On the occasion of December 1st, World AIDS Day, Asa Milano and Milano Check Point, collaborating with CIG – Arcigay Milano, create a special photo and video campaign to raise awareness on HIV, in this very special moment in which the Covid-19 emergency has focused all the media attention on the pandemic. Despite this, HIV continues to spread silently and, unfortunately, people talk less and less about this issue. For this reason, the goal of the campaign – created by Federico Poletti and Daniele Calzavara – is to explain to as many people as possible what HIV is and what is the current situation in order to communicate the message that if HIV is not detectable, it cannot be transmitted: a message that is summarized in the U = U (Undetectable = Untrasmittable) campaign. A manifesto that wants to break down the prejudices against people living with HIV. This is why ASA and Milano Check Point have chosen the slogan #STOPHIVSTIGMA COMBATTI IL PREGIUDIZIO CON L’INFORMAZIONE, which can be found in the photographic campaign spread through the social media accounts of all the people involved. Many well-known faces have joined the campaign on social media, from Sandra Milo to Ferzan Ozpetek up to M ¥ SS KETA, as well as many young actors and actresses and people who have decided to spread the meaning of this equation, scientifically proven for years: U = U Undetactable = Untrasmittable (a HIV – positive person in therapy and with an undetectable viral load cannot transmit the HIV virus).
Over 30 personalities from the world of cinema, music and entertainment participated in the video directed by Manuel Scrima and Giovanni Conte. A beautiful and important signal came from Rome, the symbolic city of cinema, which, thanks to the involvement of Sonia Rondini and Fabrizio Imas, has mobilized with various personalities from the Italian entertainment world. The video, which will be available on December 1st, was shot between Milan and Rome, thanks to the support of the Hotel Valadier, the Mediterranean Restaurant, Giardino del MAXXI and Angelo Cruciani.
“This year, since the pandemic prevents us from organizing events, we have created a video and photo campaign, which involves both well-known faces and ordinary people, that will be spread on social networks to underline that HIV is still spreading and that it’s always subjected to prejudices”– said Massimo Cernuschi, President of ASA and Milan Check Point.
“In a historical moment in which all our resources and energy are invested in the fight against Covid-19, HIV continues inexorably to run its course. There are about 130 thousand HIV-positive people In Italy and 39 million in the world. We always have to remember these data for ourselves and for others, not only on December 1st! – adds Sandra Milo on her Instagram account.
“A video about this topic is essential – comments Manuel Scrima, the director – because many people are still victims of prejudices or simply poorly informed. We wanted the characters to look their audience into the eyes and honestly explain that we shouldn’t be frighten by HIV because, through the correct therapies, HIV positive person cannot be contagious.”
Finally, BURRO STUDIO – a communication agency mainly focused on branding and graphic design, founded by Federica Caserio and Giovanni Manzini – has developed graphics about the U = U Undetectable = Untrasmittable topic, which will be used both for the web campaign and for a t – shirt limited edition, available from mid-December. For the “I Can Give You” campaign, developed by Burro Studio, ASA Milano decided to relaunch Randy Davis’ social project, which focuses on the H I V letters, associating them to some words with a positive connotation such as Hope, Inclusion and Vision. It is another way to underline that HIV-positive people in therapy can only transmit these values and not HIV.
Sporty & Rich is a unisex streetwear and lifestyle brand, founded by Emily Oberg in 2014. It began as a mood board for life: a collection of images from past and present that represent a life surrounded by beauty.
Emily Oberg
Grown up in Canada, Emily Oberg got connected with the Complex team before moving to New York in 2014. She began her career as an Editorial Producer and towards the end of 2016, she started to work alongside streetwear mogul Ronnie Fieg at KITH, taking on the role as the Creative Lead of KITH Women. Originally launched as an online magazine, Emily founded Sporty & Rich in 2014. After some initial success, Emily decided to leave KITH and to move to Los Angeles. Her move to the West Coast influenced her desire to promote positive lifestyle choices in herself and others and helped her to explore her passions through a variety of projects and collaborations.
Conscious of the effect that clothing brands have on the environment, Emily wanted to build a company where they could offset their impact on the planet as much as possible. That is why she decided to produce garments in small batches on a pre-order basis, achieving Climate Neutral Certified status, as well as partnering with environmentally focused organizations.
Today, the brand offers a collection of thoughtfully designed products that emphasize longevity by placing health, fitness and the wellbeing of ourselves and our planet in the forefront. The ethos is, ‘Be nice, drink water, be good to the planet, take care of yourself and live a life of pleasure.’ Her brand is still growing, with notable fans such as Elsa Hosk, Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Chiara Ferragni and Dwight Howard as well as wholesale distribution through Moda Operandi, Selfridges, The Webster, Ssense and others.
About a decade ago the rock music scene seemed quite dead. I couldn’t find anything particularly interesting among the records released in that period. I clearly remember that one day, by chance, I stumbled upon a video on YouTube of a live exhibition by a group called Fat White Family. I was totally flabbergasted. I had a closer look and my first feeling was confirmed: finally after so many years I was before a musically unclassifiable band, endowed with a deadly mix of desecrating anti conformism.
I eagerly looked up everything I could find about them on video. I noticed that almost all their videos were by a Lou Smith. I made some research and found out that Lou Smith had made the live recordings of other interesting groups and that, almost always, these recordings came from a venue in London, more specifically in Brixton, called the Windmill. I was surprised by the freshness and the quality of these bands. Besides Fat White Family, I was impressed by many others such as “Meatraffle”, “Warmduscher”, “Pregoblin”, “Goat Girl”, “Madonnatron”. I also found that those bands were not only all from London, but from the southern part of the city: a music scene so rich of styles and genres that had developed just in a few neighbouring districts.
Years later, while I was still eagerly following Lou Smith’s new recordings, I went to London and entered the Windmill in Brixton for the first time. I remember I was really thrilled. The same thrill you feel when you know that one of your dreams is about to be fulfilled. I entered and was immediately taken aback by the kindness of the staff and by the fact that the place was anything but glittering and fashionable: a cozy local pub with a stage at the end bar with a colourful curtain and the logo placed in foreground. I thought it was amazing and beautiful that all those bands had been on that small and plain stage. But that night something else that had a strong impact on me happened; I caught a glimpse of someone who looked familiar. I walked near and realized I was before the person thanks to whom I was there in that moment: Lou Smith! I introduced myself and greeted him. We became good friends and met-up each time I was in London for a gig. Always at the Windmill obviously.
Due to Coronavirus the Windmill is at risk of closure. It would be something sad and terrible. Here is the link for those who want to take part in the crowdfunding and save this historic venue.
Here is my interview with Lou in which he will tell us about his life, his relationship with the Windmill and the Fat White Family and how and why this incredible music scene started specifically in the South of London.
Can you tell us something about yourself and your many projects?
I was born in Leeds, the son of a geologist father and a creative, artistic mother. We moved to Uxbridge, a west-London suburb when I was 14. It was 1976 the long, hot summer when punk hit the streets of London and the airwaves. I got my first camera during this period, but never took it to any of those early gigs which were perilous affairs with warring factions such as Teds, Rockers, Punx, Skinz etc. I would not have felt safe carrying my camera on the tube back then. I mostly took landscapes, some people and animal shots and documented some of my early travel experiences. I became interested in the alternative music that was played on John Peel’s 10-12pm slot every night listening to the likes of the Clash, The Fall, The Cure, The Ruts, Undertones and countless others including Ska and Reggae artists, setting me apart from the mainstream tastes of my school which were generally heavy rock and later heavy metal. Live, among others, I saw Joy division, The Jam, The Clash, The Cure, The Smiths and even Kate Bush.
After finishing school and being invalided out of my Biochemistry degree at Imperial College, I found a squat in Brixton in 1983 at the age of 21. I have lived and worked in South London ever since then, moving to Camberwell and later East Dulwich where I still live. I have worked as a video engineer, as a set builder/designer/Assistant Art Director/ Art director on countless music promo videos including Prodigy’s Firestarter and Breathe and Nick Cave/ Kylie Minogue’s where the wild Roses Grow and as a freelance photographer, videographer, director and editor of music videos. I have taught myself photography, metalwork including welding and silversmithing, carpentry and more recently screen-printing which has earned me a living in recent years, throwing screen-printing parties for children and making band merchandise for the South London music scene artists.
When and why did you start filming and keeping track of what was happening at the Windmill and other venues in South London?
I first started filming some of the regular musicians playing at Hank Dog’s Easycome Acoustic night then hosted by The Old Nun’s Head pub in Nunhead. It became a regular Wednesday night social event for me during the early years of my daughter Iris’s life, a vital safety valve and artistic endeavour away from the domesticity of family life. I uploaded footage to my YouTube channel of artists such as Lewis Floyd Henry, Boycott Coca-Cola Experience (now Flameproof Moth) Andy (Hank Dogs) Allen himself, Ben Folke Thomas and sister & brother Misty and Rufus (Popskull) Miller.
Onto this relatively tranquil but musically and socially excellent scene burst the then named Champagne Holocaust who first appeared there on the 9th February 2011 where they played a cover of The Monk’s I hate You and handful of their own songs including Borderline and Wild American Prairie. The lineup was the Brothers Saoudi, Saul Adamczewski and backing singers Anna Mcdowell and Georgia Keeling. There was a drummer too that could’ve been Chris OC. Lias (Saoudi) was on guitar and Saul on vocals and tambourine. I did record this show, but somehow managed to lose the original files except for the I Hate You song that I had uploaded to my channel.
They played several more acoustic gigs at Easycome during February and March. From here, I followed the band to their first full line-up gig at The Windmill around the 11th April 2011.
Joining Saul, Lias and Nathan were Dan Lyons on drums and Jak Payne (Metros) on Bass. I had a camera and by using some crack software called Magic Lantern I was able to record at least decent sound as well which made the documenting of live music events from a single source in high quality HD possible for really the first time.
When did you first set foot in the Windmill? Which was the most the most unforgettable night?
That’d be the 11th April 2011 as outlined above, though I do have some distant memory of being dragged there years previously as I had been living in Brixton since the eighties. There were so many great nights there, but the truly transcendental nights for me were always those including FWF or Warmduscher in the line-up. Jack Medley’s big send-off and fundraiser was a spiritually intense affair; the love was so thick you could spread it, and it featured both Warmduscher and Fat White Family. I loved the anarchic feel of the early Fat White gigs and the intense feelings of belonging to a family, of something bigger than the sum of its parts. I’ve had some great time there on Meatraffle nights too and their sister band Scud Fm as well as Shame, Sleaze, Amyl and the Sniffers and Goat Girl.
How important was the Windmill to the “creation” of the South London scene? Can you tell us something about your relation with that fantastic venue?
I don’t think it is hyperbole to suggest that the SLS as we know it would not have been what it is without the Windmill. It’s hard to put your finger exactly on why this is, but the single biggest reason would be Tim Perry the venue’s booker, who’s mixture of great musical taste, avuncular championing of the talented underdog (and over dog) and also his well-honed bullshit detector which inherently weeded out wankers and pseuds. The venue has always attracted the best of sound engineers and the sound quality has always been a key component of the greatness of the whole experience.
Bands are truly supportive of each other here with none of the cool, aloof rivalry I have experienced in many of the North London venues. Once The Windmill’s output and reputation reached a critical mass it of course formed its own gravity which meant a convergence of talent to its doors in order to get some of the magic to rub off. I am proud to have contributed to this process in a small way by the growing archive of my YouTube channel which has helped share some of the amazing roster of talent on display with a growing global audience.
Were you the first to document the Fat White Family’s gigs? Did you understand their potential immediately? Can you tell us what you think of the band?
I can confidently state that I was the first and the most dedicated of their documenters. I did feel from the outset that they were capturing the zeitgeist of the growing feelings of nihilism, of the disgust and utter contempt for the treatment meted out to the commoners by the tide of gentrifiers and of cynical neo lib politicians and global financiers. It reminded me of the spirit of ’76 and reignited the passion I felt for those pioneering punk bands. The word around them grew organically in ripples and the family grew, not yet in a hyped way, but in what felt like an authentic extension of the excitement of their live shows. Something about the seedy and abusive interrelations between the core members, notably Saul and Lias, and the readiness if not glee with which they tackled taboo and degenerate subject matter with a sort of humour and even sickness bordering on certifiable and definitely questionable and unsavoury made them compelling to watch. The tribal, totemic lyrics that nobody thought to question set to sexy, dirty, lo-fi country psyche grooves made for an intoxicating whole, with Lias honing his Gollomesque shrieking and unpredictable falsetto persona whipping up audiences into a frenzy whilst Saul, like some demonic angel stoking the sonic encouragement with his gap toothed grimace and genius guitar licks. The rest of the members were by necessity required to be degenerate / genius by degree.
In your opinion, how is it possible that so many interesting bands come from that part of London?
My take on this was that the insidious wave of gentrification, which to my eyes started when the heart was ripped out of Covent Garden in the late seventies. Then great swathes of first the north and by degrees the west and then south west of London fell to ruthless and homogenous ranks of ‘yuppies. Brixton, with its strong cultural identity and mixture of hippy squatters and large, no-nonsense Afro-Carribean population resisted, at least temporarily. Rents were still affordable, studios and crusty techno culture squats proliferated and the output of Camberwell and Goldsmiths colleges found community and expression in its streets.
Musicians congregated in the few places they could still subsist, explore and thrive, which were the handful of venues in these locales of which the Windmill is definitely the lynchpin, but including the Grosvenor, The Amersham, The new Cross Inn, The Queen’s Head, The Montague Arms, The Five Bells …
Which are your favourite bands in the recent years?
I rarely rave about bands outside of the ones I get to witness first-hand as to me live music is where it is at and where I find what I’m looking for. Without that influence I may well be still mostly listening to the bands I used to love back in the day, reliving past glory as is the case with most men of my age. I have been so fortunate to live just down the road from the Windmill and to have forged a relationship with its keepers and musicians.
Could you say something about the most interesting and promising young bands?
It is refreshing to see that the cycle of upcoming bands is still turning strongly and Corona Virus notwithstanding they continue to come and delight. In no particular order I have much fondness for the following: Paddywak, STV, Deadletter, PVA, Muckspreader, Misty Miller.
Tongue-in-cheek slogans, sunset fabrics and tactical nip slip vests: here’s everything you need to know about this year’s hottest picks.
Gran Canaria can do no wrong in our eyes. The balmy heat. The sweeping bustling beach stretch. The mouth-watering eats. And let’s not forget, the distinctive fashion scene. Yes, the dazzling colour palettes, ostentatious nods to heritage and the sultry heat of the collections that pour forth from Gran Canaria Moda Calida Fashion Week as years go by. And this year was no exception, marking a special edition given the global health crisis, with the international fashion industry turning their heads once again in Gran Canaria for four days. With the current pandemic, the show swiftly switched up, implementing a sun-drenched catwalk.
Gran Canaria Moda Cálida is an action program for the textile industry in the island, created by the Gran Canaria’s Council Department of Industry, Commerce and Crafts, which has the counselling of the Asociación de Creadores de Moda de España (ACME), associated institution from 2017. Fashion is for this organization a growing sector with many possibilities for the industrial development and Gran Canaria represents the framework in which designers and companies support their projects. Until 25th October, the Canarian catwalk hosted the parades of the Canarian firms Diazar, Palmas, Carlos San Juan, Maldito Sweet, Lucas Balboa, Chela Clo, Nuria González, Arcadio Domínguez y Aurelia Gil; junto a Kokú Kids, Ladybug’s Cris e It Child in the children’s category. The show also included the participation of leading national and international firms such as TCN, Bannana Moon, Livia, Guillermina Baeza, Carlos San Juan, Gottex, Aurelia Gil, Dolores Cortés, Como un Pez en el Agua, Énfasis, All Sisters, All That She Loves, Palmas, Miss Bikini y Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada; next to the children’s brands Fátima Rodríguez, Bannana Moon Kids, Dolores Cortés Kids, Cosas de Mon y Belle & Rebel. TCN was the firm in charge of opening the show.
The firm TCN, a worldwide reference in the beachwear universe, was responsible for the inauguration of the catwalk today with an individual show that marked its return to Gran Canaria Swim Week by Moda Cálida after a few editions. TCN is committed to a collection faithful to its origins and its characteristic lifestyle: a boho chic without stridencies that is identified by its style and its characteristic “je ne sais quoi” Sant Remy is the main thread of the Spring-Summer TCN 2021 collection. Provence and its lavender fields are the stars in a story of unique and unrepeatable moments where the TCN woman dresses for an ethereal and light summer.
Gran Canaria Swim Week by Moda Cálida welcomes its second day in ExpoMeloneras (Maspalomas), under the co-organization of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria and IFEMA. By all means, the second day was incredibly enlightening and saw a true evolution of the city’s fashion come forward: the day continued with the double fashion show of Chela Clo and Diazar in first place; and Banana Moon and Livia, afterwards. The first show presented her collection “Discordant Retro Vibes“, which embraces current trends in New York youth fashion inspired by the 90’s. The asymmetrical fades of tie-dye and the abstract forms of terrazzo and marble inspire Chela Clo’s collection for the Spring-Summer 2021 season. Diazar has opted for black as the leitmotif of the collection. The compositional elements that make up the proposal of the collection “The New Black, by Diazar” are based on concepts linked to a dark chromatic range with nuances.
Later, it was the turn of Guillermina Baeza, an exceptional guest, who unveiled a collection born from Tangier’s magic. The colours of the collection evoke nature: the blues lead to the sea, and the oranges, cream and mauve, to a sunset in the Haffa cafe. The memory of the smell of “azahar” mixed with that of spices paints the earthy colours with golden flashes.
The afternoon continued with Carlos San Juan and Gottex. To design his collection, Carlos San Juan explored the way in which tensioning cables manage to hold the most spectacular structures, giving them, at the same time, an extraordinary beauty. Gottex has presented a collection with innovative techniques, avant-garde shapes and a variety of new textures and soft fabrics.
To conclude, Aurelia Gil was responsible for closing the day with a collection full of spectacular looks and garments made of tulle that dresses with fantasy the swimwear proposals. The designer presented, on the one hand, pure and unpretentious looks with the swimwear as main character, and on the other hand, totally structured looks that use the swimwear to create a formal look.
In light of a global health crisis sweeping across the international economy, Italian luxury retailers battled against financial odds to present their collections both in September during fashion month and beyond. However, if one delves deeper into the reasons why the financial struggles are facing unforeseen times, one can discover that many of the problems that are being highlighted are a magnification of issues that the world has carried on for years: reducing footfall for brick and mortar retail spaces, the relevance of fashion weeks, the snail’s pace acceptance of digitisation and technology are amongst the gripes we’ve been battling with for a long time.
Covid-19 hasn’t created a new existential crisis, but it has highlighted the one we were working through at our leisure. Sustainability is another area where, in particularly fashion, brands have been making improvements and there have already been calls from many areas of the industry, including from buyers, consumers and brands themselves, to ensure that we do not undo the steps that have been made. After all, when the Covid-19 pandemic has been managed, we will still have to tackle the climate crisis. All those in the fashion industry should consider the changes they can make to improve their own business sustainability – we aren’t far away from the time where business partners, clients and consumers will start asking you, ‘Is your business being socially responsible?’.
In addition, as much as the pandemic has thrown our business lives into turmoil, it also provides us with opportunities for our industry to create better product and reduce waste. It is giving us the space to work out how to have a productive dialog with our consumers and integrate their feedback, values and wants into the products we create. It provides brands the opportunity to work on really understanding their customer through direct-to-consumer channels, providing insights which they would not gain through wholesale. The Italian market seem to have faced a crucial turning point this season: Evening Dresses Show (Edshow) – Salerno Organised by IFTA (Independent Fashion Talent Association), with the collaboration and support of Ice – Agency for the promotion abroad and the internationalisation of Italian companies – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Campania Region, Municipality and Chamber of Commerce of Salerno, Edshow has selected 40 brands in the eight southern Italian regions (Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily) which, during the three days of the show (10-12 October) have a Digital-area where they can make themselves known to buyers connected to the 78 Ice offices worldwide. The October event aims to consecrate Salerno as the capital of evening fashion, but also as a fashion hub for the best micro and small businesses in Southern Italy. Like the 23 bells, the most representative symbol of the show, followed by Puglia, with 7 companies, Sicily with 4 and Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Molise and Sardinia, with one company for each Region.
“Italy has always been associated with innovation and I have always been impressed with the talent emerging from Ed Show,” remarked the recent notes. “The competing collections looked to the future of Catalan fashion design while maintaining all the cultural references that have makes 080 one of our favourite fashion destinations.” While all of the brands and designers who showcased their collections over the week captured our attention in different ways, once again the Italian market hasn’t failed its great knack for craftsmanship.
If you find off-duty dressing a forced affair, allow a fair dose of chic practicality to come to your rescue. The new seasonal fashion lexicon takes the effort out of looking effortless. This year’s unavoidable WFH situationship (pardon my lingo) shouldn’t dissuade you from dressing up (or down from you Zoom-ready set up). Nod to casual style in Finisterre, go all swanky in top-to-toe monochrome woollens by All Saints, or make a gently tapered number from Parajumpers your first port of call. For added interest, Colmar offers contemporary styles in a neutral colour palette, while Triumph Motorcycles Lifestyle’s cotton-rich tees blaze a trail through the leisurewear arena, for a crisp touch. And who can blame us? Of course, comfort dressing flourishes aplenty in these times, and whether you like it or not, the go-anywhere style formula promises wear-anywhere ease. Below, shop Man In Town’s edit of the best wardrobe classics to boost your Winter game.
Triumph Motorcycles Lifestyle
Deacon d-pocket wax cotton black jacket, £275, available at Triumphmotorcycles.co.uk
Parajumpers
Stretch cotton fleece with light nylon ripstop, £203, available at Parajumpers.it
Colmar
Down jacket with ribbed collar, £419, available at Colmar.it
ALL SAINTS
Campo wool blend coat, £265.30, available at Allsaints.com
ALL SAINTS
Estrela British Harris Tweed jacket, £181.30, available at Allsaints.com
NOBIS
Wayland men’s long reversible puffer, £1,095, available at Uk.nobis.com
Mercer Amsterdam
Vegan black sneaker, £250, available at Merceramsterdam.com
Finisterre
Marwick smock shirt in navy, £110, available at Finisterre.com
Finisterre
Marwick cordium shirt in green, £110, available at Finisterre.com
Timberland
Mountain trail jacket in navy, £265, available at Timberland.co.uk
Puma
Puma x Central Saint Martins mid length jacket, available at Eu.puma.com
NICCE
Ela hood sweatshirt in grey, £40, Nicceclothing.com
Body, mind, and soul in union through Yoga. When we think about living well with ourselves, we think about being in a peaceful state with everything around us, eliminating stress, improving our body, and being happy and in harmony with ourselves. We especially realized that there is nothing more important during the lockdown than self-care and finding a balance between body and mind. Yoga is a practice that stimulates the awareness of our body, diverting external and internal distractions, seeking a connection with our ego to reach a physical and mental harmony. According to Yoga, each of us comprises a material and an energy body, invisible, which coordinates our intellectual and spiritual activities. That’s why for shooting this editorial, we have therefore chosen not a simple location, but [hohm] street yoga. For over 10 years, this school has focused on the study and teaching Yoga in an a-dogmatic way, with an offer ranging from vinyasa to yin and restorative. [hohm] street yoga turns its attention both to the subtle and traditional aspects of the discipline, including pranayama and more modern research, such as the introduction in Italy of the Katonah yoga method. Founded by Marco Migliavacca and Giovanna De Paulis, [hohm] street yoga combines multilevel classes with courses explicitly designed for beginners and has recently opened up to people with disabilities or simple motor difficulties, offering adaptive yoga classes. [hohm] street yoga is a center where you can deepen the study of Yoga and bring your practice to a new level of awareness, also through retreats and workshops with Italian and international teachers.
[hohm] street yoga is located in Milan (38, viale Tunisia and 19, via Solari).
MAAL wearing total outfit FRANCESCO GIANFRATE TYRON wearing LUDOVIC DE SAINT SERNIN – rings: ALAN CROCETTI
TYRON wearing JW ANDERSON CHRIS wearing LACOSTE
TYRON wearing sweater Marco De Vincenzo and pants LACOSTE
CHRIS wearing Marco De Vincenzo CHRIS wearing shirt and bag Marco De Vincenzo and pants LACOSTE MAAL wearing total outfit MARNI
GAYE wearing total outfit Marco De Vincenzo MAAL wearing total outfit MARNI
“A life-changing experience” boasts SHA Wellness Clinic, an internationally recognised holistic wellness resort, celebrating 12 years in business this year. At SHA, health is viewed as the optimal state of physical, mental and spiritual well-being, providing each guest a newfound vitality in harmony with the environment. Therefore, it’s no coincidence that the facility is located in a true natural oasis, a marine reserve of extraordinary beauty perched between the mountains and the water near the bay of Altea (in the Valencia region of Spain, near Alicante) overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the Sierra Helada Natural Park.
The SHA method is a synthesis between Eastern ancient medicinal disciplines such as acupuncture, and Western technology including bioenergetic medicine, and the latest, most innovative discoveries of regenerative and anti-aging treatments. The state-of-the-art therapy combines advanced tools for diagnosis and bioenergetic measurement in order to understand and prevent the body’s natural mechanisms of aging. Beginning from lifestyle and nutrition, the SHA method integrates the most effective natural therapies including a highly therapeutic diet and incorporating the latest advances in Western medicine, in particular genetic and preventative medicine in order to shape each customer’s optimal health and well-being. Additionally, a strong point of SHA is its team of specialists in a variety of disciplines who look at each guest in a holistic and non-specialist way. The coordinated and controlled fusion of these disciplines significantly increases the positive impact that any of them would have individually.
To guarantee the best results for each guest, SHA develops a personalised treatment plan that includes natural and medical therapies, together with a menu designed ad hoc by the resort’s restaurant, SHAMADI. There are 14 health programmes available, each of which is meant to meet the needs and personal goals of the individual client who can experience services such as shiatsu, acupuncture, reflexology and cryotherapy, which reactivates metabolism and the immune system. Practices of mindfulness and pranayama can be followed by a session of neuro-feedback and cognitive stimulation using futuristic machinery that helps rejuvenate the mind, created thanks to research by Harvard University. Clinicians at SHA analyse stress level, cognitive ability, memory, and the capacity to manage anxiety, providing related exercises to improve each area. Here, guests rediscover the connection between the body and the mind in an effort to improve quality of life. Furthermore, they are taught how to bring this newfound knowledge back into their daily lives once returned home.
SHA’s philosophy is to transforms people’s lives. In fact, this concept was the starting point for SHA’s founder Alfredo Bataller Parietti, who himself suffered from health problems. After receiving a worrisome diagnosis, he had the good fortune of meeting a doctor experienced in nutrition and natural therapies who instructed him on how to regain his health through the power of a balanced diet combined with natural therapies. He decided to share this precious knowledge, and together with his family, began the unique project that today is SHA Wellness Clinic in Spain, with openings planned in Mexico and the United Arab Emirates.
From the founder’s own personal health battle, the SHA method was born, blending ancient disciplines with the most recent discoveries of Western medicine, thanks to the supervision of internationally renowned experts like Michio Kushi, considered the father of macrobiotics, who was appointed President of the World Organization of Natural Medicine in 1995. Bataller Parietti, President and Founder of SHA explains, “I decided to utilise the most effective Eastern and Western therapies combined with a special diet of healthy and energy-rich foods, offered within a sustainable and comfortable environment. I also managed to incorporate the most recent medical discoveries as part of the treatment. This utopia is our SHA Wellness Clinic, which has not only received over 60 prestigious awards thanks to an incredible team of professionals, but above all, it has changed the lives of over 50,000 people so far.”
The SHA method is based on 8 main areas: healthy eating, natural therapies, preventive and regenerative medicine, advanced dermo-aesthetics, cognitive stimulation and emotional health, well-being and inner balance, fitness and learning new healthy habits through the Healthy Living Academy. Combined, these factors improve and increase physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing through a holistic and integrative approach.
The detoxifying diet begins with food curated by the SHAMADI restaurant inside SHA and the Chef’s Studio, where chefs create gourmet dishes that eliminate refined carbohydrates and sugars, animal protein and dairy products in favour of seasonal and organic ingredients, such as unrefined grains (oats, millet, brown rice) legumes, soybeans, tofu and vegetables. In addition, the menu incorporates several types of seaweed including blue, brown and red seaweed originating from Japan and the North Seas, a frontier in vegetable protein, as well as the subject of a nutrigenomics study of foods that promote longevity. SHAMADI offers fusion cuisine balanced between Mediterranean and oriental traditions. A personalised plan is also created based on each guest’s medical screening and the goals he or she is hoping to achieve. The objective is for guests to not only acquire new nutritional habits, but also to fully and consciously learn to enjoy food in order to continue this lifestyle once back home.
Presently, conversation about curing illnesses is abundant. Since its inception, SHA aims to take care of its clients’ health through prevention, researching medicinal practices and focusing its efforts on finding the best technologies and therapies to strengthen the immune system. A strong immune system is essential for fighting viral infections. As a result, SHA has created a specific program focused on strengthening the immunity to restore and stimulate the body’s natural defences, promoting it to effectively fight any external aggression. In the same vein, the Healthy Aging & Preventive Medicine programme helps slow down the process of cellular degeneration and reignites the potential of each person to restore his or her health.
Another highlight of the clinic is the expansive neurological initiative led by Dr. Bruno Ribeiro which works to battle even the most severe states of stress and anxiety, maximizing cognitive abilities and promoting intellectual capacity. “We start with an initial cognitive assessment and some tests, such as neurofeedback, to understand the level of stress, the general picture and the trend of the brain waves to probe what is not working and what should be changed. Thanks to technologies co-developed by NASA and Harvard Medical School, such as Photobiomodulation and Transcranal Current Stimulation (TCS), we are able to achieve important results both in stimulating specific areas and functions of the brain to improve physical and mental performance, as well as in alleviating diseases and pathologies, such as in the cases of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s patients” says neurologist Dr. Ribeiro.
SHA is not the ordinary SPA (although it also offers numerous body, facial and beauty treatments), but rather, it is destination where guests learn how to cultivate physical and emotional health, both inside and out.
Born in 1961, Simon Foxton is considered one of the most influential, visionary stylists and creative minds on the international scene. After graduating in 1983 from Central Saint Martins in fashion design and launching his brand Bazooka, Foxton began working for i-D magazine, where he later began a long-term collaboration with Nick Knight that eventually led Simon to become the magazine’s art director. Foxton has succeeded in mixing together and bridging sportswear, tailoring, streetwear and fetish styles in an experimental way. His aesthetic sense helped define the new image of modern menswear. On the occasion of the book release in collaboration with Stone Island, we interviewed Simon about his career path and his thoughts the past and future of fashion.
Tell us about your time studying and when you discovered your passion for photography and fashion.
I was at Central Saint Martins School of Art between 1979 and 1983 and I had a fantastic time there. That was such a wonderful time to be young, attending art school, and especially living in London! I don’t think I was a particularly hard-working student, but I made a lot of great friends there, many of whom are still close to me even today. There was a lot of dressing up and going out to clubs and parties. It was pretty amazing. I had always enjoyed consuming magazines and loved imagery but never considered actually creating any of my own. It wasn’t until after I left college and started designing in the real world that I realised how difficult and also time-consuming it was to design. Caryn Franklin, a friend of mine back then who was Fashion Director at i-D at the time, asked me if I’d be interested in doing some styling for the magazine. I gave it a go and quickly realised that it felt right for me. I liked its immediacy. You had an idea, found the clothes, shot them, and there was the final result. No more ordering fabrics, dealing with outworkers, delivering to shops etc. That was such a drag. I’ve always favoured the path of least resistance.
You are considered a leading image-maker of men’s fashion. What changes do you see in the industry during these last years?
I’m not sure if I ever really created “fashion looks.” I have been an image-maker for quite a while now, but that’s just because I’ve been around a long time and haven’t died yet. I’m often asked this question and I’m never too certain how to answer it. I guess the most fundamental change is the size and scope of the fashion industry. Now, there is so much of it, and such enormous wealth invested in it that it has become a much more high-risk environment to work in. When I was starting out things were much more relaxed. When shooting for magazines, credits were more of a suggestion than a necessity. We were very much left alone to create what we wanted, with no art directors or commercial departments interfering. It’s only more recently that I’ve realised how fortunate we were to grow up shooting in that sort of culture. Of course, not everything was great, and some of the work was self-indulgent, but the great thing was that we could experiment, and also fail. Failure is a crucial part of the creative process. Sadly, that is not allowed now in the high-budget, tense, corporate world that fashion has become.
You started with i-D magazine in 1984. Tell us some crazy stories about your work at that time and how this experience shaped your professional and private life.
I don’t think I have any crazy stories. I’m not a particularly crazy or dramatic person, I think the most obvious impact on both my personal and professional life comes from the people I have met through work. From meeting and working with Nick Knight at the very start, to asking Edward Enninful to model for me and then having him become my assistant. Likewise, street-casting Steve McQueen for an i-D shoot and us becoming very close friends. Or meeting the photographer Jason Evans who was interning with Nick Knight; we began working together back in 1990 and have done so ever since. Also, all the other wonderful assistants I’ve had over the years, like Jonathan Kaye (now at The Gentlewoman) or Elgar Johnson (at GQ Style), or Nick Griffiths with whom I have an ongoing creative consultancy, &SON. Or working with the wonderful Penny Martin at SHOWstudio, who is now the editor of The Gentlewoman. They are all still very dear friends and extremely important people in my life.
Can you please choose 5 photos from your Instagram feed that are meaningful or important for you and explain why?
Nick Knight -i-D magazine , 1986
Very memorable shoot . We shot this at night in the streets around some old warehouses next to Tower Bridge .Back then it was deserted and derelict . These days it has been made into flats and work spaces that cost millions .The fire in front of the boys is actually me walking past with a big metal rake that we wrapped in paper and set alight.
This was from a story that Jason and I shot called ’Strictly’ . We shot it all around the streets near my house in Ealing , very suburban .Edward was assisting me at the time and he helped a lot with the casting .It was a fun shoot to do and was well received .
Jason Evans , i-D magazine 1991 . Model – Edward Enninful .
Ben Dunbar-Brunton , i-D magazine 2009
I’ve always loved this shot I did with Ben of the stunning model Dominique Hollington .Very simple and graphic .
This is a composite from a movie that Nick and I made for Walter van Beirendock’s retrospective exhibition in Antwerp .I had access to Walter’s total archive and he allowed me to mix up his collections to create wild looks . It was really great fun .
Nick Knight / Walter van Beirendonck – Showstudio 2011
Arena Homme Plus 2009
This was a kind of backstage shot that I took on the set of a shoot that Nick Knight and I did called Frillaz !I dressed these tough looking guys in some incredibly frilly frocks that I found online from an adult baby fetish site .I had pre-warned them before the shoot of what I intended to do but still felt a bit nervous about how they would reactbut they were all great about it . The whole shoot was a joy
You worked with truly creative mind like Nick Knight. Who are the photographers/creative people more inspiring for you?
Nick Knight inspiring. He is constantly creative and a very exciting person to work with; you always feel you’re in safe hands working with Nick. In a different way, Jason Evans is an extremely inspiring photographer because he questions things and makes you question yourself. Not in an undermining way, but more as a method of creating something totally new. I’ve also always admired the work of Jean-Paul Goude. I love his creations.
How was working at the exhibition When You’re a Boy?
Well, that was Penny Martin’s idea. She curated it and did all the hard work of putting the show together. It was very exciting to have an exhibition dedicated solely to my work at The Photographer’s Gallery. I didn’t enjoy being the centre of attention on the opening night etc. I’m pretty useless at all that stuff and prefer to stay more in the background. But once the show was up and running, I did enjoy viewing it dispassionately, almost as if I was looking at someone else’s work.
How has your work changed during this global pandemic?
I continue to work with Stone Island, but since I am considered to be in a “high risk” category I have been fairly strictly self-isolating so have been doing my consulting via Zoom, which has been a godsend. I gave up shooting editorials and my teaching work last year.
What kind of relationship do you have with social networks?
I’m on Facebook quite a lot just seeing what friends are doing or watching mindless videos. It seems that Facebook is now just used by old codgers like me; I don’t think anyone young uses it anymore. Instagram is fun, but again pretty mindless. I enjoy posting pictures that I take when I see something noteworthy or beautiful, otherwise I don’t bother. All those pictures of food, or children, give me a break! I used Tumblr for years and absolutely loved it but then they spoiled it with their puritanical anti-porn stance that edited out anything even vaguely salacious. I closed down my account and haven’t used it since. I transferred a few images to my Instagram account @foxtonscrapbooks, but it’s not the same, to be honest. Twitter, I use for news that’s it. I don’t Tweet- never got to grips with it, really. Any of the others I just assume are for kids and don’t bother with them.
What was the process of working on the Stone Island book? And what was the biggest challenge in creating the book?
Myself and my business partner Nick Griffiths have worked with Stone Island for the last 12 or 13 years. We art direct, cast and shoot all the campaigns and photo-based imagery. Nick makes a lot of the moving image pieces for their online platforms. We also consult with the design team there to give input on the collections, and we are involved in many other facets of the brand. Sabina Rivetti from Stone Island approached me a couple of years ago with the idea of doing a book. I think she already had the editor Eugene Rabkin in place at that time, as well as Rizzoli as the publisher. My role as Art Director was really to steer the ship and make sure that it remained true to Stone Island’s “language,” i.e. it must be modern, factual and almost industrial in feel. Nothing too flashy or over designed. I chose Rory McCartney as designer for the book as we had worked with him on the last one, Stone Island, Archivio and therefore he understood the aesthetic well. We spent a long time trawling through masses of imagery looking for photos that were hopefully interesting and informative but that also hadn’t already been used in other publications. For this, we had the assistance from a wonderful image researcher, Sarah Cleaver, who did an amazing job. I think the main challenge was retaining the clean, dispassionate visual language of the brand but still producing a book that was interesting to see. Hopefully we succeeded.
What are some of your future plans…do you still enjoy working in fashion?
At the moment with the way the world is, I haven’t made any major plans. I take each day as it comes. I still very much enjoy working with Stone Island, they are a fantastic company to work for. But to be honest, I’ve rather fallen out of love with fashion and magazines. I have stopped shooting fashion editorials as I find that the parameters magazines set and the adherence to credits that they impose are too stifling. Perhaps I am just getting too old for all of that. We’ll see what happens!
Released a few weeks ago whilst quickly entering the top ten most viewed programmes on Netflix, Emily in Paris got people talking immediately, attracting lots of criticism for the representation of the Ville Lumière and its inhabitants, judged excessively stereotypical (clichés, indeed, are not lacking, although the production has made it clear how unavoidable they are given the plot, which tells the story of an American girl who came to Paris for the first time) and just as many mentions for the colourful outfits. The clothes are the work of costume designer Patricia Field, who was already the creator of Ugly Betty‘s wardrobes and, above all, Sex and the City’s.
A less investigated aspect, on the other hand, is that of the male characters, since they are the ones who steal the scene. Of course, the Emily Cooper of the title, aka Lily Collins, her deputy Sylvie (Philippine Leroy- Beaulieu) and all the other women in the casting. And yet some of the men deserve a more in-depth look at start with Gabriel, a chef as charming as he is skilful at preparing tartare de veau, divided, sentimentally speaking, between the lead role (and neighbour) Emily and her friend, as well as her girlfriend, Camille. The 32-year-old Lucas Bravo, a model, was chosen to interpret it, who boasts of participations in soaps such as Sous le soleil and Plus belle la vie, which are quite popular in France. In this case, the fashion component is kept to a minimum (tight t-shirts, pastel sweatshirts, dark coats, denim jackets, evergreen combination of leather and t-shirts).
Credits Photo 2: Joséphine Leddet x Schon Magazine
It’s impossible not to mention Julien, Emily’s colleague at the Paris marketing agency Savoir, who is a permanent member of the blasé and prone to judge sarcastically what surrounds him. He is the most fashionable, fully dressed at work as on other occasions. His is a style with strong colours, sophisticated: he prefers suits brushed on, in classic colours (brightened up, however, by shirts, jackets in vitaminic colours) or, on the contrary, rather whimsical, covered by large graphics and patterns, sometimes accessorised with brochettes pinned to lapels and necklaces jewellery. Alternatively, polo shirts with bright nuances (like the blue polo shirt by Paul Smith of the latter episode), bomber, satin varsity jacket. Julien is impersonated by Samuel Arnold, a former professional dancer, a Parisian who moved to Paris some time ago to London, where in 2018 he starred at the National Theatre in the play Antony and Cleopatra.
Another prominent male figure is that of William Abadie, a 47-year-old French actor who trained at the Actors’ Theatre. A New York studio, whose filmography includes serials such as Gossip Girl, Gotham and Homeland. In addition, he is an experienced athlete whose specialties range from marathon to triathlon and is regularly involved in sports. His alter ego on the screen is Antoine Lambert, founder of the haute parfumerie brand. Maison Lavaux – one of Savoir’s biggest clients – as well as lover of Emily Sylvie Grateau’s boss. Another role played by Abadie is of a gregarious and unleavened man, tightly knit in tailored suits with a cut impeccable, completed with tie and a rigorous pochette.
Charles Martins, on the other hand, is Mathieu Cadault, the archetype of the successful businessman. A Latin lover in the company of celebrities and movie stars, manager of the high fashion brand Pierre Cadault, a fictional Maison presented in the series as an emblem of Parisian chic (one of the best scenes is, in fact, the one in which the designer of the same name moves around noting the heart-shaped charms and Tour Eiffel, which the sudden role keeps in view on the bag). Given the profession, it is obviously very elegant: in the course of the episodes she shows three pieces of tweed dresses, geometrically patterned scarves, sartorial overcoats, cache-col laid with studied nonchalance along the lapels and so on.
Despite the small amount of time of the respective characters, we can finally mention Roe Hartrampf a.k.a. Doug, Emily’s boyfriend (who actually ceases to be so at the beginning of the series), at the American boy all work and cheer for the Chicago Cubs, and Eion Bailey, interpreter of Randy Zimmer.
We resume our journey with the fashion brands that tell their story through the values of music and art. Two forms of expression that know no borders, but are made of colours and frequencies, mark time and influence moods. They keep us together due to a rhythm that beats in unison or an image that goes straight to the core and this is precisely the reason that makes them vital: because they make us feel alive. Today more than ever, their role reminds us where we come from and how much this can be an impulse not to give up. So, let’s wear these values: of beauty, of music, of art.
A positive message shared by the new Kappa campaign whose protagonist is HELL RATON, which carries forward the value of teamwork and of the ancient popular wisdom of the union that makes strength. A dedication to team spirit, to those who win shoulder to shoulder, as the brand logo teaches. Being a team means playing the same game, running towards the same goal, sharing credit with someone who is committed to the same attainment. The new X Factor judge tells his idea of a team, with his project, Machete Gaming, linked to Esports. After just a year he’s already having a huge success on socials and the Twitch platform, where gamers compete.
Supporting the ability to unite the guys, even during training: “The Esports are exactly like a real sport.” Manuelito reveals his passion for the world of video games as well as the music we already know, and the success achieved by his label, thanks to his innate charisma that makes everything he throws himself into cool. The winning sixth sense of two positive generations, Z and Millennials, a tribute to those who find in common passions, a way of feeling part of the same team.
Moleskine, with respect to its DNA, declares its attraction to the art world with a new limited edition celebrating one of the most striking female exponents of the 20th century, Frida Kahlo. Her struggle and love for life have been her greatest source of inspiration, which we find in her powerful works of art, an object of great interest for all generations. In her words all her resilience, the affirmation of the ego and her attachment to life, in spite of the Pelona (death) who danced around her bed throughout her almost entire existence. It is no coincidence that Moleskine dedicates his attention to this rebellious spirit. In the two limited editions and a special box set, the powerful words of a woman who had all the fire of Mexico inside her and thoughts, like a flooding river, of a rebellious spirit. This edition is a hymn to freedom.
Moleskine – Frida KahloMoleskine – Frida Kahlo
Vans, a brand that symbolises action sports, is signing its collaboration with the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) for the second time. T-shirts, jackets, trainers and accessories become artists’ canvases to capture all the power of abstract expressionism of the works selected for this extraordinary project, available worldwide from November 11.
From Cubism to constructivism by Lybov Popova, to the harrowing cry of Edvard Munch (1895), who, more than a century later, launches a message of great actuality. From the revolutionary dripping of Jackson Pollock, a pioneer of action painting, who won the interest of Peggy Guggenheim, to the explosive quilts screaming for Faith Ringgold’s defence of civil rights. “Faith Ringgold worked closely with the Vans design team and the MoMA team to tell a story through detail, introducing quilted borders to contextualise her work in Vans,” said Angie Dita, head of Global Footwear Design for Lifestyle Footwear at Vans.
Popova’s painting “Untitled (1917)” was applied to Vans Sk8-Hi. Two options of fleece and ringer T-shirts are added to the series.
This Classic Slip-On takes inspiration from Ringgold’s first series of abstract paintings, “The Windows of the Wedding”, made in the 1970s. On the side is engraved a quote by Ringgold, printed with his handwriting: “My mother said I’d have to work twice as hard to go half as far” (My mother told me I would have to work twice as hard to go half as far).
A capsule collection signed by Ciesse has a street flavour and is abandoned in an explosion of graffiti. The collection, which includes the release of two more pieces, expresses the perfect synthesis between J-Ax‘s belonging to the American dream, its rebellious spirit and desire for freedom and the high quality standard of Ciesse Piumini, without shifting the focus from the theme of urban dynamism in harmony with the needs of safety, comfort and style.
The capsule was activated on the singer’s IG page on Tuesday 27th October, with a SWIPE UP connected directly to the Ciesse Piumini website, to pre-order the limited edition street jacket. Just a preview in view of the sale of the other two models, starting from November only in selected stores.
