lNo.4| Ouctober 2020 sh.

YOUR CITIZEN BY SIMONE DI SALVO

TWIN FLAME - FASHION DIALOGUE lush.

Editor-in-chief Iason Raissis

Art Director Elisabetta Mako Editor-at-Large Terry Raissis

Street Style Editor Athina Krizel Runway & Global Editor Iris Zimble Archive Editor Fivos Dimitrakopoulos Global Editor Laura Lamberti

lushbyir.org/magazine

THE OCTOBER SELECTION lushbyir.org | 02 Editorial

04 Cover Story

08 Photographer's Eye

13 Global Industry

15 Opinions

17 Archive

lushbyir.org | 1 In Memoriam of The Man Who Embraced Diversity in Fashion Kenzo Takada.

By Terry Raissis

Kenzo died on Sunday, October 4, at the age of 81. Born in Japan, he was the first to introduce the Japanese culture into fashion and his work paved the way for dozens of other Japanese designers, such as Yohji Yamamoto και Rei Kawakubo.

With his extraordinary talent, he created a new aesthetic that transcended borders, colors, and cultures, "embraced" diversity, was not afraid to innovate and influenced an entire generation.

Kenzo was born on February 27, 1939 on Honsu island and from a very young age showed his love of fashion. He studied at Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo and his talent was quickly recognized. But his real contact with haute-couture took place in 1965 in Paris, which fascinated him ever since.

He started his career in Paris by selling sketches of his designs to fashion houses, for 25 francs each. He saved money, working as a stylist, to create his first collection. Shortly afterwards, one of his designs makes cover on ELLE magazine.

This legend of Japanese fashion was the first to harmoniously combine Japanese and Western cultures and worked with great success for the theatre and cinema. His designs were best known for their asymmetrical forms, while avoiding (the obvious) seams and zippers, pre-judging more free designs. Kenzo's creations stood-out for their wide sleeves, which gave volume to the clothes, while the colors and designs aimed to surprise.

EDITORIAL lushbyir.org | 2 Since 1993, the “Kenzo” brand is owned by the French company LVMH.

In 1999, Kenzo announced his retirement from the fashion world to test his skills in the field of art and interior design.

Since 2011, the artistic directors of the house are Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, who are also its chief designers. The Flower by Kenzo, the famous fragrance released in 2000, was listed by Vogue's website as one of the best classic French fragrances of all time.

In 2016, Kenzo was honored by the French government with the Legion of Honor medal for his contribution to the fashion and design industry.

Kenzo made history as the designer who made "fashion for all", since as he himself told the Times in 1972: "Fashion is not for the few. It is for all people. We shouldn't take it so seriously”.

EDITORIAL lushbyir.org | 3 Editor: Laura Lamberti Media: YOUR CITIZEN YOUR CITIZEN by Simone Di Salvo

Émile Zola once said that “The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work.” These are the words that come to my mind as I sit across from Simone Di Salvo in my small kitchen in central Rome, setting up the recording for what I believe to be this artist’s first interview. Di Salvo does indeed have a gift, but unlike the numerous artists who have always known they had a calling, a proclivity for art, he discovered his gift and passion as a result of an obligation to engage in it. After only a couple of years, Di Salvo, who wholeheartedly dedicated himself to this newly discovered gift of his, is able to boast various recognitions in international art competitions, a well- established art page on social media, a brand of his own, and various commissioned projects among which one involving one of the renowned theaters of the Italian capital.

L.L. : “Talk to me about your artistic project. How did you get into the art world, how did it evolve from solely drawing, to entering the universe of graphic design and in addition to this experimenting with fashion?”

S.D.S. : “I was never aware of the fact that I had any artistic inclination, until I was forced to take art classes as part of my high school curriculum. Witnessing myself develop a set of skills, a style, I realized it was something I wanted to pursue. In the last few months of high school I got the chance to exhibit some of my first works, and consequently got the chance to see how people interacted with it. Seeing that motivated me; it made me aware of the fact that people who did not know me were nonetheless interested in my art, legitimizing my view of my work as that; art. I then started developing my goals and started illustrating in one -line.”

L.L. : “The choice to start showcasing your art came pretty early on, and the means through which you decided to expose your work was through a social media page, is that right?”

COVER STORY lushbyir.org | 4 S.D.S. : “Yes, I opened the YOURCITIZEN Instagram page pretty early on. That’s my art name. It started a little like it did for Banksy. I started creating stickers with my original drawings and hiding them around school. No one knew where these stickers came from, or who made them, because I signed them as YOURCITIZEN. The message I was trying to get across was that the person disseminating these bits and pieces of art was among them, but they didn’t have to know who it was, because it didn’t matter. People started getting curious and I found myself playing a little bit of a psychological game.”

Di Salvo’s YOURCITIZEN page soon gathered a considerable following, giving him the exposure that then led him to the next steps in his artistic career, namely collaborations with other artists and the founding of the homonymous minimalist fashion brand.

L.L. : “Would you say that there is a connection between the name and the tone of your art? Your art is very human, extremely relatable, but at the same time, it often consists of one- line, which results in the figures’ facial structure not being extremely delineated. Do you see a connection to the universality of the name YOURCITIZEN?”

S.D.S. : “I think that there is definitely a connection there. I mainly draw faces, I am fascinated by facial expressions, but typically when you see a face as a portrait, or in realistic cartoon form, you can identify that that’s a face straight away. The one-line technique on the other hand, opens up the viewer’s imagination, because it forces the viewer to piece together the fragments to, to create the whole. Even if it only takes one additional millisecond, that’s what makes it stick, what makes it a good drawing. I think it is the norm for people to relate to paintings, drawings, illustrations at an emotional level. Art does that, it transmits emotion, but very few works have the ability to ignite the viewer’s imagination. That is precisely what I want to do.”

And as Di Salvo passionately speaks about how meaningful it is to him to see viewers interact with his art, I cannot help but think of an interactive art installation I stumbled across at the Fábrica de Arte Cubano in Havana, where multiple senses were awakened by the use of fragrances, live music, and dancing as part of the exhibition. I ask him if he would ever consider diving into this field of interactive art himself, and as he takes a drag of his vape, he shakes his head and explains that while there is a possibility of him following the path of interactive installations, he would focus on interaction through the use of technology in the world of graphic design. “There are a lot of 3D creations and installations that are based on the overlap of sound and movement and I think that could be the next step in my art.”

COVER STORY lushbyir.org | 5 L.L. : “There is one aspect of your art we haven’t addressed yet. We followed your development until your social media page. From there you launched your own brand, what prompted that switch?”

S.D.S.: “That was a dream. I always dreamed of wearing pieces created by me, which truly spoke to me. I wanted something that could fit my personality, my minimalist style, so I decided to stop dreaming and start creating. It’s not about the money or the approval, it’s about the message I’m getting across. What I want from this endeavor is to be able to walk around and see people I don’t know wearing my clothing; to have people relate to it. As you will have noticed I do not advertise the brand excessively, that’s because I want to preserve the niche nature of the audience, I want the customers to have sought out the pieces.”

L.L. : “Independently of the degree to which you want to focus on advertising the fashion brand itself, exposure for a new talent like you is essential. What is your advice to other budding artists who are seeking exposure, who look to have their works showcased?”

S.D.S. : “When it comes to exposure, contests are an incredible asset. My following increased significantly after receiving the Honorable Mention at the International Creative Competition. And the following you gain from competitions like the LICC is a type of following focused on the technique, on the style, not simply on how aesthetically pleasing a work is. In addition to this, I am a great advocate of contests because I truly believe that the people you come into contact with and the creative direction that comes from this type of events are extremely enriching. It isn’t always easy to create, sometimes two weeks can go by without any ideas, and usually these competitions have a theme, and in my opinion being given a theme greatly elicits one’s creativity, it forces you to step out of your comfort zone.”

COVER STORY lushbyir.org | 6 As a result of his increased visibility, Di Salvo often gets commissioned projects that span from creating the cover of a music album to creating a multi panel piece for the entrance of a very well- known Roman theatre, Teatro Brancaccio. The artist made a point of the fact that when working upon commission, his creative process revolves completely around the customer and what their vision is, especially in cases where the projects are being commissioned by other artists, like in the case of album covers. “When I work on album covers, I spend hours in the studio, understanding the song, the meaning, the lyrics, the emotions the artist is passing on through his music. I am interested in their creative process prior to the editing, in what the raw intention is.”

As our conversation comes to an end, I want to try to capture for our readers Di Salvo’s own conception of new talent, for I believe my in-depth profile of YOURCITIZEN has already betrayed my position on this topic… For those who agree with me after having discovered Di Salvo in these lines, you can follow him on Instagram @your_citizen. When asked who in his eyes represents the essence of new talent in the contemporary Roman art scene at the moment, Di Salvo doesn’t hesitate, his choice is Fabio Viale. “Fabio Viale is already a relatively well-known sculptor, but he is still at his begining. I recently went to an exhibition of his at Galleria Poggiali, Pietrasanta. What distinguishes him as an artist is that he combines two concepts that no one would think of combining: sculpture and tattoos. His pieces are reproductions of sculptural masterpieces like Michelangelo’s David, with tattoo art, successfully bridging the old and the new, the past and the present, the ancient and the modern.”

COVER STORY lushbyir.org | 7 Media: Elisabetta Mako Styling: Anna Kioumourtzi Make-up: Margarita Giannopoulou Twin Flame- A Fashion Dialogue

" Twin Flame. A dialogue between fashion, art & mother natures’ miracles within the enchanting space of the National Garden for a common goal: the regeneration of fashion and the switch from the old to the new. A youthful & extra-worldly aesthetic that is combined with essential elements from Greek brands and unique natural beauties"

Dress: Emci Clothing Shoes: Sideris Shoes Earings: Evocative Thread Treasures

PHOTOGRAPHERS EYE lushbyir.org | 8 Head Piece: Nazezhda Top: Emci Clothing Kimono: Nazezhda Earings: Evocative Thread Treasures Dress: Orsalia Parthenis From left to right- Top, Emci Clothing, Nazehda, Kimono. Earings: Evocative Thread Treasures. Editor: Athina Krizel Media: Casablanca Paris Archive CasaBlanca, Paris

Casablanca, which was founded in 2018, is a newcomer in the fashion industry and is already favored by the Paris’ streetwear community. Creative Director and LVMH 2020 finalist, Charaf Tajer was born in Paris and is of Moroccan descent. Because of his upbringing in France and his Arab roots, his brand is heavily influenced by both cultures.

Charaf Tajer, who has studied architecture in his earliest years, brings Casablanca to life by incorporating nature and architecture on his clothing pieces. The brand mainly focuses on leisurewear and gives off a sense of sophistication and maturity. It also has a hint of romance and nostalgia, since Casablanca, Morocco was the place where his parents fell in love and spent most of his childhood summers. Casablanca’s main goal is to stay away from dark feelings and negativity by depicting positive emotions and a brighter side to his collections. In fact, the majority of his collections are portrayed by bright colors, colorful textiles and distinctive designs that are clearly inspired by his architectural background, his heritage and his traveling experience.

His latest collection SS21 was created during his lockdown in Hawaii and was named “After The Rain Comes The Rainbow”. It mostly consists of tailored suits, tracksuits, and silk shirts accessorized with pearls and satin scarves. It was clearly inspired by his confinement in Hawaii, since prints with Hawaiian characteristics, such as its sceneries and cultural gods have dominated some of its pieces. His main desire for this collection is to bring people and nature together, in order to create a positive dynamic during this time of events.

GLOBAL INDUSTRY lushbyir.org | 13 In August 2020, he released his first womenswear line, Casablanca Femme “Idealism”. The staple of the line are the gorgeous colors and prints on the pieces. A bright green velvet tracksuit, a pink denim matching set with printed Dalmatians and a two toned mini dress sound perfect for women who love owning the sophisticated streetwear look.

2020 was a big year for Casablanca, since it has also collaborated with New Balance twice this year. In April, they released the first version of Casablanca x New Balance, 327 “Idealiste” in a forest green and a warm orange, two bright colors which are often seen in Tajer’s collections. Because of the high success of the first drop, a second collaboration was released in September with a similar design but in black and beige. It is the perfect pair of shoes for the ones who desire to be effortlessly fashionable.

GLOBAL INDUSTRY lushbyir.org | 14 Editor: Fivos Dimitrakopoulos Media: Heliot Emil Archive Exploring the Utilitarian-Futurism of Heliot Emil

Since their debut during the SS17 Milan FW, Copenhagen-based Heliot Emil has developed a design signature combining the key elements of Scandinavian design with a mix of utilitarian-futurism. Their use of exciting new fabrics combined with a focus on utilitarian design has made the brand one of the most recognizable up and coming Scandinavian labels. The brand was founded in 2017 by Danish brothers Julius and Victor Juul, with Julius currently serving as Creative Director. Surprisingly, the brothers do not have a background in fashion but rather creative communications and business; something which has allowed the brand to retain an identifiable visual identity while remaining a viable business. Heliot Emil has, through their unique and uncompromising designs, managed to rise to prominence within Scandinavian fashion.

When discussing Scandinavian , the first things that come to mind are simple silhouettes and earthy tones, something which is far from the loud design and colours of futurist fashion.

OPINIONS lushbyir.org | 15 With an exception taken for ‘vintage-futurism’ (see VISVM), futurism often occupies itself with the use of excessive detailing and angular design as well as the use of high contrast colours. Surprisingly, the intersection between the formal simplicity of Scandinavian design and futurism is found, and applauded, in the work of Heliot Emil. The most notable design characteristics being the spartan use of hardware for accenting, especially in their bags and jackets. The metallic hardware, almost always utilitarian in design and concept conveys both the aestheticism of futurism and imbues a utilitarian purpose. Scandinavian fashion culture, especially streetwear, has always been fond of techwear, an understandable proposition given that outdoor clothing is a necessity due to the weather. The combination of the formal elements of Scandinavian design with utilitarian-futurism create an outcome like no other.

Heliot Emil’s AW20 collection conveys these ideas perfectly. Most - if not all – items include a carabiner-clip accent that is made out of a semi-chrome metal which heavily contrasts with the muted dark tones of the collection. The use of muted colours, metallic accents and futuristic design language capture the aesthetic of the brand, with the loose fit of the garments still exuding the same chic as we expect from Scandinavian design. There is also a significant focus on layering, especially notable through combinations of shirts, bags and, jackets which often offer an on-purpose complimentary fit. This is also visible in many of the FW19 Women’s garments especially, dresses, which feature cut-outs and sawn-on elements to increase garment complexity and layering. While the cuts are possibly the main draw when analyzing the work, fabric also plays an important role in Heliot Emil’s collections. According to the brand itself they use “carefully developed custom fabrics” which in their last (AW20) release culminate in the ‘Liquid Metal trousers’ that feature a plastique reflection effect which combined with the colour look as if made out of liquid metal.

Their brand identity and stylistic signature is taken very seriously and have been meticulously developed by Julius with each collection delving deeper into the themes of utilitarian-futurism. During the FW19 show, Julius explained to Hypebeast his feeling about their success stating that “with more financial stability comes more opportunity and creative freedom to develop some of the fabrics yourself, develop some trimmings. Do a bunch of things that you initially want to do but don’t have the finances for.” The future certainly holds great things for the brothers if they continue developing the brand which could have the ability to shape the future of fashion in Scandinavia.

OPINIONS lushbyir.org | 16

Editor: Laura Lamberti Fragrance and Fashion- Media: getty.com A Love Story

There is something ghostly, haunting, about fragrances ; for perfumes are olfactive signatures that hold the power to evoke images, feelings, moments, memories, ideas unlike any other medium. To know someone’s scent is considered to be a sign of closeness, due to the fact that in the collective imagination perfume belongs to the sphere of what is personal. Needless to say, considering the finiteness of fragrances on the market and the hyper popularity of a few select scents, the concept of perfume being uniquely personal is all an illusion. Illusion; hold onto this thought because this word perfectly encapsulates what the perfume market is built upon.

This liaison between fashion and fragrance is a love story that is engrained in our heads, or rather in our nostrils, however, it rarely happens that we sit down and ask ourselves how the two lovers came together… The visionary Cupid who is responsible for the collision between the world of fashion and that of fragrance is the late French stylist Paul Poiret, who in 1911 launched Parfums de Rosine, a collection of perfumes to accompany his fashion creations. With the backdrop of a One Thousand and One Nights – inspired soirée, the world bore witness to the first encounter between fashion and fragrance, the union of which would reveal itself to be highly profitable. Poiret, demonstrating a keen eye for marketing, gifted all the invited dames a bottle of his fragrance Nuit Persane. Ten years later, in 1921, the iconic Chanel N.5 was launched, bringing the relationship between fashion and fragrance to new heights. To this day, Chanel N.5 remains the most sold fragrance in history. This story, however, is not simply that of the marriage between olfactive and visual beauty, but also that of man’s struggle for democracy, desire of equality and helplessness in the face of vanity. For those who cannot afford a Chanel bag, an Yves Saint Laurent suit, or a Gucci gown, Chanel N.5, YSL Black Opium and Gucci Guilty, represent the attainability of an otherwise impossible dream, the democratization of luxury products and most of all the identification with the brand.

The introduction of fragrance revolutionized the previously impenetrable universe of high fashion, giving the public a sniff, of what it feels like to own a luxury piece, and revealing to the labels in question an unimaginable reserve of previously untapped revenue potential. And as the rest of the world dedicated itself to the drilling of the black gold, the luxury industry promptly focused the creation and the marketing of this more elegant and better scented liquid, which soon came to account for exorbitant percentages of fashion labels’ total revenue. Yves Saint Laurent is rumored to have once revealed at a dinner party that fragrances accounted for over 80% of the maison’s revenues.

ARCHIVE lushbyir.org | 18 Just as the world thought the lustful affair of fashion and fragrance could not surprise us any longer, the passionate dance between these two worlds led us to where we are now; the era of dynamic scent one could call it. See, while perfume used to be confined to the static five drops of Chanel N.5 on Marilyn Monroe’s neck before going to bed, or for the rest of us, a puff of perfume on the wrists before leaving the house, we now find ourselves in the age of perfumed runway shows and aroma jockeys, an era in which perfume is no longer static, it is in constant motion. In 2009, the American twins Dawn and Samantha Goldworm, founded the olfactive branding company 12.29. Since then the Goldworm sisters have among other things scented the runways of Parabal Gurung and Valentino, filling the air with aromas that evoked the collections’ main themes. On a similar note, Austrian artist Erich “OD07” Berghammer developed the concept of “aroma jockeying”, which consists in mixing smells to accompany music being played in clubs or at concerts.

Few partners can boast to the world over 100 years of union, yet the love affair between fashion and fragrance seems to be undying, eternal, indissoluble, and most importantly it keeps providing us, helplessly vain admirers of this liaison, with the illusion of grandeur, belonging, reverie that we so crave.

ARCHIVE lushbyir.org | 19 Online Issue No.4: www.lushbyir.org October, 2020 Issued bimonthly

lush. by Iason Raissis

Cover Photograph: YOUR CITIZEN Archive

Appear in this issue

Simone Di Salvo/ @your_citizen Sophia Tsopanoglou/ @fia.tsop Elina Diakomopoulou/ @eleanor_dk

Contributors

Anna Kioumourtzi/ @anna_ebonik Margarita Giannopoulou/ @darkravendaisy

Emci Clothing/ @emci_clothing Orsalia Parthenis/ @parthenisofficial Evocative Thread Treasures/ @evocativetread_treasures Nazezhda/ @nazezhda_clothing Sideris Shoes/ @siderisshoes

Special Thanks to all the Brands for this Wondeful Collaboration.

THE OCTOBER SELECTION lushbyir.org |