the past, before the invention of photography, portraits were the only way of capturing a person’s likeness. Contemporary artist Nicola Paton takes a modern photographic draimage and transforms it into a dra uncannimatic charcoal work of art, uncanni ly accurate but with an added depth. Paton was born in Birmingham, England in 1972. She is a self- taught charartist who works with pencil, char coal and pastels on paper. Each piece of artwork is a one off and takes between 15-50 hours to produce. “I’ve been working with charcoal, it’s a medium that allows me to recreate the emotions of the human face,” Paton said. “My portraits vary from the famous to the unknown, and I love to capture the story behind every image.” Her eclectic mix of subjects range from celebrities to the homeless, she draws whatever inspires her. Her latest work is a portrait of an unnamed Malaysian lady, an image she discovered on the internet and to which she instantly drawn. She immediately knew the lady must become a piece of artwork. “She has the most beautiful and compelling features and feel,” Paton said. “She has an interesting story behind those eyes.” Paton is also greatly influenced by the photography of amateur photographer Lee Jeffries who has 20 | MANIERA | mymaniera.com
produced a haunting set of blackand-white portraits of homeless people on the streets of Europe and America. Paton is exhibiting one of her Jeffries-inspired pieces Homeless Man at the Coffee Lounge 10-11 Navigation Street, Birmingham, England throughout April and May. All monies raised will be donated to a charity for the homeless. “We all encounter homeless people and often walk on by without a second thought for the harsh life they lead,” Paton explained about the plight of the homeless. “I wanted to create the reality of living on the street and this homeless man’s face has a story to be told.” Her drawing of the late English musician Amy Winehouse currently for sale will also have the proceeds donated to charity, this time the Amy Winehouse Foundation, a charity helping homeless and disadvantaged children in London. “Amy Winehouse was an exceptionally talented and inspirational soul,” Paton said. “it was such a sad and tragic loss when she died. I wanted to create a piece of artwork of Amy’s beautiful face and when the piece sells the money will be donated to the Amy Winehouse Foundation.” Nicola Paton’s work is for sale via her website and she does take commissions.
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Clockwise from top left – Nicola Paton holding a drawing of a young Queen Elizabeth II; the charcoal of Amy Winehouse; “The Old Man”; a charcoal drawing of a homeless man and the unnamed “Malaysian Lady.” MARCH 2013
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|ALBERT SANCHEZ PHOTOGRAPHY
The third dimension of
printed couture BY JULIETTE LORD
Three dimensional printing is proving to be extremely versatile as it moves into the field of couture. Internationally renowned Queen of Burlesque Dita Von Teese stepped forward in an amazing articulated 3D printed dress at the Ace Hotel, New York earlier this month. Three dimensional specialists Shapeways presented an interactive encounter of technology and design that explored how digital technology can revolutionize the future of fashion. The dress worn by Von Teese was a three way collaboration between Shapeways, Michael Schmidt Studios and Francis Bitonti Studio. Michael Schmidt designed the gown which was then constructed - made into a model - by architect Bitonti. Shapeways then printed the dress in nylon in 3D. The gown was assembled from 17 separate pieces, with nearly 3,000 unique articulated joints, dyed black, lacquered and adorned with over 13,000 Swarovski crystals to create a sensual flowing form. Schmidt is a wardrobing and jewellery designer who has an impressive client list which includes Madonna, Cher, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Debbie Harry, Dita Von Teese, Dolly Parton, Tina Turner, Steven Tyler, Ozzy Osbourne and many others. A number of his pieces are on permanent display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Bitonti is an architect/designer and researcher based in New York. His studio is dedicated to the application and research of new technologies, specifically smart materials and algorithmically generated form. The studio is interested in the integration of these technologies into architectural design and construction. Although this dress is at the boundaries of haute couture and art, we are already seeing 3D printing being used in more mainstream fashion, particularly footwear by leading sportswear manufacturer Nike. As 3D printing develops further we can expect to see more of it in the world of clothing and fashion. MARCH 2013
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|MAKEDA JOHN
l a i c e sp
Fashion weeks are more than just a steady stream of fashion shows by famous designers. As wonderful as these shows are, there are other interesting things to see off the runway. While the top designers get plenty of press coverage, some of the less well-known and emerging designers do not get the column space they deserve, often because of the sheer volume of talent to report on. MANIERA was lucky enough to be at London Fashion Week last month and watched some amazing shows, such as Sister at Sibling which we feature for you in this month’s edition. We also managed to talk to some fantastic new designers who are definitely ones to watch and had our eyes on some of the stylish audience members who deserve to be mentioned as they add to the overall ambience and experience of what is London Fashion Week. In fact even the Occupy protesters, including fashion designer Kelly Shaw, demonstrating outside Somerset House managed to look suitably stylish.
S t r e e t Styles and sights of London Fashion W e e k 2013. |MAKEDA JOHN
Hellen Van Rees
|ABOVE – KARIN VAN DER MEUL; FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY KIM BUCKARD
Hellen Van Rees is a Dutch fashion designer who graduated from the prestigious MA Fashion at Central Saint Martins in London in February 2012. After graduation, she moved to the Netherlands to start her own fashion label. Her first collection was shown during London and Paris Fashion Week and was named “One to Watch” by London design platform Fashion Scout. Dutch designer Van Rees spoke to MANIERA about her Chanelinspired tweed Autumn/Winter 2013 collection entitled “Square3 Angle”, which Van Rees subtitles “the transformation.” The collection is created from handmade tweeds which are made from factory remnants and recycled threads, some monochrome and others including vibrant yarns of multiple colours. Van Rees integrated a new material into her designs this season, a stark monochrome rubber coating which contrasts and complements the multicoloured tweeds. She combines the classic Chanel suit with a modern almost futuristic silhouette, which although avant-garde, is extremely wearable. “The main inspiration came after visiting the Chanel shop on Bond Street and having a look at the garments and especially the tweeds up close,” Van Rees said. “The richness in variety of yarns in the fabric is something I wanted to translate in my collection. So it is mostly about the combination of textures.” This young designer has already been noticed by some celebrity customers, as Lady Gaga has been seen out and about in one of Van Rees’ creations. Hellen van Rees is stocked at the following locations: shop.hellenvanrees.com; Yellow Rose & The Secret Room, 18 Beauchamp Place, Knightsbridge, London; MUUSE, muuse.com/shop and Luxx Lab, luxxlab.com. More about Van Rees can be found on her website hellenvanrees.com.
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Anna October
Anna October |ABOVE – AFISHA ODESSA; FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY ANNA OCTOBER
Anna October is a young fashion designer from the Ukraine. October graduated from the College of Technology and Design Zaporozie in 2008. She subsequently studied fine art at M.B. Grekov Art College, Odessa for an additional two years after which she launched her own brand, which was recently included in the list of top 10 promising designer brands of Eastern Europe by Marie Claire magazine (USA). Her surname was bestowed on her grandfather after the Russian Revolution in October 1917. The brand is named as a tribute to her roots. Her Autumn/Winter 2013 collection “Present” demonstrates her precision tailoring skills and penchant for feminine silhouettes. “The inspiration for this collection was a combination of the aesthetics of post-Soviet countries and the traditions of giving presents,” October said. “The title ‘Present’ can be translated in both meanings - it is about giving and also about my expression of the present time. The cultural clichés I see around in my country inspired me to build new contemporary elegance, something that will be opposite of the kitsch glamour but very feminine and elegant. I love to play with textures and I am really addicted with fabrics, so this is the main accent in the collection.” The collection of formal wear uses elegant satin fabrics often in bold, flattering diagonal stripes. She also employs black jacquard fabrics combined with wool and leather and accentuated by the use of fringes. Her calflength, flared dresses are extremely flattering and wearable. October’s designs can be purchased from the following locations: RA, 14 rue de la Corderie, 75003, Paris, France; RA. bvba Kloosterstraat 13, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium; Atelier 1, 10 blvd Schevchenko, Kiev, Ukraine; Anna October Showrom, Ekaterininskaya str.4, apt. 8, 65000, Odessa, Ukraine; Grain, Burj Jassim, Kuwait City, Kuwait. For more information, visit annaoctober.com.
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SISTER BY SIBLING
We could not leave LFW without a glimpse of one of the shows. Sister by Sibling is a collaboration between designers Sid Bryan, Joe Bates and Cozette McCreery, all of whom are from the UK. The speciality is knitwear, and they sum up their style as “Mutating classic, traditional knitwear designs or techniques so the Knit Monster Scare Isle comes to mind.” The collection is fun, young and versatile, from big bobble-covered dresses to dainty floral suits. |CHRISTOPHER DADEY
Stockists: Hervia Bazaar, Manchester 39-39, London ASOS - On-Line Bambifaline, Japan GR8, Japan Russell Street, HK Marijuana, HK People Of Tastes, HK Dailyprojects, South Korea Treasure & Bond, USA Joyrich, USA
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PRELIMINARIES
MANIERA sat down with Chloe Lowery, vocalist of New York-based band Chameleon, to talk about their debut EP album drop earlier this month. 56 | MANIERA | mymaniera.com
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BY SARA LOVELACE
Something in New York’s water is spreading... and it’s a bit infectious. Already performing at least once a week in the Big Apple, New York-based band Chameleon dropped its first EP “Something in the Water” for free March 5 in anticipation of its first full-length album this summer. “It’s our first taste of what’s to come,” Chameleon vocal powerhouse Chloe Lowery said. “We’re going to release a full-length this summer and it’s kind of a preview into that full-length album.” The grungey, poppy, electronicy soulful EP features five songs, including the title track “Something in the Water”, “La Chameleon”, “Boom”, “Uh Huh” and “I didn’t call.” “(The first four songs on the EP were) the first four songs we ever wrote as a band, and they were kind of the starting pallatte we worked with,” Lowery said. “Every song is a little different, our sound evolved around those songs. ‘I didn’t call’ we wrote later, but we included it because we thought it fit in with those songs.” Chameleon is the creative child of Lowery and Andrew Ross, who met performing for the Trans Siberian Orchestra. They did not click on the music level until 2011, Lowery explained, but once they began shooting ideas back and forth and exchanging music they realized they had similar tastes. “We just kind of clicked,” Lowery said. Chameleon is a combination of the very different backgrounds of its duo and the influence of their genres upon each other. Their eclectic sound combines influences ranging from hard rock, electronic, pop, psychedelic, punk and soul. Lowery comes from a more pop rock background while Ross tends more to-
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ward heavy metal and a little bluegrass. They just took their own likes, threw it in the pot and Chameleon was formed. “That’s the sole basis of this band – the combination of all of our backgrounds and likes,” Lowery told MANIERA. “I come from a more pop rock. Andrew likes to call it ‘big singer’ music. I was like ‘What is that? It’s not even a genre’ but he’s like ‘That’s what it is.’” But what both agree about is that it is about raw emotion – personal
LA, I’ve seen a lot of people change. That’s what that song is about.” Meanwhile, “Uh Huh” was a rather random song for Lowery, but still extremely personal. “It’s a play on everything we went through that summer with our friends – changing,” she said. “Our songs are written from our personal experiences. It’s a therapeutic way of getting over things or getting things off your chest.” For the full-length album this summer, listeners can expect to hear more of the raw emotion of Chameleon. Most of the songs are already completed, and are in the final stages of tweaking. “We experimented with “Every song is a using electronic drum loops and those kind of things but little different, our sound for the full-length album, evolved around those songs.” we plan to incorporate real drums as well to make the album even bigger.” Lowery on the first four songs The raw emotion from the songs also translate into the band’s live performance, helping them to create a bigger, better sound. To keep the volume up in anticipation experiences that make up who and of their debut full-length album what they are as people. The EP dropping this summer, the band is is no exception. For example, “La considering releasing a live perforChameleon” is about the frustramance EP to go along with their stutions Lowery experienced when she dio EP released earlier this month, moved back to Los Angeles for a and they are dotted on the line as a work opportunity that just did not featured artist at this year’s RedGopan out. In LA, she said she experi- rilla Festival March 16 in Austin, enced a different type of person. Texas. They will take the stage at 10 “When we started writing that p.m. at Amped. A second show in song, I was like I wanna get my frus- Austin will follow on March 17 at tration out about this,” Lowery said. Darwin’s Pub before the group will “The song is talking about how peo- whisk back to New York to play The ple change in certain situations. In Delancey March 29. 60 | MANIERA | mymaniera.com
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‘Something in the Water’
AVAILABLE NOW
SWINGING BACK INTO STYLE Art of swing dancing returns to London in 2013. To prepare, MANIERA spoke with Natasha Hall, the UK Lindy Hop champion and swing dance instructor BY JULIETTE LORD Swing is back. The London Swing Festival will take place May 24-27, 2013, kicking off literally with an outdoor dance with a live band at Old Spitalfields Market. As part of the festival, the London Jitterbug Championships return for a fourth year with categories for beginners to seasoned pros. But if you don’t know your Balboa from your Lindy Hop then read on as MANIERA talks to UK Lindy Hop Champion and Swing Dance
instructor Natasha Hall. Hall and her partner Jay Smith run a weekly dance night every Monday starting at 7.30 p.m. at The Light, Shoreditch High Street, London E1. The classes are “drop in” so you don’t need to book a place, or bring a partner! Full details are available on their website swingtimedance.co.uk. Always wanting to be Ginger Rogers and fascinated with dance and the retro styles of the 1930s and ‘40s, Hall paid a visit to the legendary 100 64 | MANIERA | mymaniera.com
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Club. Located at 100 Oxford Street, London W1. The 100 Club, with its open-minded music policy, has played host to a wide range of musical styles over the last 60 years and Hall happened to walk through the doors on Swing Night. Brought up on a diet of old black and white movies, she was instantly hooked. Swing dancing dates back to the 1920’s and was influenced by the Charleston. The Lindy Hop originated in the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem in 1927 and was commonly associated with black dancers. It was named
“If you perform Lindy Hop it can be energetic with lots of aerial moves and jumps but if you are just social dancing it doesn’t have to be too frantic,” Hall said. “You can dance to a slow track. It is fairly easy to learn. You can learn a few moves in the first lesson. It is harder to learn the lead and follow technique which means you can read your partner exactly even if you don’t know the moves he wants you to do. You take your brain out and just follow. Balboa is harder to learn and is more of a dancers dance. It is less
When a body needs a body On the ballroom floor Then a body asks a body “What’s a swing band for?” ELLA FITZGERALD - SING ME A SWING SONG (AND LET ME DANCE) after Charles Lindbergh’s pioneering airplane flight across the Atlantic. In the 1940s, its popularity was spread across the Atlantic by American GIs and is also known as the Jitterbug after Benny Goodman’s 1937 performance at the Paramount Theatre in New York City where teenagers were described as “jitterbugging in the aisles” by the media. The Balboa originates from California and was invented around the same time as the Lindy Hop. The dancers dance close together in a closed hold position, where there is continuous body contact, due to the fact that it evolved from everyday dance halls where space was limited. MARCH 2013
energetic as it’s very smooth with intricate footwork. The lead is harder as it’s all about circular momentum. An absolutely beautiful dance to dance!” Other swing dances include the Shag, the Dean Collins Shim Sham, The Big Apple and 1950s Stroller. As well as her UK Lindy Hop title, Hall and her dance partner Paul Crook made the finals in the BBC TV programme Strictly Dance Fever, hosted by Graham Norton. If you want to get an authentic Swing Style look then check out prettymevintage.co.uk for details on vintage makeovers.
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culinary
A
EXPERIMENT
Alexa Perrin founded the “Experimental Food Society” which promotes creative food projects.
BY JULIETTE LORD
Food is not just about nutrition. Food is part of culture, a delicious mix of science and art that appeals to a multitude of senses and has deep psychological resonance. Food is powerful. Alexa Perrin, founder of the Experimental Food Society, understands this and set up an online directory Experimental Food Society experimentalfoodsociety.com to promote pioneers of exemplary and interesting food projects. The society was established in January 2010, and features a collective of 56 of the UK’s most pioneering culinary artists. It is the only organisation of its kind internationally. “Members are diverse in talents and include Food Landscape Artist Carl Warner who creates incredible landscapes out of food and photographs them,” Perrin said, “Jellymongers and Foodsmiths Bompas and Parr, who are known for crazy antics such as flooding a grade 1 listed building with four tonnes of punch; Bread Sculptor Sharon Baker, who creates incredibly lifelike human forms with bread and experimental psychologist professor Charles Spence, who heads up the Crossmodal Laboratory at Oxford University and who works to make food a more multisensory experience.” To become a member you first need to be able to demonstrate a “foodforward” approach and exceptional creativity with food. You also need to be extremely proficient at what you do and, because this is a British venture, you need to be both resident and practicing in the United Kingdom. The society runs a series of Experimental Food Society talks and an annual Experimental Food Society MARCH 2013
TOP – Kyle Bean - Food Artist -Grenade; ABOVE – Bompas & Parr - Architectural Foodsmiths & Jellymongers
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TOP – Carl Warner - Food Landscape Artist -’Cabbage Sea’; ABOVE – David Bradley, The Curious Confectioner
Spectacular, which is a large-scale culinary arts exhibition and finale banquet where members come together with a unique installation that demonstrates their talents. Throughout the year, the Experimental Food Society receives various commissions so the society is continuously active. In addition, each Experimental Food Society member is active on their own independent projects throughout the year, often collaborating or skill-swapping with other Experimental Food Society members to broaden their skill set. The society can also organise work placements with its members, and many Experimental Food Society members also act as consultants to some of the world’s top chefs and food organisations, as well as exhibiting their works at prestigious art houses. “Last year for instance a young lady was given arts funding by the Australian government and came over to the UK to take up work placements with Sugar Designer Fernando Laposse and Experimental Pyschologist Professor Charles Spence,” Perrin said. “She left thoroughly inspired by the talent in the UK to pursue a career in food arts.” Perrin comes from a family with a long history of culinary expertise. Her uncle was one of the first people to bring Thai restaurants to the UK in the early 1980s, and she spent a lot of time buying the exotic foods for the restaurant. She even assisted her mother who baked cakes for local businesses. Perrin’s own work with food and drink is broad and diverse, giving her impeccable foodie credentials. She admits to being “an avid gin fan” and worked as a public relations account director on Hendrick’s Gin before launching Bulldog Gin into the UK market. Currently she manages all the public relations for House of Wolf, a place of experimental dining, drinking and entertainment located on Upper Street, Islington, in addition to curating the monthly dining experiences in the top floor restaurant. To find out more about The Experimental Food Society visit the website Experimentalfoodsociety.com. MARCH 2013
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Health & Beauty
BY MAIA SMITH
A new kind of SUPER FRUIT
QATSVI “Visibly Vibrant,” Renu Derma’s serum for day use coming April 2013.
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Remember Goji, the red Himalayan berry that sent health nuts into a frenzy? Then came Acai, a purple berry found deep within the Amazon. Applauded for their effects on aging, weight loss and everything in between, these two berries are known as “super fruits” – exotic, brightly-colored and filled with health benefits. Now it seems there is a new member of the club. Native to Europe and Asia, the sea buckthorn shrub has bright orange berries. In the country of Georgia where I grew up, we called it “qatsvi,” shown left. We were familiar with the berry but most of us had not paid much attention to the potential health benefits. Now more people are taking notice and recognizing the healthy properties of the berries. My grandmother believed the sea buckthorn had a wide variety of health benefits. She was a licensed cosmetologist and pharmacist in Georgia who used her knowledge to create unique health and skin care recipes. We used freshly canned sea buckthorn preserve as a vitamin supplement. One tablespoon of preserve mixed with one glass of water was a healthy substitute for a soft drink in our family. The beautiful berries produced on the sea buckthorn plant are rich in vitamins A, C and E and essential fatty acids promote healthy cell development which is important for our overall health and particularly beneficial for the skin. Because the sea buckthorn plant traditionally grows in harsh cold climates, it has built up an arsenal of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to protect itself. We are simply reaping the benefits of the plant’s own self-defense system. The vitamin C content in the berry is about MARCH 2013
15 times greater than in an orange, making it among the most enriched plant sources of vitamin C. When used topically, its bioactive ingredients produce amazing results in skin rejuvenation and restoration. Scientists are now discovering a wide range of vitamins, minerals and antiseptic properties of this wonder fruit. Such experts say sea buckthorn can be used to reduce signs of cellulite, aid weight loss, ease constipation, soothe acne and fight fine lines on the skin. Renu Derma Natural Cosmetics was born from my desire to share my grandmother’s old-world legacy with anyone who desired to pamper themselves with all-natural goodness and youthful results. Our technology experts researched natural sea buckthorn oil and were thrilled to enrich our products with this rich oil. It turns out Grandmother was right - sea buckthorn oil aids in protecting your skin from sun damage due to components in the oil that can absorb UV rays. While this is not a full SPF substitute, the protective and anti- aging properties are exceptional. The natural beta-carotene offers anti-aging benefits and provides a radiant glow. Look for the release of “Visibly Vibrant,” Renu Derma’s serum for day use, in April 2013. MAIA SMITH has 20 years experience in skin research and product development. Her expertise in skin case and anti-aging has helped produce several natural antgi-aging products. She is a found and CEO of Renu Derma Natural Cosmetics, where she works closely with the FDA approved organic lab to develop new, effective products for the Renu Derma line. For more information, visit Renuderma.com.
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Mani Style
CENTER – “Question”; TOP LEFT, CLOCKWISE – “Hate”; “Love watashi”; “Love”; “Surprise” and “MATRYOSHKA point.” |ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF KAWAII MATSUGE
Cute Eyelashes ~ BY JULIETTE LORD
Enhancing the eyelashes is a way of drawing attention to the eyes and most of the time a couple of coats of mascara or a set of false eyelashes will suffice. But for those special stylings when the devil of the look is in the detail, the Japanese brand Kawaii Matsuge (which translates as “the cute eyelash”) has come up with a fabulous range of quirky alternatives. Featuring original artwork from Japan these lashes are made from paper, which is light enough to be comfortable but resilient enough to withstand wear. Cut into intricate patterns with a laser, it is worn by simply securing it along the lash line with eyelash adhesive. Application may take a little practice but anyone familiar with standard false eyelashes should find it easy. Unusual enough to draw envious glances without being overkill Kawaii Matsuge lashes are small and delicate and therefore manage to draw attention without dominating the face. Everyone will be asking where you got them from! They are unsurprisingly available to buy in the fabulous Laforet Department Store in the Harajuku district of Tokyo but fortunately for those of us in the rest of the world they are also available to purchase online. Kawaii Matsuge manager Maria Azuma explained the inspiration behind some of the top selling designs. “LOVE WATASHI means ‘I love myself ’ in Japanese,” Azuma said. “This product is designed in the hope that you will love yourself before you love someone else… LOVE OR HATE ‘Do you love him or hate him?’ The false eyelashes are formed into letters to make the words into suki and kirai, each on opposite sides. In Japanese suki means to love, while kirai means to hate, but for the person who has a heart to love kirai is sometimes read as love. This product has the image of a young woman’s emotions of love and hate swaying back and forth.” Other designs are more abstract with rows of question or exclamation marks making a dramatic statement. For sheer cute factor the animal designs such as the owl and the cats are hard to beat. MARCH 2013
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Man Style
Shopping Personalized
BY JULIETTE LORD
The cliché goes that men hate shopping. Research by Shoppercentric in 2011 however suggests that men actually enjoy buying things, but that the actual process of shopping may still prove a turn off. One solution to this problem may be to utilise the services of a personal shopper. Personal shoppers work one of two ways. They can function like a concierge service whereby you advise them of what it is you require and they find it and bring it to you. Alternatively they can escort you on a bespoke shopping tour, helping you to choose items. These services are particularly useful when you have a specific important event, such as a job interview or wedding to attend. A personal shopper will be able to give you informed information and offer advice on what styles work best for you. They are professionals and will therefore have a trained eye and be up-to-date with current trends as well as being more aware of what items are available in store. Another advantage is that they will be able to suggest new brands similar to those you already wear, but which are different enough to add a new dimension to your wardrobe. Personal shoppers come in two distinct guises: the in-store “personal shopper” and the independent “style consultant.” Each has their own distinct advantages and disadvantages. Most major stores operate a personal shopping service. The major plus of this shopping service is that it is free to customers, but appointments are often highly coveted and MARCH 2013
slots can book up weeks in advance. Also some stores, although not all, may require you to spend a minimum amount in store, so make sure of what the terms and conditions are before booking an appointment. Usually to book an in-store shopper you need to draw up a list of what sort of thing you are looking for and make a note of your measurements. Stores vary but when you call they often ask you basic questions about your lifestyle and your price range to get an idea of your requirements. You will be given an appointment time and when you arrive the personal shopper will already have selected a range of outfits for you to try on. The second option of a personal style consultant usually does not come cheap. They often charge well over $150 an hour but they are independent of any particular retailer and will not be trying to sell you anything. They tend to develop longstanding personal relationships with their clients and will be able to keep a constant look out for that special purchase. Also because they have great contacts they can often queue jump for rare items or those in great demand. If you are away on business or on holiday in an unfamiliar city, local stylists can act as great personal guides to the best local boutiques and stores. As when hiring any professional take time to research their background and make sure they are the right person for you. The Association of Image Consultants website is a good place to start. Happy purchasing.
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|MARIA KONSTANSE BRUUN
The Story BY JULIETTE LORD
stable, optimistic/pessimistic, settled/displaced, Photographs contain a story. The photographs strong/weak and so forth. Each photograph depicts narratives in the juxtaposition between of Maria Konstanse Bruun tell a psychologithese seemingly opposing parts of the personality. cal story, a personal narrative experienced and Her second collection entitled Maternal Anxishared by the photographer. Konstanse Bruun is a photographer originally ety is an exploration of how becoming a mother from Norway but currently based in the UK. She is undoubtedly one of life’s greatest gifts, but that it is also one of the most challenging psychologiis currently studying a part time degree at the Bournemouth Arts University. Her photographic cal encounters a woman will have in her life. This personal project looks at some less-talked-about work ranges from her previous focus on docupsychological implications of motherhood by mentary images to her current conceptual projexploring narratives related to the continuous ects in which she stages photographic scenes to create narratives, which explore personal feelings underlying anxiety that women experience, albeit in different degrees, as they step into the maternal and ideas. Maria is a social anthropologist and role and become subject to the affectionate bondher work is greatly influenced by her interest in ing process between mother and child. the interaction between people and the environBecause of the narrative nature of her phoment. Her work is poignant, humorous at times, tography Konstanse Bruun gave MANIERA the often startling and challenges the observer to story behind each of her featured images. You can think. purchase Maria Konstanse Bruun’s work from her The images are from Konstanse Bruun’s two website mariakonstansebruun.com. Alternatively latest projects. The first is The World is a Detour her work is available from the Saatchi Online collection. This project investigates notions of Gallery. identity by exploring binary oppositions within the personality; extrovert/introvert, stable/un76 | MANIERA | mymaniera.com
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BackStage FrontStage “The image explores the idea that we play out different roles in life; who we are in public, front stage, is different to who we are in private, backstage. The curtain can symbolise a number of things such as the dichotomy between the conscious and the subconscious parts of the self; How do we think others see us, how we want to be seen versus how we really are seen by others.”
Pick Your Color “Ultimately — or at the limit — in order to see a photograph well, it is best to look away or close your eyes. ‘The necessary condition for an image is sight,’Janouch told Kafka; and Kafka smiled and replied: ‘We photograph things in order to drive them out of our minds. My stories are a way of shutting my eyes.” - Roland Barthes, Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography “The image explores the spectre of different states of mind, which rests within the self. The coloured balls symbolise the different moods and emotions that can dominate the self at any one time.” MARCH 2013
See her second collection “Maternal Anxiety” on the next page
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MATERNAL
ANXIETY
Brunn’s collection “Maternal Anxiety” will be exhibited at Stjørdal Art Society in Trondheim Norway from April 13-20. Check her website mariakonstansebruun.com for information on further exhibitions in London over the next few months, dates pending.
Nature versus Nurture
“The image explores contradicting notions of identity through feeling at home in an urban versus a more natural, rural environment.”
Every’s Body “This image explores the fear of losing oneself and one’s identity through the maternal role. During pregnancy and in the beginning after your child is born your body is very much a vessel for your child and the lines between yourself and that of your child are ambiguous, you are your child and your child is you. The fear of losing your own identity, beyond being a mother, is very present during this stage. For me this also involved the ties to my home country, Norway. As my child is born in the UK to an English father, this became very important to me, as can be seen through the use of national symbols such as the moose and the home knitted ‘Marius’ poncho, which both symbolise the ‘Norwegianess’.”
Fragile
Maternal Suicide
“This image looks at the mum’s vulnerability in relation to her role as a new mother. You suddenly have the full responsibility for another human being and at the same time you are going through what might be one of the most vulnerable periods in your life, both physically and mentally. But there is no room for you to play out your vulnerability because all you areallowed to be is a good mother to your child.”
“This image investigates worries related to the fear of failing to be sensitive enough to your child’s needs and end up making wrong decisions on your child’s behalf. In doing so you can, in a symbolic sense, end up committing a ‘maternal suicide’ in the way you push your child away from you.”
Sudden Gun Fire “On one hand this image explores a fear of letting your child out in the world; the warning sign, sudden gunfire, symbolises the potential challenges and, in an extreme sense, the dangers that rest out there. On the other hand the work is a comment to the extreme health and safety dogma that dominates our society today, particularly in relation to children.”
The Museum of
Broken Relationships A Unique Croatian Attraction
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E.FORD
There are unique and unusual museums around the world – we have the Currywurst Museum in Berlin, the Dog Collar Museum in England, and so on. The Museum of Broken Relationships located in Zagreb, Croatia is one such unique attraction and is a must-visit for world travelers. As the name suggests, this museum is dedicated to failed romantic relationships and it showcases a diverse collection of breakup-related mementos. HOW IT STARTED This museum, also known as Muzej prekinutih veza in Croatian, was founded by two artists - Olinka Vištica and Dražen Grubišić. They came up with the idea after ending their four-year relationship in 2003. Three years later, they began collecting objects left behind from break-ups from their friends and the unique collection was born. The first public exhibit was held in Gliptotheque Zagreb in 2006 and it was a part of the 41st Zagreb Salon. Since the museum was opened to the public in 2010, it has received an ever increasing number of visitors from around the world. There are several segments in this museum: • Material remains like objects and documents from break-ups. These items are showcased along with short annotations written by their donors. • The virtual web museum offers registered visitors a chance to upload images and documents for public viewing. • There is an interactive confessional segment in this museum, where visitors are allowed to store messages or objects too. They can even make recordings of their confessions in a place where they can get some privacy.
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POPULAR EXHIBITS There is a wide variety of exhibits to keep visitors entertained in this museum. Here are some of the most popular exhibits that you have to check out during your visit: • A Box made of Matches – Made by a man named Vlado for his wife, Jelka. The couple got divorced after 25 years of marriage and this box was donated by Jelka. The short explanation written by her is very touching. • An Ex Axe – Donated by a furious lover who used it to chop up her ex’s furniture after she left him for another woman. You will find a sad and interesting description with this item. • “I Love You” Teddy Bear – This cute teddy bear was a gift from a boy to a girl. The annotation might make you want to cry, so make sure you take heaps of tissues with you. • A Wedding Dress – A beautiful wedding dress donated by a woman who got divorced from her husband after he started to change.
Exhibits from broken relationships. | MUSEUM OF BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS
CLOCKWISE – from top left – A beautiful wedding dress donated by a woman who got divorced from her husband after he started to change; One of the 1,000s of visitors that museum receives daily; The divorce day garden dwarf is a mememto of an unhappy marriage 29 years ago. | MUSEUM OF BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS
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VISITING THE MUSEUM Luckily for travelers, this unique museum is open seven days a week, but it closes earlier during the winter months. You can make an addition to your itinerary and visit the place during your Croatia tour. We all have had our hearts broken and this museum can help you MARCH 2013
get an insight into the heartbreaks of others, as well as the fragility of human relationships. The museum has an attached cafĂŠ, where visitors have a chance to pull themselves together after the exhibition. Their specialties include Julius Meini coffee, lemon cookies, mulled wine, and pepper cookies. mymaniera.com | MANIERA | 85
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