Deux Hommes Issue 2

ISSUE #2

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...is a digital publication that features a curated list of emerging designers in the luxury sportswear, avant-garde and high-end streetwear markets.

Founded by Jared Robin and Carlos Basora, Deux Hommes brings to light designers who are frequently overshadowed by mainstream fashion brands.

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covers ............... KASIA JUJECZKA in Charles Warren; CALLUM WARD in HOMIC; BRILEY JONES in BEHNO4-5 ..........................OUR MISSION6-7 .......................... TABLE OF CONTENTS8 ...............................MASTHEAD 9 ............................... LETTER FROM THE EDITORS10 ............................DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT, W BY WENJUN INTERVIEW by Amy Vosejpka11-21 .......................VIVID JUXTAPOSITION, W BY WENJUN EDITORIAL by Alanna Gilbert22-31 ....................A STEP TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY, ROMBAUT INTERVIEW by Divya Bala32-43 ...................PANACHE OVERDOSE, ROB GARCIA EDITORIAL by Marcus Cooper44-57 ...................SELF-REFLECTION, KUBORAUM INTERVIEW by Jennifer Stevens58 ............................DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT, S BY S STUDIO INTERVIEW by Amy Vosejpka59-71 .....................BLISSFUL MOMENTS, S BY S STUDIO EDITORIAL by Josephine Lotus72-75 ....................YOUTH CULTURE, HOMIC INTERVIEW by Ana Callahan-Roman76-93 ...................AVANT-GARDE SUPREMACY, HOMIC EDITORIAL by Brent Chua94-95 ...................MODERNISM IN INDIA, BEHNO INTERVIEW by Ana Callahan-Roman96-103 ................FIELD OF DREAMS, BEHNO EDITORIAL by David Urbanke104-117 ...............LAST MAN STANDING, EDITORIAL by Gautier Pellegrin118-119 .................FINAL GRADES ARE IN, PUBLIC SCHOOL INTERVIEW by Amy Vosejpka120-131 ...............P.S. I LOVE YOU, PUBLIC SCHOOL EDITORIAL by Gus & Lo132-145 ...............FIERCE CONTEMPLATION, CHARLES WARREN + CLAUDIA LI EDITORIAL by Daniel Korzewa

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covers ............... KASIA JUJECZKA in Charles Warren; CALLUM WARD in HOMIC; BRILEY JONES in BEHNO4-5 ..........................OUR MISSION6-7 .......................... TABLE OF CONTENTS8 ...............................MASTHEAD 9 ............................... LETTER FROM THE EDITORS10 ............................DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT, W BY WENJUN INTERVIEW by Amy Vosejpka11-21 .......................VIVID JUXTAPOSITION, W BY WENJUN EDITORIAL by Alanna Gilbert22-31 ....................A STEP TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY, ROMBAUT INTERVIEW by Divya Bala32-43 ...................PANACHE OVERDOSE, ROB GARCIA EDITORIAL by Marcus Cooper44-57 ...................SELF-REFLECTION, KUBORAUM INTERVIEW by Jennifer Stevens58 ............................DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT, S BY S STUDIO INTERVIEW by Amy Vosejpka59-71 .....................BLISSFUL MOMENTS, S BY S STUDIO EDITORIAL by Josephine Lotus72-75 ....................YOUTH CULTURE, HOMIC INTERVIEW by Ana Callahan-Roman76-93 ...................AVANT-GARDE SUPREMACY, HOMIC EDITORIAL by Brent Chua94-95 ...................MODERNISM IN INDIA, BEHNO INTERVIEW by Ana Callahan-Roman96-103 ................FIELD OF DREAMS, BEHNO EDITORIAL by David Urbanke104-117 ...............LAST MAN STANDING, EDITORIAL by Gautier Pellegrin118-119 .................FINAL GRADES ARE IN, PUBLIC SCHOOL INTERVIEW by Amy Vosejpka120-131 ...............P.S. I LOVE YOU, PUBLIC SCHOOL EDITORIAL by Gus & Lo132-145 ...............FIERCE CONTEMPLATION, CHARLES WARREN + CLAUDIA LI EDITORIAL by Daniel Korzewa

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editors letter

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FASHION

Managing Editor Amy Vosejpka Associate Fashion Editor Jennifer Stevens

Special Features Editor Marlo SaalminkContributing Editor Ana Callahan-Roman

Talent Advisor Brent Chua

ARTDesign Director Socrates Gomez

Art Director James Mao

MARKETING/PUBLIC RELATIONSMarketing Directors

Ashim Joshi & Saakshi Muralidhar

Marketing Associates Emily Ulrich, Anna Wit, Diana Zhou

Public Relations Associate Melissa Nyarko

TECHNOLOGYDirector of Technology Peter Ligeiro

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Divya Bala, Rufus Barkley, Rima Butto,

Alexander Cao, Suzette Dorrielan, Tori Douglas,

Alessandro Esculapio, Gabriela Herstik, Anu Kumar,

Destiny Ly, Antonella Saravia, Arielle Tipa

Carlos Basora Creative Director

Jared RobinEditor in Chief


editors letter

DAMN, WE CANT BELIEVE WE MADE IT TO ISSUE TWO. Its funny, when people talk about obstacles to success, we always thought it was some clich. We have been humbled and realize the struggle is real. Over the past few months, we have fought many battles, and we havent won all of them yet. But, we are still here. Thank you for opening our magazine and reading our pages. We hope you see how weve grown.

This issue is every bit as important to us as our first. We may have gone a little crazy with three covers, but we wouldnt have it any other way. Youre too masculine we heard, youre too dark we also heard. How can we change this perception to show versatility and our true range in fashion? We initially only wanted two covers: one

female and one male. To get to three took a life of its own. While the models weve featured are all phenomenal in their own right and important parts of the quest that Deux Hommes is going on, we ask you to notice the designers.

The first cover features Charles Warren and Claudia Li, both premier NYC-based womenswear designers that are putting their stamp on fashion. IMG Models budding superstar and Models.com hotlister Kasia Jujeczka along with Polish photographer Daniel Korzewa bring these designers to life in a way we havent seen, putting together a cover and editorial that rivals industry giants.

Our second cover looks at HOMIC, a brand created from FIT graduate Joshua Homics masterful mind. Its equally

as poignant as a brand like Public School (p.106), yet much less known. It was important for us to show that the range between making it in fashion and not quite there is the difference of being seen and continuously executing their vision. Brent Chua, a renowned photographer, yearned to shoot this. We are ecstatic at how it turned out!

Finally, on our third cover, we introduce you to BEHNO, a label of fair and ethical practices in manufacturing from India. They represent the direction we feel fashion needs to go to sustain it, and because of how beautiful their garments are. Yes, beautiful

garments can be made in fair ways. In fact, we loved these more than any other for our cover as did phenomenal photographer David Urbanke, who shot Briley Jones in 40-something degree temperatures on the beach.

We hope you enjoy this issue and continue to join us on our journey! Humbled,

Jared and Carlos DEUX HOMMES

hdark twisted fairytale

How did you decide to become a fashion designer? My natural passion. I have loved creating since I was a very little girl.

What does the W in your label W by WenJun stand for?The three characteristics of my brand: whimsicality, well-made and wonderful.

What propelled you to move to Paris after graduation?Paris is like a dream world, a dream city, famous for its ele-gant women and fine arts and fashion history. The European culture sounded quite attrac-tive to me, speaking French and feeling proud...with all those charming stories. By curiosity, I moved to Paris.

How does the Chinese culture view fashion?The Chinese believe that they cannot be different from

others; they need to look and live like the others. Maybe this is what makes the new Chi-nese generation very curious and want to be different, want to see the world, want to be creative and want more free-dom. I believe more and more Chinese will change from follow to be followed.

What are the core philosophies and values of W by WenJun?To be myself, to be whimsical, to listen to my heart and follow my feelings, to do my best and to make it the best.

How is your label differ-ent from the others?The only thing to make my label different from the others is to be myself because we are all unique. I need to keep my heart pure like a child to stay aware of who I am and what I want to do.

What do you hope to bring to the fashion

industry that is currently missing?Surprise.

Who is the most import-ant person in your life? My dear mother. She has not only given me life, but she is always trusting me, giving me hope and giving me help.

What is next on your travel list? Perhaps Scandinavia. I really want to go somewhere with good air, that is relaxing and simple but surrounded by arts, culture, politeness and a high sense of life and style.

Interviewed by Amy Vosejpka Photography by Alanna Gilbert

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D E S I G N E R S P O T L I G H T

Interviewed by Amy Vosejpka Photography by Alanna Gilbert


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makeup JALEESA JAIKARANhair MATTHEW TUOZZOLI

USING BUMBLE AND BUMBLEmodel CHEN LIN (IMG)

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aA SELF-DESCRIBED ALL-OR-NOTHING KIND OF GUY, Mats Rombaut is still working in his studio in Paris when I call at 8p.m. on a Sunday nighthe is most decidedly in all mode. It would seem that running something of a one-man show requires some serious after hours.

Following his time at institu-tional design houses, such as Lanvin and Damir Doma, Rombaut has now turned his attention to his eponymous label. Having just shown his Fall/Winter 2015 collection at Paris Fashion Week and Pitti Uomo weeks earlier, he is already working on designs

for Spring/Summer 2016. The accessories have caught the attention of a growing number of discerning stockists world-wide Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong, Darklands in Berlin and LEclaireur in Paris as much for their eco-consciousness and technical intricacy as their sharp design. So if youre

not familiar with the name yet, you will be.

How did you come to start your own fashion label?I actually studied economics. I did only six months of fash-ion design. Basically, I finished my Bachelor in business, and

Interviewed by Divya Bala

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a step towards sustainability



then went to fashion school. Im from Belgium but did my third year of business [school] in Barcelona like an exchange program. I always wanted to do fashion and study fashion, but my parents said I had to get a normal degree first. I decided to start studying fashion in Barcelona, but the school was not really what I thought it would be, so I left for Paris. I wanted to work in a more challenging, serious en-vironment. As its the fashion capital of Europe, I decided to start working early on. So yeah, I moved to Paris, which is now seven years ago.

Thats a brave move! What was your first job?Im 28, just turned 28. I started working when I was 21, first as a PR intern and then as an intern in product development for Lanvin mens accessories, and thats where my marketing skills were developed. This is where I first got in touch with design and developing products and accessories, shoes in partic-ular. I learned a lot about the development stages. I didnt have a real fashion educa-tion so, for me, it was really nice to be able to work with Lanvin, especially because after product development, I got to know the team as well as all the designer stylists. They offered me an intern-ship for three months with the design team, which was a great opportunity because I could also see how they

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I dont know if theres such a thing as ethical fashion, but I think you just have to be ethical in everything that you do.


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work. Then I moved to another company, Damir Doma; this was my first real job. I was at Damir for two-and-a-half years before deciding to start my own thing. At Damir, I started in product development, and by the end, I was doing all the product development as well as the production, which was not really what I wanted to do, but it was basically taking care of all the problems for all categories: accessories, everything to do with leather and fur, jeans, knitwear, the classic line for menswear and womenswear as well as their second line, Silent. It was a lot to do, but I learned a lot.

What were the most important lessons that you learned during your time at Lanvin and Damir Doma?At Lanvin, one of the most important lessons was not to use references too literally. And I think this is how you distinguish designers. For some designers, you can see their references super clearly in their work. At Lanvin, they were very good at taking a reference and transforming it so, by the end, it became something very different to what it was at the beginning. I didnt get that at first. I was like, but then you dont get the references, you dont see at all where it comes from. But, at least you create something more original. That was an interesting lesson.

At Damir, I learned a lot of lessons! First of all, dont grow too fast and dont try to push your product too fast into all the stores. On the finan-cial side, its better to grow gradually then to just give your stuff on consignment and try to be everywhere. I think its better to do it slowly and test what the clients reactions are to it and learn from the feedback of your clients and other people. I think thats also very important to listen to the feedback when it comes to quality and price. My product evolved quite a lot over time, because I saw what had to be changed or how the price was way too high in the beginning. You have to adapt to the mar-ket, which is unfortunate, but its the reality!

What was that process of refinement like for you with your own label?It has been quite gradual with my label. Ive had to make a few compromises. But now, Ive come to a point where I have a good balance, where I have what I want, what the clients expect from me, and I dont have to make too many compromises anymore. I still like the designs and the materials I use but, to give an example, the shoes I released in the beginning were between 600-800 retail and made out of tree bark. It was 100% natural and biodegradable, but there were some constraints because they didnt last that

long. After six months, they began to biodegrade. For that price this was undesirable!

Youre such an eco-conscious person Im assuming that on some level thats the point you want your pieces to not leave a footprint.Yeah, exactly, that was the point. I do not want to create more waste and landfill than there already is, so I want-ed to do things that didnt leave a trace. But, what I also wanted to do was change the consumers mind and the idea that you need leather in shoes, which is already a tough goal in itself. So gradually, I started to adapt, meaning I started to use cot-ton with a natural rubber coat-ing handmade fabrics that I developed myself. And now, Im using mainly cotton with rubber coating which looks a bit like leather, a bit technical, but its obvious that its not. So thats still 100% natural. But, Im also using 100% synthetic fabrics right now because that makes the shoe more durable. Now, its like any other shoe on the market in terms of durability; you can wear it for a very long time. And I moved the production from Italy to Portugal in the meantime so the prices are more affordable without making the quality suffer.

You mentioned you create these fabrics yourself. How does that work?It sounds fancy to experiment, but its not! I did this in my studio. I bought the raw ma-terial and canvas and hand-coat it with rubber, which was mixed with natural pigments, and placed it into the oven to vulcanize. Its quite a long process, which I was doing myself. I had to do it little by little. It took about a week to make the fabric ready for production, and thats just the coating! I had to then send it to the industrial oven in Belgium.

This was for Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter 2014 production. Spring/Summer 2015, which is now in stores, was the last collection where some of the fabrics were still handmade by me. But from then on, the fabrics have come from a supplier, which is great because now I have more time to spend on researching different types of fabrics and low impact materials on the environment as well as spending more time on all of the other things that I have to do which is designing, PR, sales and administration. Im basically all alone in the company. Sometimes my sister helps me with sales and PR but thats only a couple of days per season. Yeah, its a one-man show.


It must be difficult to balance both the creative and business side of things at the same time and not let one influence the other?Yeah, thats true. Sometimes as a young designer you can work with agents, which I could do, but I prefer to keep everything in my own hands. Because if one season goes wrong, Im finished. If I find the right people, Ill work with them, but at the moment, Im still looking.

Also, it doesnt really influence my designs. I think thats really important because otherwise

you run the risk of becoming just like anybody else and you lose your own voice. To me, it was never the idea to make a commercial brand; it had more to do with what I wanted to do and make the designs I wanted to make. Especially, after all the leather and fur at Damir Doma, I decided I wanted to create a vegetarian line. Now I am a vegan, for over a year, but I was vegetari-an for six years.

How did you reconcile working with all those animal products at Damir Doma?When I started at Damir

Doma, they had a line called Silent, which was ecological and that was the reason I was interested in working with them. A week after I started, they decided not to make it ecological anymore but, at that point, it was difficult to leave the job. I had only been a vegetarian for a year, still wearing leather myself. It became working with more leather, and I realized the im-pact on the environment of all the things that had to do with leather and animals, and I de-cided that I didnt want to do it anymore. It still took me a year to decide to leave because to prepare your own project it takes time. And, I was learning a lot. Also, my idea was to change the system gradually, and I knew that I had to work with factories that were doing leather because there is not a single factory in Italy that was working with vegan leather. I actually started working with a factory in Italy who really supported my ideas and gave me really good conditions; they were very patient as well with me. I was there about a week every month. And sometimes I worked in the factory, making the materials there because they had a big-ger space. It was a really good collaboration. The factory was in Aretzo, one hour south of Florence.

You seem to place a pre-mium on humanity and ecology in your brand as

well as in your personal life. What does ethical fashion mean to you, and why do you think its so important?I dont know if theres such a thing as ethical fashion, but I think you just have to be eth-ical in everything that you do. For me, its just normal that people are paid a living wage and working in good condi-tions. I think thats not even a question. I wouldnt even think about doing it otherwise. I know that other people are doing it, but I dont know, for me its a necessity; its a given fact that needs to be there. Im not saying that Im against producing in Asia or countries where the wages are lower, but then of course it becomes more important to check on the circumstances of the factory and make sure that the workers are being paid according to the guidelines of the country as wella good wage, the living wage. But this is the thing; if you produce in Italy and Portugal, especially when you produce in smaller quantities and you work di-rectly with all the people in the factory, its super easy. You see that everybody is treated in a good way, and they have a normal wage. And to me, its also nice to keep the industry in Europe. Because there was a point where a lot of people were going away from Italy and Europe, and I think then a lot of factories had to close and they lost a lot of artisans.

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There are not a lot of skilled footwear workers in the new generation in Europe because the young people want to be designers or whatever, and I think the market has moved away a bit. But, of course, the luxury brands are still here to keep it alive.

Do you think that sustainability is the future of fashion?I think in the higher segment it is definitely the future. The consumer has the possibility to afford a garment that is eth-ically and sustainably made. And in the nearer future, I defi-nitely see it happening. And I think in the long run, the mid-dle and lower segment will fol-low too. But this is a bit harder because the customer is very price sensitive. If they have a choice between a $5 t-shirt or an $8 t-shirt at H&M, they will go for the $5 t-shirt. And thats unfortunately still the reality. It will take some time and a lot of, lets say, education. If they see good examples and are made more aware of the impact their choices have, I think it will change.

You see a lot of compa-nies claim to be sustain-able and make efforts and investments to show how green they are. The conversation is getting more attention and is be-coming more and more important. It is definitely going in a good direc-

tion. However, there is a perception that eco-fash-ion is hippy-dippy or dmod. Do you feel a re-sponsibility to challenge this perception?At the beginning, I really want-ed to make something that didnt look organic. I wanted to make something that looked cool. But now, I want to do both. I want to continue with this kind of aesthetic to show that you can do it in a different way. Also, there are these trends now; the 70s are back, but also this trend that the ecological look is fashionable.

Your aesthetics are minimal and modern but also incredibly technical and consid-ered. It almost seems as if you are inspired by athleticism. Is it import-ant that your pieces are high-performance? Not really. The shoes look like running shoes, but theyre not made to go running in. They are fashion shoes that are modeled on that aesthetic. This is a trend, something that I think is cool right now. I used to do Derbys and boots, and I might do more of these clas-sic shoes in the future. But, I think its not important. To me, its important that they look great and are comfortable and that the materials are respon-sible. For me, thats enough.

This is also part of my per-sonal story or idea about the

future. I think exercise keeps you happy and keeps you going and makes you stron-ger. The thing that I try to do is to strive for perfection. This is why I used the gymnasts and the fencing as the theme this time. The fencing was the fighting spirit, but the gymnast was for perfectionism and to strive to make things better. Also, I used to do gymnastics when I was 12 and was a gymnast for quite some time.

How much do your de-signs reflect who you are and what interests you?Quite a lot, really. All the shoes that I design I want to wear

myself. And I design them for myself, which sounds a bit selfish, but I tried this sea-son to design for a different customer, something more wearablea low top and high top with lacesand it didnt really work. The customers didnt pick it up; they only went for the more interesting and signature fashion styles. Maybe they just felt that this is more my brand and that the more basic things look like other brands that you can find somewhere else. So, they really buy my stuff for the design, which Im really happy about, actually. It was a really good lesson for next season


to not put out something that Im not 100% convinced about myself. It really reflects what Im wearing and what I want to wear. Literally, every style is something I would wear myself on a daily basis. The shapes are really minimal, but at times, I have a shoe with little patchworks on ithalf-loose and not done in a neat wayand is very chaotic.

Im also like this; sometimes Im more chaotic and some-times Im more focused and minimal in my head. It reflects how I am as well as how I see the future because the brand is all about the future in the way of thinking and in the design.

For example, Autumn/Winter 2015 was all about how peo-ple saw the future in the 70s and 80s. I used some shiny materials and made the color combinations to be quite 70s and 80s. Also, in my previ-ous collections, it was about how people viewed the future before the Internet. I think then people had more imagination about how the future would looklike in Sci-Fi movies, for exampleand now we have a more realistic view on it and its less exciting.

Were you watching a lot of Stanley Kubrick?Not a lot, but I have seen it. It was more that I looked at some interiors from the 70s and 80s, and then I had this

general idea of rugs on the floor and textures and color combinations, and this is actually what I started with in the collections. I looked for these materials and put it

together on a mood board, and I already knew that I wanted to do this and I want-ed to do that. It comes very quickly actually. I could do five collections instead of one, but I have to narrow it down a lot because I can only do a limit-

ed amount of styles. Its really hard to narrow it down. And to narrow it down and have a coherent storyyou cant have several in one collection; you have to choose.

Do you feel pressure to deliver a strong state-ment or narrative with every collection?Yeah, I think more and more now. The last two seasons were quite successful in terms

of press; the last collection was on Style.com and there are probably some other big magazines that are going to publish it. So, of course, for next season the pressure is high because I have to make something better, always. But, Im not worried about that because thats also the benefit or the privilege of having a smaller collection. In terms of creativity, its not that ex-hausting than making a whole runway show of 60 looks. In this sense, its not as scary as that. My only communication visually is the lookbook. So, thats a big pressure, always, because its an investment and you only have three or four hours to shoot it and it has to be good, and its really hard to plan that in advance. You can plan the styling, the models, the location, but in the end, its all in the mo-mentits all what happens in the moment.

Do you still do gymnastics?I can still do some stuff! More like hand stands and stuff like that. But now, I just go to the gym. And its already hard for me to go because I have a very busy schedule. To go to the gym you have to eat and sleep well and then go otherwise it makes no sense. Its a discipline. Id love to have more discipline, so this is something I put in my work because I would like to be a more disciplined person.

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...this is why I dont think or believe so much in labeling Rombaut as a sustainable brand because I think all the houses should be sustainable...


So what you cant be in life, you will be in work?(Laughs) Yeah.

How would you describe Rombaut in three words?I would say forward thinking, sustainable and innovative.

What would you say is the DNA of your brand?For me, it was almost more important to be a fashion brand first, then a sustainable brand. Because if you say sustainable to people, it links to that hippy thing. And this is why I dont think or believe so much in labeling it as a sustainable brand because I think all the houses should be sustainable, and its just a characteristic in the DNA of the brand, like Stella McCa-rtney. Id say the first thing about the DNA is the design. Its always hard to describe for me! Sometimes its minimalist, but sometimes its chaos as well. Its about extremes. I dont like something that is in between.

Is that who you are as a person? Yeah, kind of. I never get mad. Im always calm. But, I do party a lot so, in that sense, its also all or nothing. I am like that with my friends, too. I have a few very good friends, and I give them a lot.

Are your friends mostly in Paris?

Theyre all in Parisits mostly international people that live here. Its been eight years since I left Belgium. The people I knew there were from uni and high school and we have completely different paths. I also wanted to move away from Belgium ever since I was a kid, so I was really happy to leave and start a new life, actually.

Why is that?I dont know. It was the environment. I studied mathematics and science in high school and it was not my thing, the people were not myIts not that I didnt get along with them, I was different from the others and I didnt find people there that were thinking alike, and I saw that it would be better somewhere else. When I went to Barcelona on holi-day, I knew immediately that I wanted to be there and that the people were more open-minded. Also, in Bel-gium, its very grey so theres a lot of negativity in the air, as well. It seems like you couldnt dream. When you had dreams, people would directly say, its not going to work, its not possible, its not going to happen, so I just wanted to start a different life.

What was it like to study in Barcelona?I was 19 at the time so that was really the time that is an important part of your life.

And, I really love music so that was great! I started to produce music as well when I was there. It was electronic music, more from the 80s. Kind of like Italian disco but without the voice. Now, I listen to different types of things, different types of electronic music. A lot of things! From classical musiclots of Chopinto anything from new disco and pop. Grimes, shes vegan as well! Id love to send her some shoes.

Also, I started listening to techno DJs like Chris Liebing. I wasnt playing in clubs, I was just on my computer. I was not very ready for that yet, but its something I would like to do in future.

You could produce the soundtrack for your first runway show!Im going to focus on the shoes as well as bags and different types of accesso-ries, but I dont see clothes happening any time soon. Its a nice idea. Its another job, another thing Id have to devote myself to 24/7.

Whats next for Rombaut?I am looking into collaborations with different people, which I cant talk about just yet. I am going to do bags. I did in the past, but I didnt find the right balance between price and look and everything, so Im going to do it right this time.

Also, almost nobody knows I did bags! Itll be launched this time and more prominent in the lookbook. Thats already started. And, I would like to continue to grow like I did this season. Now, Im in 20 stores. Its going in the right direction so Im happy.

I only look at the next year because I cant really predict whats going to happen. But, as long as I can do what I want, whenever I want, thats the dream. Obviously, to grow gives you the resources to do more of what you want and develop new techniques and find new materials and experiment. I think if you lose that then you just become a normal business, and I just want to keep experimenting. It could be with fashion or music or different product categories...that could be interesting. Im a very curious person, curious about how things are made and how things work. I only want to do it if its right and it makes sense for the brand.

Its a lot of work. I would like to work with different people in the future. I dont want to work on my own forever. I know you cant do it alone. Until this point I could, but I think from now on its going to be difficult to do it by myself.

But, Im very passionate about it so Im happy with what Im doing. And I like to be busy.

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Photography by Marcus Cooper

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Redefined essentials for the modern man.

ROB GARCIA FALL/WINTER 2015 + LUCKY SELECTISM EYEWEAR (THROUGHOUT)

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assistant stylist AVINASH HIRDARAMANI grooming JEN NAVARRO (JUMP MANAGEMENT) USING NARS COSMETICS + ORIBE HAIR CARE

models POWEL BEDNAREK (MAJOR MODELS) + MARIUS (IMG)


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self-reflection Interviewed by Jennifer Stevens Photography by Diana Mller + Stefan Dotter

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iIF YOU EVER WANTED to truly capture your deepest, inner-most ego that sits within ones core, put on one of Kubo-raums masks. Designed for the face that highlight person-ality and emphasize character, Kuboraum accentuates, pro-tects and shelters the wearer. Founded in Berlin in 2012 by artist, sculptor and designer Livio Graziottin and anthropol-ogist, brand, communication and marketing director Sergio Eusebi, the duo is responsible for creating objects that allow for the change in relation to the perception of self. Behold: the power of the mask.

Sergio, how did you and Livio meet? Was there an immediate interest in starting an eyewear brand? We met six years ago at an art gallery of a mutual friend. Im-mediately after that, we joined together not to make Kubo-raum, but to join our energies and make something together.

The accessories market is very fierce, especially in eyewear. What inspired you to start Kuboraum?It was something natural a natural desire because it was

not possible in that period to find eyewear that we would really like to wear. You dont wear sunglasses just because there is sun, you wear them because you want to highlight part of yourself. And from this comes the idea of Kuboraum of doing a mask. The main inspiration of the first collection came from the geometries of Berlin mixed together with an iconic aesthetic from the past such as mathematics and sci-ences from Eastern Europe.

For those that do not know, can you tell us what Kuboraum means and why that name was chosen?

KUBORAUM is a syncretism of cube/cubic and room. Kubo to symbolize the straight concept of a definite archi-tecture; Raum as a room of resonance of this identity, an architecture as a loudspeaker. Every piece of eyewear is your own cubic room, your own in-timate architecture where you can shelter yourself. It is where you are free to live all your identities and highlight part of your character in the game of the mask.

Since you are based in Berlin, what does fashion mean to you? What does Berlins

fashion culture mean and how did it impact Kuboraums aesthetics?Berlin fashion is something that is more individual, more free. It is not glamour, it is not seasonal: there is nothing systematic about it. Fashion in Berlin is not Berlin Fashion Week. I think that if we speak about Berlin, I would be more interested to speak about art and music instead of fashion. And maybe the essence of Berlins fashion aesthetic is a part of those two (music and art).

How do you stay true to your self?Concentrating myself on the light.

What are your favorite materials and textures to work with?Livios work has a deep background. In his work, you will find often revisited tradi-tional manufacturing combined with an aesthetic that is a mixture of antique and new. An aesthetic that frequently remembers something coming from the future something that has never been seen before. For example, in our last collection, we have the

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EDEN concept. These are the first masks tattooed in the history of eyewear: they are made by hand, then tattooed and then painted by hand and then burned. If you touch the surface of those masks, you have the same sensation of touching the skin. I do not have a favorite material, but I can say that I really love our new metal project and also our way of combining sterling silver together with the burnt acetate.

Your brand is based on concepts and not collec-tions. Do you essentially design on your own schedule?We work free and the sched-ule is dictated by our devotion to the project. For us, the most important thing is the project itself.

As you put it, Kuboraum is essentially masks for the face and not sunglass-es. Can you explain that in more depth?We say mask and not sun-glasses because when you see it, just like when you see a mask, you are attracted and intimidated at the same time. When you put it on, it chang-

es you you look different. What we are looking for is really to give to any person who tries on one of our masks the sensation of amazement when they look at themselves in the mirror. They must feel special having an experience of authenticity and then evolu-tion. All of our masks have no logo because they are made to highlight the characters of the people not the eyewear itself.

For your most recent concept, what was the focus?Our latest concepts were the EDEN collection which focus-es on the tattoo manufacture;

the Babel, Genesis, Atlantis and Metropolis concepts, manufactured with sterling silver and burnt acetate; the new metal project, a new way of working and making metal frames: every mask is ham-mered by hand, with a strong contrast between handcraft manufacture and a really fine and sophisticated look. To un-derline this contrast, we made the nose pads in porcelain.

In your eyes (no pun intended), is there any particular person that Kuboraum is made for?Kuboraum is made for everyone who is ready for it. Somebody who is ready

for this strong relationship with an object and this inorganic sex appeal.

Who is one person from the past and one from the present that you would love to see in your masks?From the past, Walter Benjamin. From the present, Alejandro Jodorowsky.

Are there any future projects that you can tell us about or any new materials that youre excited to work with for up- coming concepts?The new metal project, which we are currently pre-senting the first three de-signs we want to develop this collection in metal with the same concept. Also, our new collection of hand-made chests (handbags) for our masks. It was made in order to keep your mask with you 24/7. While the chests were made for our masks, it is an object that can be used for various things. Just like our masks, you do not use it when there is just sun. It simply looks beautiful. It is a lifestyle.


blissful moments

Interviewed by Amy Vosejpka Photography by Josephine Lotus

DESIGNER NAMES: SHAWN KIM & SOPHIA SUHHOMETOWN: SOUTH KOREACURRENT RESIDENCE: NEW YORK CITY

Does your upbringing have any influence on how you came to be a designer or the designs aesthetic?Shawn: I was born and raised in a suburban country area until I moved to Seoul at the age of eight. My childhood was so close to nature, and that is where I learned color theory, scent and texture. My aesthetic came from living in both settings. Sophia: My mom always made something on an industrial sewing machine or by knittingme and my sisters dresses, the T.V. cover, curtains, even our dogs clothing. Ribbons and scraps of fabric were easily found at my house. The big industrial sewing machine sound actually comforts me; it brings back my childhood memories.

You two met while attending undergraduate at Parsons. How did you decide to collaborate on a label?Sophia: We met in the first class of our sophomore year. We felt that we had a similar aesthetic of fashion but a very different way of expression. Both of us love hybrid, but Shawn always represents hybrid as combining two opposite objects: strange nostalgia and innovation. Shawn: Sophia expresses hybrid as a genderless look. It was so interesting to see and to work together, so we decided to collaborate and establish our label, S BY S STUDIO.

D E S I G N E R S P O T L I G H T

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footwear THE SWEET INSANITY BY LEA GERMANO

What is the meaning behind the labels name S BY S Studio?In terms of womenswear, S BY S means Sophia by Shawn, as menswear S by S means Shawn by So-phia. Simply put, it means we design each other.

S BY S Studios philos-ophy lies in the ability to merge nostalgia and innovation through the use of modern tech-nology. How do you accomplish this?We love classical elements. We think nothing can be more sincere than the clas-sic. And we combine clas-sic with modern technology until we find a point where the two balance out exactly.

What inspires you?It just comes and goes from unexpected objects or phenomena. Sometimes it is from very random things from very normal places.

Why is emerging fashion so important?Emerging fashion brings fashion forward.

footwear THE SWEET INSANITY BY LEA GERMANO

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makeup ERIC VOSBURG (ABTP) hair SEAN BENNETT

USING BUMBLE AND BUMBLEmodel JENNA EARLE (NEXT)


jyouth culture

JOSHUA HOMIC WALKS AROUND HIS STUDIO CEREMONIOUSLY DRESSED in all black. Theres buoyan-cy in his step and presence. His light eyes dart around at his current creations with a kind, Cheshire cat smile pasted lovingly on his face. For someone who has had so much happen in one fevered instant, hes managed to retain wonder, heady imagination and an uncanny Zen-like calm. The charm that we find in Homic doesnt come from his innovation, aesthetic utility or unisex silhouettes; it lies in the qualities of an emerging designer constantly learning, living, breathing and aching to achieve his singular vision.

The FIT Graduate and Fusion Fashion Award winner looks down at his hands while he speaks, giving way to strong fingers that are no stranger to crafting durable materials. When hes not championing new paradigms in androgy-nous uniformity, hes striving to evolve and improve his silhouettes so they can jump from a world of fantasy into an aspirational, urban lifestyle. Freedom from everyday ideol-ogies, monotony and oppres-sion while entering the world of mindful, fantastical aesthetics may just be the vision quest realized in Homics near future.

Lets talk about the ide-ology behind everything

that you do. So far, its a firm belief based on free-ing oneself from past and current conventions in fashion. What are these conventions to you?The conventions stem back to gender roles. I took some sociology classes when I was still studying, and I found it really fascinating with how these roles dictated the posi-tions of people in society and how they can restrain people. So when I started the brand, I focused on breaking those boundaries. Then I started the unisex line to focus on a genderless lifestyle.

Did you come into con-tact with any barriers that

challenged your views on this core mission while you were establishing your brand?There definitely were, espe-cially with some of my past colleagues, because I had a different perspective from what everyone else had. Im definitely the odd ball out of the bunch. There was a lot of resistance at the beginning; it was also a concept that they couldnt relate to right away.

This isnt about being relatable, right? Its about making an impact.Yes! Exactly.

The mother of invention is about solving problems

Interviewed by Ana Callahan-Roman

I N T E R V I E W


and providing solutions. Homic seems to provide a lot of solutions. What problem, solution or idea inspired you to ap-proach the unisex realm?This was not overnight. There was a lot of self-discovery through what I was originally doing (which was evenin-gwear), which is very different from where I am now. The issue that I had was that it was not relatable for me personallyI just didnt know how to dress in that respect. I was like, Im just not going to wear an evening gown, its not my lifestyle, and so I started transforming the avant-garde notions of eveningwear and finer dressing into a more urban and relatable lifestyle. Thats how all this started. Moving into the unisex realm, it was seeing inspirational role models around me, specifically Rad Hourani who has really pioneered the unisex field. Seeing that it was even possi-ble, it really pushed me to continue developing further and going deeper with-in myself.

Last season you cited the fictitious society of Monolia and Neolithic influences. What guided your inspiration this time around for spring? Was it based on reality? For Monolia, it started from a theoretical Neolithic culture. Then for the next season,

I sort of continued that but related it more to the visuals of monks from Nepal, just more monastic. The goal was to bring it to a more realistic and modern way of synching with our daily lives. Thats how its evolved. Of course it still stems from fantasy ideas, but this time around the goal was to communicate something much more believable.

Your clothes evoke fanta-sy, yet they are wearable for everyday, urban lifestyles. Even with the signature, sculptural pieces, nothing comes out as overtly outlandish. Would you say that your pieces are very functional for day-to-day on the go?That is definitely one of the goals; it has to have function-

ality. At the end of the day, someone has to wear it. The target client that Im ultimately looking for is urban and out-ward boundsomeone who goes to galleries, maybe lives in TriBeCa, but these individu-als are still approachable. You can still talk to them.

Does it make sense that Lady Gaga appeared in some of your pieces? Did it really come out of nowhere?It really did come out of nowhere! Brandon Maxwell, her stylist, reached out to me. They used a few pieces from the Fall/Winter 2014 collection.

So you had just gradu-ated, won the Fusion Fashion Show and Lady

Gaga was appearing in your pieces. How did you process everything?Yes, it was so fast. It was definitely exciting. Looking back it at it, I didnt really understand or appreciate the importance of it. I also didnt realize all of the avenues that were about to open up for me. Having a show, having people see it, having to hear every-ones opinion on it, having to establish a relationship with all of these complete strangers, plus all the stylists I didnt even knowall these people that I now have the opportunity to work with, and I think thats something that was so import-ant for me. Opening up and crossing all of the barriers was definitely a huge goal.

Your current Spring/

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Its very important to me to have the world see a personal expression through clothing, something that communicates and has an inner calm.

JOSHUA HOMIC


Summer 2015 collec-tion hints at elements of futuristic Geisha Kabuki with innovative wrappings and co-coon-like silhouettes. The layered drapings have a signature finish and tone to them. It creates an otherworldly urban simplicity that is so rarely seen. What inspired this type of drap-ing and wrapping? It really stemmed from the Japanese culture. The dou-ble-breasted, simple straight-forward cuts are something that I enjoyed playing with. I did a lot of research within the Japanese culture, and I really appreciated the approach to simplicity and minimalism without being sterile. I also re-searched patterns on Kimonos in respect to the current sil-houettes. If you think about it, ancient Japanese culture was like living in a fantasy world; it was all very ceremonious day in and day out, very ritualistic and thats one of the things that inspired me. That was something that I thought was still feasible for todays modern times.

There seems to be a beauty in dressing that your brand unknowingly promotes. Would you say that your clothes encourage a lifestyle of ritual calm, not only in the everyday routine, but

also in the daily methods of deliberate dressing? Its very important to me to have the world see a personal expression through clothing, something that communicates and has an inner calm. People love this idea; however, there could be pieces that people want to wear because they have that extra element or pop.

Tell us about some of the materials that you used in this collection. Why the bovine leather and the mesh?I always love materials that have a natural strength to them. Theres a body to them that doesnt need to be rein-forced. They can just naturally lend themselves to forms and shapes within the designs. I gravitate towards those types of materials because in the sense of construction, its much easier dealing with them. They also have very specific characteristics and demand certain finishes. These types of materials are the ones that I love to exper-iment with as well. Theres nothing that I love more than manipulating and finishing a garment that produces a signature piece.

What personal challeng-es, awakenings or hopes did you have in mind when you were designing this current collection?

For me, it really stems from the patternmaking in a collection. Usually with each collection, theres a keynote style or silhouette that I focus on. Its usually the same pattern but manipulated in multiple ways to create similar shapes, which produces something thats still innovative and new. So, with this last one, it was definitely incorporating that conical silhouette, but then I started to break it down. I removed it from being off the shoulder to more contouring with the shoulder, and then moving into a more severe drop-shoulder this season. Basically, its just an endless battle of what is the best silhouette. Thats something that I always strive for. Whats the most relatable, best silhouette that you could always wear for your daily life, but one that would still be really relevant.

Who do you want to see wearing your creations, away from the urban and daily sphere that you reside in?My ideal customer is 25, and they have just graduated from college. They ran into a really great job thats given them an awarding income flux, while being ready to make themselves feel important. I want these clothes to also be aspirational. If were talking about specific individuals, I really love Michele Lamy (wife of Rick Owens); the way that

she approaches dressing is so unreal. She dips her entire hand into black nail polish and calls it a day. Basically, Im inspired by that sort of person who can just forcefully put their perspective out there. I would love to have individuals of that caliber, strength and oeuvre to wear the clothes. Overall, I think making clothes that fit and mold to a creative per-sons lifestyle is very relevant for me.

Whats the biggest chal-lenge of being an emerg-ing designer in 2015?I think that people are over-looked as emerging designers. People will constantly say that youll make it or that youll do well, but its really actually a matter of finding a person who will be your patron or name-sake person that will really stand by you through it all, no matter what. I definitely think thats the most difficult thing to find in this stage. But I think Im a bit lucky in some respects; on the side, Im working as a design coordinator at a com-pany that does eveningwear. So my ability to see more of a mainstream market and how they approach selling, styling and sourcing enables me to bring these lessons into my own brand. It is also really relevant that I build the connections that I have in this company. So everyday Im learning and taking advantage of something new.

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avant-garde supremacy

50 shades of grey.Photography by Brent Chua


eyewear LUCKY SELECTISM


footwear OAK NYC grooming MARIE MATSUMOTO

models CALLUM WARD (NEW YORK MODELS) + SAM VISSER (RE:QUEST)

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bmodernism in indiaBEHNO HAS GIVEN THE TERM MADE IN INDIA A NEW MISSION AND renewed life to the global sphere. This is not a story about emerging design, but one of awakened ideals, sustainable methods and 21st century design ethos. BEHNO, which is Hindi for sisters, is Indias mother of ethical fashion reinvention. Founder Shivam Punjya and Head Designer Ashley Austin have turned a present-day atrocity into something positive, high- lighting the way fashion must rethink labor, cost and sustainable fabrics.

The backdrop for their latest collection is set in Chandi-garh, India, a city known to house Le Corbusiers most risk-taking works of art and home to Indias first modernist city. Systematic, cinematic, yet traditional, BEHNO has enmeshed customary Indi-an tailoring with a balanced mixture of utility and newfan-

gled, minimalist silhouettes. When not taking inspiration from a country on the verge of millennial enlightenment, the team prides itself on its own original moral standards: garment worker mobility, family planning and womens rights. This BEHNO STANDARD is a benchmark, zeitgeist move that many emerging design-ers and brands, we predict, will implement into their own business DNA. Traditional and transformative, its not about the market, but a world way overdue for the ethical endeavors BEHNO delivers to fashion design.

Tell us what sparked BEHNO into existence?SHIVAM: In April of 2013, the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh col-lapsed on over 1,100 garment workers, most of them wom-en. I was working on my thesis research at the time for DUKE, and one thing I was focused on was the condition of these garment workers. I discovered

that around the world over 90% of garment workers are women. So ultimately, BEHNO is about how we can address a place, incident or turn an atrocity into some-thing positive; into something that highlights what these workers go through and how we can make positive changes in their lives.

With garment workers comes massive manufac-turing. Would you say emerging fashion is something on the rise in India or secondary be-cause of manufacturing? SHIVAM: Obviously, Indian fashion is much different than Western fashion. In terms of ethical gar-ments and ethical factories in India, I would say that BEHNO is one of the first that have be-come very public and outspo-ken about ethical endeavors. In terms of my research on other ethical garment factories in India, I havent come across one that implements

certain ethical standards.

Speaking of ethical standards, can you tell us a little more about the BEHNO STANDARD ethos and philosophy, and how those standards are reflective in the designs?ASHLEY: The standards are more about how were treating the workers. Aesthet-ic, shape and inspiration are really separate things. Part of the aspects of the designs we really want to show is that, although its made in another country by people from anoth-er culture, it doesnt mean it has to be wholly reflective of this culture. Basically, we want to be a transparent and open company.

Ethical standards are a huge source of inspira-tion, but aesthetically BEHNO turned to Le Corbusier for this collection. Why this particular artist?

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Interviewed by Ana Callahan-Roman


modernism in india

ASHLEY: This collection is inspired by the city of the Chandigarh, India that is very modern. Theres this per-ception that India is stuck in the past, but its not. When I visited with Shivam, I realized theres a whole new world to be discovered, one with im-mense modernity and forward thinking people. We wanted to show how modern and inspiring India can be, instead of stuck in the past.

This is a new century, and I can clearly see you both want to ring in the times with BEHNO. Thats an enigmatic and other-worldly name. What does it mean?SHIVAM: BEHNO means sisters in Hindi.

So what kinds of women, or sisters, would wear BEHNO?ASHLEY: I would say a woman who is aware of whats going on in the world. Shes smart, modern, educated, intellectual, powerful, risk-tak-

ing, likes to be respected and demands respect. Shes not afraid to push the envelope. She certainly doesnt accept normality.

And these women you speak of seem to love emerging fashion. Whether they are hop-ping in and out of cabs, on or off subways, or going from day into evening, the clothes must have functional silhouettes.ASHLEY: Yes, we wanted to create silhouettes that were very transformative. You could wear them to work or take off a layer when you go out at night. We wanted to create this New York City idea of silhouettes and shapes that were ready for anything. Not too overdressed, but not ever trying too hard; just effortless and innovative.

So causal luxury wear? Yes, definitely.

Tell us about the colors. Why poppy reds, lilacs, black and white?ASHLEY: One thing about Le Corbusier is that he just never stopped. His breaks were never breaks; he was always in a state of creating. What he did in his downtime would be painting. We were very inspired by his paintings and so many of them had these colors that were very minimal, but the usage was very, very bold.

You two have an out-

standing synergy. Does the creative process evolve between you two, or is it more deliberate and planned? ASHLEY: Shivam had a firm vision. He wanted to create something timelessly mod-ern and minimal. He gave me a formula to follow thats an overarching theme. From there, we just go for it.

What does BEHNO hope to contribute to the fash-ion industry?SHIVAM: Part of our mis-sion, our premise, is to really redefine what Made in India means to the world. People either have a really negative perception of it or no percep-tion of it. We want to create a modern perception of it. India is a forward thinking country, but unfortunately, people dont focus on those aspects. What people perceive of Indian fashion is something thats very embroidered, intricate, sort of handwork. India is now capable of producing modern, tailored garments. We really hope that BEHNO becomes

one of the strongest brands to produce in India that can recreate the Made in India global ideal.

Whats the best piece of advice you can give any emerging designer living in 2015?ASHLEY: Always stay true to yourself and your aesthetic. Thats the biggest thing for us. Its important to know exactly who you are before you put yourself out there. Youre essentially selling yourself as a brand and an identity, and it needs to be consistent yet updated and fresh. It can really be hard at times, but you still need to keep going.SHIVAM: I have no fash-ion background. So for me, I would say always consider and pay attention to the busi-ness aspect of it. You really want your label to sustain itself, and thats something were learning about everyday. How do we make modern design sensibility, but also be financially organized and sustainable.ASHLEY: This is why were such a great team! He keeps me organized. We realize this is such a rare combination.

What is a risk that BEH-NO is willing to take in the future?ASHLEY: Theres a fab-ric made out of cork thats completely sustainable. It has an interesting look. It feels like leather and its a minimal risk, but at the same time, its also something new we are bring-ing to the market.


BEHNO FALL/WINTER 2015 footwear DANIELE MICHETTI jewelry FREIDA ROTHMAN hats HARDY INDIGO (THROUGHOUT)

field of

dreams One nations mission to be heard.

Photography by David Urbanke



makeup + hair LINDSEY WILLIAMS (KATE RYAN INC) USING CHANEL MAKEUP + KEVIN MURPHY HAIR CARE

model BRILEY JONES (NEXT)

jacket + shorts ANDREA CAMMAROSANO

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Photography by Gautier Pellegrin

In a world of style, he travels alone.



top MASSIMO CASAGRANDEjacket MARIOS

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top + pants LUCIO VANOTTIfootwear D.GNAK



jumper GENTUCCA BINI


jacket + shorts PLUS QUE MA VIEfootwear D.GNAK


stylist ELISA ANSTASINOassistant stylist CAMILLA SCAIOLI

grooming KASSANDRA FRUA DE ANGELI model CAOIMHIN (FASHION MILAN)



wfinal grades are in

WHAT HAPPENED AS AN ACCIDENT, IN RESPONSE to designers Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osbornes need for excitement in the apparel market, quickly turned into a never-ending rollercoaster of seven yearsand count-ingof immensely hard work and hustle. Neither member of the New York City born-and-bred duo collect a check from Public School, holding firm to the fact that the goal is not to be comfortable but to follow your dream and believe that it will succeed. And while Public Schools successes continue to mount, the humility and au-thenticity that emanates from them is astounding, even after

a handful of failed attempts and years of living a formidable lifestyle. With the foreshadow-ing result to be an infinite quest in not settling for whats out there, Public School is pushing New York City, withal America, forward in the fashion world while, simultaneously, becom-ing a role model to emerging designers on how to succeed in this tumultuous industry.

Hi Maxwell, whats going on? Thanks for taking the time to speak with us. Public School has had many ups and downs along the way, which included a brief hiatus. What did you and Dao do

differently when preparing to launch Public School for the second time? The first time, we went into it nave. We were just going off of feeling. But, then when we re-launched again, it was reallywe learned a lot. We reduced our collections, talked to our mentors, regrouped and came back a little smarter with more plans. It was a little bit like looking atthere was no past history before. And now, when you have a past, you can look at the pastthe good, the bad, the ugly, what works, what doesnt work, what were feelingand just, you take all of that into effect

and use that to your benefit. Yeah, it crumbled, but you look at the crumbling pieces and you put it back together.

It was still a feeling. It was like, you know what, we do this product, but we still wear suits, so we introduced tailoring and everything that we felt like we couldnt do before. We wanted to make everything in New York [City]. Before that, we made everything overseas. We wanted to make things in New York because, you know what, thats our backyard, thats our home. Lets bring that home. So, we started making every-thing in New York.

Interviewed by Amy Vosejpka

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Because you have more control?You have more [quality] control, you can really touch it, you can go to the factories, and stand on top of it and make sure its getting done. All of those things helped us come back around.

Did your successes with Black Apple also help that?Black Apple has been a success for the same rea-son of just staying true to its point of view, and thats also something that you can never lose is your point of view. You cant jump, you know, jump ship. Black Apple is good for our energy, which is the best thing ever. We have a lot of fun doing Black Apple because, its not a departure from Public Schoolwe mix and match Black Apple with Public School to wear like on our personal day-to-daybut if you go to Bloomingdales and [see] where we sit, you can shop Black Apple and Public School. Sounds cheesy, right? I wear Black Apple sweatpants like everydayits the best shit ever. And I mix with Public School, and the youthful ener-gy of Black Apple is something we just love to do.

How can emerging designers gain funding outside of awards and investors? What advice can you give them to secure funding?

Its a tough question. To be honest, I dont even know. I wish I could tell you. We con-sulted [to gain funding]. We had a history in fashion and consulted before we launched Public School. All of Public School was self-financed. We worked, we saved some money, then that shit runs out so you have to figure out how to do it again. We consult to this day. Its still something you need to feed the business; you need to feed that energy. Its not like we rob Peter to pay Joe, but yeah, Im going to have to consult and design some shit for someone else to help fund the dream and fund what you really want to do.

From a business stand-point, why is Public School a success in your eyes? What lessons have been learned that you can

pass on to other emerging designers to help them?We do not think Public School is a success. This is just a starting point for life in the future. This is just actually the beginning. Deep down it didnt even start yet.

But, it really is sticking to your point of view, sticking to your guns. Anybody can do some-thing, make trendy shit, but if your core is an authentic thing, you cant stop that. Thats the best part about Public School. Why it would even be called success because now there is a clear point of view. Because we stuck to our guns even when the trends went that way or this way. Our success is separating your self from the rest.

Public School has had

so much success in these last two years with win-ning the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award and the Woolmark Prize. How has this helped Public School?When you go into a compe-tition you want to win it. You want to do the best. We luckily won. Awards to us, you cel-ebrate it that day, put it in the drawer and get back to work. Nothing changes. Awards mean shit. You can look at past award winners, some succeed, some dont. You do not want to not succeed. Its actually weird; its a humbling thing to get the award, but its more humbling to put it away and get right back to work and not even care about the award. When it gets brought up to us, its not like oh yeah, we won an award. We dont think about it; its over with.

p.s. i love you

Photography by Gus & Lo

Bridging emerging design and established reverence.


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grooming LINDSEY WILLIAMS (KATE RYAN INC) TOM FORD MAKEUP + KEVIN MURPHY HAIR CAREmodel GRAHAM REESE (RED)


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Added warmth in the face of erosion. Photography by Daniel Korzewa

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coat CHARLES WARREN


coat CHARLES WARREN pants CLAUDIA LI footwear DANIELE MICHETTI (THROUGHOUT)

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coat HAUS ALKIRE top CLAUDIA LI pants CHARLES WARREN


vest CLAUDIA LI

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top + pants + coat CHARLES WARREN


coat CHARLES WARREN


vest + pants CLAUDIA LI


production director WOITEK SZAULINSKI (SZAULINSKI PRODUCTIONS)

photography assistant MURLIN SAINT-JEANmakeup + hair CHARLES WARD FOR REVLON

model KASIA JUJECZKA (IMG)

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Deux Hommes Issue 2

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Transcript of Deux Hommes Issue 2