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Hanna Pallot
PULLED BY THE MOON

In conversation with CORY MICHAEL SMITH

PULLED BY THE MOON
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Martin Onufrowicz
SOUL VIBRATIONS
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Hanna Pallot
HOPEFUL ESCAPISM
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Martin Onufrowicz
MAN IN THE MIRROR
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Martin Onufrowicz
A LESSON IN EMPATHY

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COREY IN PARIS

Paris, 1 March 2022

Life looks beautiful here. But I don’t really know where I am. 

They’ve been holding my hand since I arrived and I’m glad to leave my mind’s throttle on auto. Every person I pass on the street jabs me in my stabbing spot—high on the right shoulder—with a brilliant humbling serum. They’re effortlessly chic and beautiful and my self-esteem is low. Like an ant waiting to be stepped on. Thankfully, the feeling subsides as the waking hours begin to pile up in my head. Nodding towards the table, I idle blankly to preserve energy and eventually make a paradigm shift, lifting my head and my attitude. Lifting myself. I’m here. And I’m happy to be here. 

I tried the snails last night. They were amazing—pure butter and pesto. I think you would like them. I’m also thinking about their parents, and what it must’ve been like, to be separated and all. Are you tired of indulging a delirious mind? 

Hadar told me that being there on Tuesday night, in that room after his many years in the deep south, having come into himself in rural Florida, was so emotional he felt himself begin to cry. In his youth the fashion magazines were his sole lifeline to a world beyond “this,” and now we’re here. He held back the tears, a little too aware of the stoic faces around us, who blink, unbothered by the cold winter air or the theatrics of Anthony Vaccarello’s vision and SebastiAn’s score. Before me, they walked with a reserved pulse, robotic, perfectly unemotional. Yet from my view up front, I could see eyes brimming with tears and couldn’t keep my jaw from hanging agape. 

Home: I wish to live again in a world as epic, but for now I slice my tri-colored bell peppers and rewatch the video diary of the no dream I had just last week. The dust settles on a whirlwind, four countries in two days, and I realize this little film is the closest thing I now have to experiencing that room on a dreamy late winter night at the base of the Eiffel Tower in the City of Paris, and everything that came before and after.

c.f

Words by Corey Fogelmanis

Photophaphy by Hadar Pitchon

Corey is wearing Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

LIFE LESSONS

Brittany Snow has built a career dipping in and out of genres with the ease of a seasoned television and film veteran. Currently starring in the part erotic slasher, part dark comedy movie, “X”, the 36-year-old actress most notably has teen drama in her veins, from “John Tucker Must Die” and “Prom Night”, to “Gossip Girl” and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” - and she can bust out a tune too, with roles in “Hairspray” and as a cappella singerChloe in the “Pitch Perfect” movie franchise. 

A philanthropist and mental health advocate, we caught up with her to talk about the emotional mindfuck of Hollywood beauty standards, and how we can all turn vulnerability into strength.

Nanushka coat, Ferragamo pants, black top and shoes

What were your favourite scenes to shoot in your new film “X”?

 My favourite scenes were in the van. We got to be with each other and play our specific character. We looked around and knew something between us was magic.

 

It’s got an element of that old school American slasher movie to it - if you could go back to any of those iconic 70s and 80s films, which female role would you play?

 Carrie!

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Right Nanushka coat, Ferragamo black top

 What about superhero movies? Would you ever consider stepping into that genre?

 I do find them interesting. I love the correlation of real life lessons and the escapism it provides. I would love to step into that genre. I’ve always wanted to play an action hero and be in fight sequences. Who doesn’t want to have a super power?

 

Talking of super powers - the sisterhood between you and your “Pitch Perfect” costars is pretty powerful, how has it endured and evolved through the years and life’s highs and lows?

 We are a family through and through. We all started Pitch Perfect in various places in life and yet, we realised we all were going to be with each other as a “group” through a wild ride. Some of these girls have been with me through the worst lows and highest highs and their friendship has never wavered. We accept each other for our flaws, celebrate our successes and also, call each other on our shit. 

Nanushka coat, Ferragamo black top

 And will there be a reunion for a “Pitch Perfect 4” maybe? Would you be down for another sequel?

 I know nothing. I am always the last to know and I mean that literally. We would all be excited for another one. We get to sing and dance with our favourite people. What is better?

Joseph blazer, Simonett skirt, Acne Studios boots

Well aside from acting, you’ve also been empowering people about the importance of mental wellbeing. You’ve spoken quite openly about your own struggles with anorexia and depression since the age of twelve. What motivated you to share so openly?

 I shared my experience for a charity website to help whomever needed to feel a connection. I didn’t realise at the time the video would be picked up and out-sourced other places. I was young and truly wanted to feel like a part of a community. I can look back now and realise how much I was completely unaware of the stigma surrounding mental health. It has been a goal of mine since then, to help expand the conversation in whatever way I can. To help open up discussions where we all feel a little less weird and more united as human beings. No one should feel shamed for going through something with their mental health. 

Left Acne Studios dress

Right Simonett trench

And now we’re all talking about mental health more than ever before. What do you think really changed that stigma of sharing our vulnerability and becoming so exposed without being labelled self-indulgent or trying to gain attention?

 More and more people realising that we all have a story. We are not worse or better. We can share without judgement. I think that’s what we try to do with September Letters, my charity I started in 2020. We want everyone to feel included and connected. By doing that, we feel like we can combat things with the confidence that we are not alone in this.

Acne Studios dress, Simonett skirt

 I was going to ask about September Letters, which is so inspiring - how did it all come about?

 When I was 15 years old I read a magazine article in a fitness publication. The woman was talking about recovering from depression and anxiety and a food related disorder. It was the first time I had ever heard my own words in someone else’s story. I didn’t even know what I had, but I immediately felt less alone. I carried around that article in my back pocket for months. It was tangible hope for me. Someone else had recovered from whatever this was. A few years later, when I was in my early 20s, I received some back lash for sharing my story (with that charity website). I wrote an article for a popular magazine which talked about my mental health journey so far. I just wanted to be honest just like that woman had written in that article when I was 15. After the article came out, I was at a coffee shop and a girl in front of me turned around, tears in her eyes and had MY article in her back pocket. It was a full circle moment and I realised I wanted to do something with that idea. That being open and honest could help someone else you may never meet. Or maybe you will. 

Left ATM t-shirt

Right Acne Studios dress

 It’s great that you’re launching a September Letters book in 2023 too, what can we expect from that?

 We have many beautiful letters from our community, all sharing different things they want to share. We also have professional experts, teachers, scientists, doctors, therapists who comment on how connection is imperative to mental health.  I’m also prepping a movie right now that I wrote. Coincidentally about mental health as well. We start filming in NYC next month. I am very excited.

Nanushka coat, Ferragamo black top

 Let’s talk about the industry you work in, because there’s always been so much pressure on women, especially in Hollywood, to look a certain way, but not so much of a focus on mental health?

 I think it is changing. Unfortunately, there always has been a standard of beauty which continues to change. For a long time, I put that standard of “beauty” before my mental health. I wanted to be a part of the club, whatever that club was, I wasn’t sure I even knew. Now, my health comes first. My mental positivity and outlook comes before what I want to look like. I had to stop caring what other people thought and I stopped subscribing to the standard.  If someone doesn’t want to hire me because of the way I look, then it wasn’t mine to begin with. I’ve basically said fuck the club.

 I think social media has also contributed to that increased anxiety we all share today about image and body positivity. You’ve talked about the importance of limiting the amount of time we spend on socials. What’s your advice about removing that magnifying glass on ourselves?

 No one has it figured out and everyone is going through something. There’s this 4 agreements chapter that I find helpful for social media. “Do not make assumptions.” Our brain loves to compartmentalise things and want to control a narrative – but the truth is, we don’t know what is really going on behind that picture or video. I say, use it as a tool and set boundaries. If it makes you feel like shit. Don’t look at it. If there’s puppies jumping over sunflowers and that video makes you happy as a clam. Watch it. 

Valentino full look

 Lizzo does that for me! I just love her energy and positivity, and she’s just being herself unlike all these Insta-influencers striving for perfection and likes which at the end of the day, really mean nothing! Who do you admire?

 All the women who have been living with confidence and vulnerability, in the spotlight or not. I think it’s great we look up to women in the spotlight but there’s so many women who have been living that truth and never get recognition for it. I love when I meet someone like that. Who knows their worth and it has nothing to do with what they do, what they look like, what they want to obtain but who they are.

 

And being kind to yourself is important too?

 It’s talking to yourself like a friend and being insanely grateful for the little things. It’s realising you aren’t in control. Life is weird, hard, ever changing and beautiful and you have to let go of thinking you can control anything. The only thing I know for sure, is being kind to myself has changed my life.

Nanushka coat, Ferragamo pants, black top and shoes

 What are your other self-care/love rituals?

 I get massages a lot. I have a really bad back and neck and even if I go into a nail salon and get a massage for 10 minutes – I feel like it helps work out those knots. I listen to music and write every morning. I make a LOT of lists and that soothes me. I try to walk my dog and not think about anything else except just the walk and that is a form of meditation for me.

 

Let’s go back to writing letters….if you were writing one to your younger self, what would you tell her now?

 Don’t be so hard on yourself kid.

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Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Shane McCauley

Fashion by Carolina Orrico

Hair by Candice Birns

MU by Miriam Nichterlein

Stylist’s assistant Mariah Alcantar

ROLLERCOASTER FEELING

Actor and model Travis Grant is a fan of gripping films and he has a hat to prove it. When we meet on Zoom, he’s wearing a cap with the logo of Elara – a production company started by the Safdie brothers, who are the masters behind the highly anxiety-inducing films like ‘Uncut Gems’ or ‘Good Time’. ‘They are just so good!’ he says. ‘Watching their work gives me that crazy rollercoaster ride feeling.’

 Despite his adventurous taste in cinema, Grant seems to be chill personified - for him, an ideal day out in LA, where he lives, involves going for a hike in the Topanga Canyon and seeing a classic film at the Hollywood Forever Cemetry (and maybe some dancing after).

For us, he collaborates with photographer Hadar Pitchon on a series of intimate images and talks about his love for Batman, weirdest crushes and being comfortable in his body.

You’re based in LA. What are some of your favourite spots to hang out in?

 I spend a lot of time in Highland Park. I’m also a big fan of Topanga Canyon – it’s so beautiful and there are a lot of great hikes out there. Oh, and definitely the Hollywood Forever’s outdoor cinema during the summer. I’m kind of a hermit though, to be honest.

 When did you first realize that acting was something that you would like to do?

 I remember that when I was three, I was really into the 1960s Adam West ‘Batman’ show, and one day, when my mom was getting ready for church and putting her pantyhose on, I remember running into the room and being like, ‘I want to wear pantyhose!’ My mom then said, ‘Little boys don’t normally wear pantyhose,’ to which I replied, ‘Batman wears pantyhose and I want to be Batman!’ So I was always really into that idea of playing make-believe and getting a job where you get to do that.

 What in your view is the power of indie filmmaking?

 With indie films there are no real big stakes, so you get to have more creative freedom there. And I think that freedom makes the storytelling feel more raw and artistic.

 What’s one film you can watch over and over?

 ‘Batman Returns’, it was actually the first movie I ever saw in a theatre. I love that it focuses on three characters – Batman, Catwoman and Penguin – and how gothic and weird it is. I wish they would make more superhero movies like that now!

And what do you think are the hottest films of all time?

 ‘Closer’ is definitely one – I think it’s super sexy because of the detailed dialogues that the characters are having about the relationships with their partners. Other ones are ‘Eyes Wide Shut’, ‘Cruel Intentions’ and ‘The Dreamers’. The tortured lovers always get me! [laughs]

 What’s your weirdest crush?

 I don’t think I have any controversial crushes at the moment but when I was a kid, I always had crushes on older women and none of my friends understood that - I was super into Michelle Pfeiffer and Eva Green. I also had a huge crush on one of my high school teachers.

 What brings you the most joy?

 I love spontaneous, thoughtful, creative people. Low-key, I love working out and dancing - anything that gets my blood pumping.

 When did you become comfortable in your body?

 It took me a while to grow into my body - I was tall and lanky [when I was a teen]. I still kind of am, but I think the older I got, and thanks to modelling, I became more comfortable with it. Most paintings and sculptures [in history] are of nude figures, so I don’t think people should be ashamed of their bodies or shame others for showing their bodies. I’ll never get that.

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Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Hadar Pitchon

DISRUPTING STEREOTYPES

Going from ex-adult movie star to creative entrepreneur, in-demand model and on-the-radar actress, 29 year-old Jessie Andrews has well and truly mastered the art of the rebrand. As the founder of three businesses—Bagatiba, Basic Swim, and Jeu Illimite, not to mention opening Tase Gallery in Los Angeles — an immersive art and shopping space — she’s appeared alongside Timothée Chalamet in the 2018 movie Hot Summer Nights, and now she’s joined the most viral TV show of the moment, Euphoria. Are we surprised? Not really. This girl is on fire.

How did you end up on Euphoria?

 I ended up on the show through social media. The director and I exchanged messages and here we are!  

 

One of the things I like about the series, is that it delves to darker places, and opens up the door for us to empathise with another person’s experience - how did you get into character for the role, and did you relate at all to her in any way?

 It was quite easy. Ella was an easy character to relate to. She’s obviously in a relationship she doesn’t want to be in and a bit annoyed at everything her boyfriend does. I understood her completely. 

 So are you decisive about roles? Do you instinctively know whether it’s a woman that you want to play?

 When an opportunity comes to me I know immediately if I want to take it or not. I’m very decisive and particular. 

 

What’s the transition been like into mainstream TV and film, as when you first moved to LA you were doing adult films, and then fast forward to 2018 and you’re working alongside Timothée Chalamet in the movie Hot Summer Nights?

 It’s been very interesting going from adult films to main stream, there are so many similarities but some major differences obviously. The amount of staff that’s on a mainstream set and how well thought out production is could be the main difference, budgets are bigger, stakes are higher. I love working with actors that are completely submerged into the character, that’s exactly what Timothee does.  

 Well you’ve well and truly mastered the art of fighting stereotypes, proving that anyone can have the courage to achieve their dreams, whichever journey they take - spinning so may creative plates, are you basically a workaholic?

 Basically! I love life, having experiences and learning new things. I feel so lucky that I get to have all of these different careers but having Bagatiba has been the backbone of it all and the success has allowed me the freedom to do everything else. 

 

How important has social media been in supporting your endeavours and success, and what are the pros and cons of it for you?

 It is truly the most important. It’s power and influence, you just decide what to do with it. 

 It’s also about curating identities, some genuine, some fake! Do you think there’s ever been a time in your personal and professional journey where you felt that you didn’t really have an identity and you’re just kind of searching for it?

 I feel like I’ve known exactly who I am since I can remember. But do we really ever know ourselves completely? 

 

Well let’s get to know you, what inspires you?

 Travelling and experiences inspire me. 

And who are your heroes?

 Virgil Abloh. He was a visionary, kind, intelligent, culturally relevant, boundary pushing and most importantly a friend. There are not many people I respect and take advice from but he was at the top of my list. 

 

He was also incredibly thoughtful about life and often said how slowing down can sometimes be the best thing. So when you’re doing all these things at once, like you’re on set, or shooting, and you’re travelling and stuff, what are things that you do to keep yourself centred?

 Drinking coffee in the morning, it’s part of my ritual. Skin care, Pilates, seeing friends, really just doing things I enjoy. 

 

And do you ever look back and reflect - like if you could say something to your younger self when you were first starting out in LA, before everything happened, what would it be?

 I’d tell myself to go directly from adult films into mainstream acting. Sometimes I think I’ve waited a few years too long, but maybe that was the right thing to do. 

 

So how does the future look?

 I’m looking forward to doing more acting. I’ve just signed with Alex Kovacs at Untitled Entertainment who represent actors like Zoe Kravitz, Kate Hudson and Sam Rockwell. I will be working on more interior design projects and renovations as well as running my businesses smoothly! 

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Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Cameron McCool

FEEL THE RUSH

Isaac Powell was made for the stage and loves the adrenaline that comes from being on it. “I miss that continuous experience of doing the entire story at once and getting that marathon feeling of going out there at the beginning of the show and running towards the finish line of the end.”

Recently, the American actor got to enter an equally thrilling dimension of acting – he starred as one of the leads on the latest alien-heavy season of camp horror classic American Horror Story, ‘Double Feature’. This past October, Powell also took part in the instantly-iconic Balenciaga red carpet/The Simpsons extravaganza in Paris – all without knowing that he would in fact be one of the models! “I didn’t realize that I was actually in the show until I walked into the theatre after the red carpet moment and saw that there was already a full audience watching us live! I had no idea that Anna Wintour was sitting inside watching me walk down a step and repeat.”

Full look Givenchy

What excited you the most about your role in the latest season of American Horror Story?

 Getting to work within the horror genre and being part of a story with really high stakes – it was a really fun and exciting experience to try my hand at.

 

What scene or episode was the most memorable to shoot?

 I would say that the day that I got to give birth to my alien baby was the one that I’ll remember for a long time. I’ll probably never get to do that again, so that was a fun thing to get to cross off my list. [laughs] 

Full look Gucci

What’s your favourite past season of American Horror Story?

 Probably the third one, ‘Coven’ – there are so many wonderful performances in that season! Also, I’ve always had a thing for witches and New Orleans. [laughs] Plus, there are obviously some really fabulous fashions in that season as well!

 

You’ve also been known for your performances on Broadway. What do you miss the most about acting on stage?

 I think what I miss the most is the kinetic relationship you get to have with an audience – being on stage and sharing a story with a group of people who are physically in front of you and whose energy you’re feeding off of. I miss that continuous experience of doing the entire story at once and getting that marathon feeling of going out there at the beginning of the show and running towards the finish line of the end.

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Necklace Givenchy

 What’s a Broadway memory that you think about most fondly?

 I would say the invited dress rehearsal for ‘West Side Story’, which was the last show I did pre-Covid [the show wasn’t able to run because of the pandemic]. It was the very first time the audience got to see what we were doing and I remember that while I was doing one of my solos, they started cheering in the middle of the song. I just remember how gratifying it felt as a performer to have such a responsive audience and it was an indication to me that the work I was doing was resonating. There’s always that fear that comes from thinking how your work will be received by the audience in front of you – and to jump off that cliff and be caught felt really wonderful. I’ll always remember that first performance.

Full look N°21

 In October, you were one of the models in the Balenciaga red carpet premiere show in Paris. How did that moment come about for you?

 Yeah, it’s a funny story! I was camping out in California when my manager called and said that Balenciaga wanted me in Paris for their show, and at the time, I interpreted that as them just wanting me to come and attend the event – I’ve never been to Paris before, so I jumped at the opportunity to go. What I didn’t understand was that the concept of the show was a Hollywood premiere and that the red carpet was in fact the runway! I’m not sure if they purposefully kept us in the dark about that or I just missed that part completely. [laughs] But yeah, I didn’t realize that I was actually in the show until I walked into the theatre after the red carpet moment and saw that there was already a full audience watching us live!

Coat, tanktop and pants Yohji Yamamoto & shoes Marsèll

That’s insane!

 Yeah, I had no idea that Anna Wintour was sitting inside watching me walk down a step and repeat. [laughs]

 

What was the most ‘I can’t believe that happened’ image that is stuck in your head from that night?

 It would have to be when Cardi B entered the theatre, pretty soon after I was already in. I remember seeing Anna Wintour looking at her with her mouth open, probably admiring the dress she was wearing, and then seeing Cardi B trying to get past Isabelle Huppert to get into her seat. The image of these three women in the front row of a Balenciaga show that I had no idea how I ended up in was one of those moments where I just had to pinch myself and laugh.

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Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Lorenz Schmidl

Fashion by Aryeh Lappin

Hair by Erin Hirschleb

Make-Up by Yui Ishibashi

Photographer’s assistant Mel Aydin

Stylist’s assistant Sam Knoll

LEADING MAN

We find the Bastille frontman, Dan Smith, on the cusp of an extraordinary fourth act – offering up the band’s latest album, which crafts a soundscape of electronic sci-fi cinematic quality into the music, so much so, you feel like you’ve escaped onto a future-gazing film set. Talking to Dan, (one very cold day in January), is easy - he’s witty, fun and very quick to join the page you’re on. Here we find out that he’d quite like to play Mozart on the big screen, and why you wouldn’t want him on your team in a pub quiz.

Jacket Louis Vuitton, turtleneck Johnstons of Elgin and top A Cold Wall

So you’re basically obsessed with movies, are you the film geek I need to take with me to a pub quiz?

 Despite being completely obsessed with films, I have one of the worst memories in the entire world, so unfortunately I would be no use to you whatsoever in a pub quiz! But one of my best friends Al, has an encyclopaedic memory of every film ever, so generally if he’s in your team, you’re sorted!

 Noted! And how did that passion for the big screen all begin? Were you one of those kids eager to escape the real world through your imagination?

 Massively, I always loved the escape of watching films as a kid, a bit like with reading, but maybe in less depth. They give you a window into other worlds and other lives, and coupled with beautiful aesthetics, film can introduce you to some of your favourite songs and your favourite artists, so for me they were a way to learn about life and the world, and get you outside of your own influences, I just fucking love film! 

 What films started that long term love affair then?

 When I was 11, I got weirdly into horror as I definitely wasn’t allowed to watch it, so I guess that’s why I was drawn to it, and then I took a journey through my teens into adulthood via horror into arthouse and then world cinema - via David Lynch and Kubrick - and so many other masters. I was such a film geek, and actually really wanted to be a film journalist.

 

Left Full look Prada & glasses Gentle Monster 

Right Jacket, pants and shoes Louis Vuitton, turtleneck Johnstons of Elgin, top A Cold Wall & belt Berluti

And film has also intertwined with the whole Bastille story really, particularly adding quotes and samples from movies into your songs?

 Before our first album came out, we made two mix tapes which used film soundtracks and quotes from films and a weird mix of our songs and covers. We’ve always loved making music videos too, it’s been a great opportunity to collaborate with new upcoming directors and people we meet along the way, to make these visual companion pieces to our songs. I guess for us through music videos and other things we’re building a world around our albums, and there is always a kind of visual element and this intermeshing of film and music, as there is in all cinema, so I’ve always wanted to delve more into that world, and have every intention, if and when I get the time, to do that.

 Tell me more about the process behind it?

 When I’m writing and producing it’s always quite visual in my head and using the imagery and the lyrics, and the sonics and sounds, all the different musical parts, and the production, to me that’s like trying to create an audio film almost. On our first album, with songs like Pompeii, Laura Palmer and Icarus, they were nodding towards stories I always thought were interesting or fascinating, and that’s always been a big part of what Bastille has been about from the beginning really, you know, using pop culture and stories either as metaphors, or as ways to talk about things happening in our lives.

Left Shirt Lanvin 

Right Full Look Fendi 

 And your songs have appeared on a few movie soundtracks, would you be up for composing scores for films?

 I would fucking love to do that!! There was a project we were involved in early on, where Zane Lowe the DJ, asked a load of bands and artists to re-score the film Drive, so that was a really nice experiment early on, as we were given a couple of scenes and told to write incidental music or background music, or a song, and I never think too ambitiously or too far into the future, but getting that chance in your career to try something like that was so much fun, and ever since then I’ve wanted to do as much in the film world as possible. 

I wrote a song recently for a documentary that’s produced by Leo DiCaprio, about the environment, and that was really interesting, it’s incredibly sad and moving, and I picked up a guitar, (and by the way, I don’t play guitar!), but in this instance, I picked up the guitar and wrote this song that feels very different to lots of other music we’ve put out, but I absolutely love it and it’s had a big effect on what we’re going to do in the future.  

Coat John Lawrence Sullivan, Coat (under), Jacket (under), pants and shoes Hermès

What about if you could play any musician or singer in a movie, who would it be?

 That’s such a good question, I like that question a lot! Maybe Mozart, it would be fun to get all dressed up as one of the rock stars of a very very different era, or Sid Vicious, which would be really fun. The idea of me acting is never going to happen though, as I have very little control over my facial movements or anything! I was once asked to audition for the new series of Twin Peaks by David Lynch, and I did a tape, and fucking hell, it was terrible, I was so bad! 

 

So do you prefer being behind the camera then, as you also made your directorial debut on the video for the track No Bad Days, what was that experience like?

 I loved the planning and the writing and the pulling everything together, but I always forget with our music videos, as I always get so invested in making it all happen, that when it comes to the day of shooting, I’m like, oh bollocks, I’m in this too, I’ve got to try and act, and that moment is always a stark realisation!

 

Maybe with film it’s easier to play someone else rather than yourself, I guess the film journo in you would’ve been your worst critic then?

 Yes completely! I’m rubbish at acting, and terrible on camera, I’m much much happier behind the scenes. I imagine there’s loads about acting that’s really quite fun, but it’s also a very precise skill that I just don’t have unfortunately!

 

Ok, what about a biopic of your life / the band’s life so far instead…what would the title be?

 I don’t think we would be interesting or worthy enough for a film, maybe ‘Fear and Self Loathing in a Tour Bus’!! Biopics in general as a genre are interesting, as it’s hard not to be formulaic, there was an amazing Dylan film, where he was played by loads of different people including Cate Blanchett, and that was really interesting. It’s nice when there’s room to be experimental and reflect what the artist was really like. I’m working on a film at the moment with two others, which is about a couple of really well known figures, and part of the challenge is to be true to how they were, and make something that doesn’t follow the formula of ‘a story about a well known person’, you know.

Left Shirt Tod’s

Right Full Look Fendi 

 Interesting! So tell me more…is it coming out this year, who is it about then?

 These things take ages, so I don’t think it will be out this year, and I would fucking love to tell you who it’s about, but I can’t!

 

You mentioned earlier about creating worlds around your albums, and this new record is inspired by a sci-fi and tech dreamscape.… tell me more?

 I guess in the album we talk quite a lot in various different places about the reality of us all living through a time where the internet, and the way that we live on the internet, has seeped out into the real world, and it’s even strange saying that, because the internet is the real world, it’s where we spend a huge chunk of our waking hours. On the album we just try to present things the way they are - the idea that the reality we all live in at the moment feels like sci-fi, between the amount of time we spend on screens, and how we relate to ourselves and other people through technology. Not to mention the last couple of years, where our relationship with technology due to being at home so much, has been hugely amplified, and also the language of lockdowns and pandemics, like so much of that language is really the kind of thing we’re used to hearing in films and disaster movies, and dystopian fiction. It’s a cliché to say it, but the reality we’ve just lived through, and continue to live through, feels like a slightly mad sci-fi, because all the tropes you would associate with the genre are happening, it’s quite surreal. 

 

So if you had to describe the new album (Give Me The Future), in a movie poster tagline, what would it be?

 Well, when we were finishing the music and going into building a futurescape world around the whole album campaign, someone said, “You don’t predict the future, you imagine it”, and that’s kind of become the tagline for the whole album.

Left Coat, bottle & shoes Givenchy, shirt John Lawrence Sullivan, pants Christopher Raeburn, tie stylist’s own

Right Coat Salvatore Ferragamo, vest (worn over coat) Helmut Lang, jacket (worn under) Craig Green, hoodie Tod’s

 And you’ve included a fictional narrative of escape within the songs too, especially with the track Thelma & Louise?

 Well the first track on the album, is essentially about plugging into whatever your form of escape is, whether that be putting a head set on, literally plugging yourself in and watching a film, going into your dreams, that’s the kind of doorway into the album. So tapping into the kind of escapist narrative, that film is just this brilliant story of two really empowered women who decide to cast off the life they’re not satisfied with, and go on this escapist road trip - so the song is a love letter to that film really. It’s a short song but I wrote so many verses to it, and if you go anywhere and do anything, why wouldn’t you want to be Thelma and Louise you know?! 

 But you won’t make a video with Bastille driving off of a desert cliff?

 Ha ha! Well I think Wayne’s World 2 already got there!

 

Ok final question, what one film would you suggest we watch to mentally re-energise us all to move forward with positivity, in this post-pandemic future?

 Oh my god, that’s such a good question, I can’t think of anything! I dunno, WALL-E?! There’s hope for us yet… I think a Disney Pixar one, as they’re always so incredibly deep. 

I think ‘Inside Out’, the idea that the moral of that story, for kids, is that it’s ok to be sad sometimes, because life can be depressing, it’s such a far cry from the animated films of our childhood you know. I think something human and warm. 

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Give Me The Future

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Leonardo Veloce

Styling by Michael Miller at Stella Creative Artists

Creative direction by Rose Forde at The Wall Group

EIC Michael Marson

Hair by Roku Roppongi at Saint Luke Artists using TIGI

Grooming by Jo Frost using MZ Skin

Stylist’s assistant Abigail White

RESPONSIBILITY TO CHANGE

Jannis Niewöhner is already a household name in the German industry, but with his latest film, Netflix’s gripping production ‘Munich: The Edge of War’, his face is sure to become recognisable all around the globe. Set predominantly in the autumn of 1938 when Adolf Hitler prepares to invade Czechoslovakia, the drama tells the story behind diplomatic negotiations of Neville Chamberlain's government, which seeks to obtain a peaceful state of affairs at any cost during an emergency conference. In the film, Niewöhner plays brilliantly the complex character of Paul - a German diplomat who despite once being a supporter of Hitler’s ideas, aims to cease his growing influence after realising the barbaric dangers of his regime. For us, Niewöhner talks about researching the pre-war period, Paul’s inner conflicts, and the film’s relevance in today’s landscape.

Left T-shirt Arket & pants and blazer Bottega Veneta,

Right Top William Fan & pants and shoes by Bottega Veneta

What was the research that you did to prepare to play Paul?

 I looked into not only the pre-war period, but also the time around when my character would be growing up. He was probably born around 1910, so I questioned what that would mean for a young child: what was his background, whether his father was participating in World War I and if so, what did that do to his family? It was important to me to have this information about where he’s coming from to comprehend why he would support Hitler in the early years, and also get an understanding of what he must have felt like when things started to change and Hitler’s policies affected him personally through what happened to Lenya. Another big thing was doing the accent work – I had to grow into it and speak like someone that attended Oxford, so I had to do the lines over and over again. I really enjoyed that part of the process and I have been continuing to do the accent work since the film wrapped.

Left Coat Bottega Veneta & cardigan WOOD WOOD

Right Shirt & pants Giorgio Armani,

 Paul is a very complex character that completely transforms over the course of the film. What are the inner conflicts that appear in his mind?

 Yeah, there’s just so much going on within him. He feels responsible for what’s going on because he initially supported Hitler. He understands what the regime is capable of and that makes him uncompromising in achieving his goal to stop it. At the same time, he’s not the typical kind of hero – he doesn’t just say, ‘Okay, we have to stop Hitler and we’re going to do that.’ It’s actually quite difficult for him because he’s scared, which I think makes him human. He has the possibility to assassinate Hitler, but he can’t bring himself to do it. However, in the end, he does say, ‘But I still have to find another way to fight and stop him.’

Both Shirt CP Company, jacket Magliano & shoes VAGABOND 

 This is your second film with director Christian Schwochow. What do you like about collaborating with him?

 So many things! In Germany, you can ask literally any actor about their dream directors to work with and they would say Christian because he’s really special. Collaborating with him always gives me the opportunity to not only learn more about acting, but also through the stories he tells, about society or history. He always wants his actors to be engaged and be creators of the narrative – he wants us to know everything about the time period the action takes place in and be ready to improvise. For example, with this film, we had a special website for the whole team with all the information about the characters, the places we were shooting, old documentaries that were colourized so that we could get a better feeling of what that time felt like or voice recordings. He searches for everything that makes the time period that’s being portrayed and all the characters feel alive and I really love that about him. He’s also a great teacher – you take him as an authority and you want to listen to him, but at the same time, he makes you feel like you are an authority in the job that you do on set as well.

Both Shirt & pants Hugo Boss, coat William Fan, glasses Gentle Monster, necklace Chanel and shoes Bottega Veneta

What in your view makes the story in the film relevant today?

The story talks about the difficulties that come up if we have to deal with political actions of other countries which go against our values or seem concerning. It asks how can you have a conversation between two different points of view and when you should draw a limit, which I think has a lot to do with what we see today all around us. It also deals with the personal feeling of responsibility to change something, and I think that has a lot to do with our time.

Left Shirt & pants Hugo Boss, coat William Fan and shoes Bottega Veneta

Right Left Coat Bottega Veneta & cardigan WOOD WOOD

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Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Debora Brune

Fashion by Camille Naomi Franke

Production by DILLER Agency

Grooming by Victoria Reuter using Mac Cosmetics and Oribe

Photo Assistant Patrick Schardt

Styling Assistant Sarah Masche

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TAKING FLIGHT

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When Nick Hargrove moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting, it was in an attempt to realise the dream he’s had since he was a kid.  After a series of jobs that helped pay the rent, including modelling, the 29-year-old actor began to build a resume with a series of small TV parts, but his breakout role came in 2018 as Parker Caine in the reboot of hit show Charmed. 

Fast forward a few years, and now he’s about to star in the upcoming epic Korean war drama, Devotion, alongside a high-flying cast which includes a certain Jonas brother called Joe. 

I read that as a kid you liked to mimic different accents and dialects - that must serve quite invaluably as an acting tool? And also you’re bilingual as your Mum is German, so do you feel like you have different personalities when you speak? 

 I find it’s one of the most important aspects in finding a character. Finding their voice. It’s how they communicate with the world. A language, dialect, or accent, changes what part of myself comes to the surface, and changes the words that we use to navigate the world. Whether it’s because you have to get creative because a certain word doesn’t exist in a language, or if a character you’re playing just has a hard time pronouncing a certain word, it informs a huge part of you are. The musicality of different languages also changes the way others perceive the words that you are saying.  

 So who does the best fake accents in the movies? 

 Pretty much Daniel Day Lewis in any film! The way he’s able to manipulate and change his voice is crazy. The dialect / accent he does as Daniel Plainview in ‘There Will Be Blood’ is so fascinating, and one of my favourites. Also pretty entertaining to mimic. Every time I rewatch that movie I find myself running around screaming “I drink your milkshake” or “I’ve abandoned my boy!!!” in that voice. The amount of time and dedication he puts into finding the voice of his characters is definitely something I strive for. 

Let’s go back to the beginning, where did you catch the acting bug from, and what were the first auditions or roles you got? 

 Going back to accents and dialect, I think that’s what got me started. I loved the Simpsons as a kid, and would try to imitate all the characters. I didn’t realise it at the time, but impersonating those characters and trying on different accents and performing them for my family to make them laugh was my first real introduction into acting. I grew up in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia, where M. Night Shyamalan casts and shoots a lot of his films. I’m pretty sure my first ever audition was for The Sixth Sense. I must have been about 6 or 7 years old. I remember I got a callback for it, and I think that little nugget of validation at that early age gave me some hope that acting was something that I might actually be able to do. It only took 15 more years to break out of the shyness that stopped me from fully pursuing it! 

 Do you still suffer from anxiety on set or stage fright? 

 Very much so. When I started, it was crippling. Sometimes it can still feel that way. A lot of the work I have been doing comes from trying to surrender to those feelings and use them as tools rather than a hindrance.  

 It must be difficult for you not to judge all of your performances then?

 It’s a daily practice to get out of my own head and to not judge myself, but it’s one of the most important parts of acting. Getting time in front of the camera and slowly learning to be a little more objective about my performances and appearance has been helpful. The way things have shifted to mostly all auditions being self-tapes, has also been a great learning tool.  Doing a scene and watching playback afterwards has helped tremendously. Sometimes you can think you are articulating something and it just doesn’t read on camera. Or other times you think something isn’t working but on camera it might actually be working. Being forced to evaluate and watch my own self tapes has helped me become a little more objective with my own work. 

 So what kind of roles are you after now then, and what about a biopic where you had to mimic an iconic performer?

 It would be a cliché to say I just want to play interesting characters. But it’s true. I definitely have a list of people that I’d really like to work with as well. I love biopics. I always wanted to do an Elvis biopic, but I think I may have missed the boat on that one! 

 I was waiting for the ‘uh-huh-huh’ there…! Ok aside from work, how do you fill your spare time? 

 I have quite a few hobbies. I play guitar, hike, rock climb, draw, watch movies, hang with friends, play video games. I’ve been trying to read more, but I usually find myself listening to a ton of audiobooks and podcasts instead. 

 

And adopting animals? I’ve been stalking you on Instagram and I see that you love them, especially cats, that’s so cute! 

 I do! I fostered some kittens during quarantine. That honestly got me through one of the roughest patches of the pandemic. Putting my focus and energy on something else, and off of myself was so helpful. I do love animals. 

 So what’s next for you? 

 I just worked on a film called Devotion that I’m really proud of. It’s based on a true story about the first African American Naval aviator, Jesse Brown, who flew in the Korean War. I play a character named Carol Mohring, also a real person. He was Jesse’s close friend and a fellow Naval aviator. The story is incredible, is very relevant, and it also has some incredible action flight sequences. It’s been one of the most exciting projects I’ve worked on so far. 

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Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Hadar Pitchon

BEAUTIFUL ENLIGHTENMENT

Mitchell Hoog is the blond’ish-haired-blued-eyed star of the Peacock reboot of Saved by the Bell, in which he plays Kelly and Zack’s son, Mac Morris — permanently the comedic prankster. Mitchell himself, meanwhile, is a sensitive, thoughtful, incandescent newcomer, who’s appeared in Netflix’s 2019 biopic 'Walk Ride Rodeo’, and starred alongside Janelle Monae and Cynthia Erivo in the movie “Harriet”. His best work still ahead of him, (when he’s not meditating that is), Mitchell is on course to be cinema’s new goldenboy.

You were previously a competitive snowboarder, so how did you go from that into acting?

 Unfortunately snowboarding ended due to injury. I was always in an acting class since 16 or 17, and for me, it’s not about going to class to progress or excel…class gives you a safe space to mess up and not be scrutinised for it. Also, I just absolutely love the theatre. A cold theatre with a warm cup of coffee, a story, and a good group of people is hard to beat in my mind. 

 In sports you get the instant gratification of winning (or losing) - so with acting, how does it feel to have that delay in an audience’s reaction to your work?

 Honestly, I am still trying to deal with that delay. I have become really good at lettings things go, I for sure feel anxiety but it’s also a time to go inward and ask myself why I do what I do? Is it for critics and opinions to fulfil my own vanity? No. I’d be ignorant to say it doesn’t feel nice when good reviews do come out, but I don’t let it weigh too heavy on me. If I leave a set and have made personal connections with the cast and crew by making them laugh or relate, then my job is done and I have faith the viewers on the other side of the screen will too. 

 You meditate, I imagine that helps with the anxiety?

 The Dalai Lama speaks of daily mediation, I kind of live by that. No good decision is made in urgency so I often find myself using meditation and contemplation for different uses. I also just really love being in solitude and letting my mind run to see where it goes.

 Does having that mind control help “remove” yourself mentally from the Hollywood bubble that could be all-consuming? 

 Yes for sure, it helps my attention when it comes to focusing and pausing to navigate the chaos. I also have been in Los Angeles and Hollywood long enough now, that I somewhat know the ropes and just want to put my nose to the grindstone and work with good filmmakers. 

 You grew up in the mountains of Colorado, but live in LA - are you a nature boy or city boy?

 It’s interesting, I love Los Angeles a lot. The dirt on the streets, the smell of cigarettes and taco trucks on sunset boulevard, the sound of 30 different types of music in traffic at once. It’s such a beautiful mess. I do though, feel like I have come to this crossroads in my life personally and it could be due to everything being online now, but for the next year or two I want to live in nature and travel to the city compared to vice versa. I have made mistakes as every young kid does in a city, and at times I don’t think I realised the chatter of a city was getting to me. These past few months I have taken a lot of people out of my life and stuck to my base. I spent some time in Maui and absolutely fell in love. For me, I think it’s all about balance. Cities inspire me and nature grounds me. 

  So how do you stay grounded in the city?

 I have a painting studio at my house in LA and I would say I’m in there most nights. A journal and a canvas are the same thing in my mind, just different mediums. I also camp a good amount on weekends when filming to decompress. The ocean at least four times a week too. I just like to move and not be stagnant. 

 

I like how you infrequently curate your Instagram too, it tells a story without words, you prefer to live life rather than post about it?

 Instagram is funny to me. I have hung out around people or been in relationships where it means so much to them and to put it in a blunt way, I just do not understand the fixation on it. I don’t want people knowing where I hangout or eat or who I am around. I know I probably sound like an old man(!) but I see it as a cool way to post my film or work and want to keep it at that. Photos are a visual journal and editorials are a depiction of the moment I’m in mentally. I like when people read photos not captions.

 

So what’s next for you on the journey, work-wise, and personally?

 One project coming up I can talk about is called Catch & Release which I am producing, with Cathryn Dylan and John Fiorentino. My company, The Collective, has a lot coming up in 2022 that I think will give a lot of people comfort in an uncomfortable time. For me personally, this past year was really tough and I have learned a lot. I am now in that phase after a rough patch where life feels giddy again. I am excited to keep relentlessly growing in all realms. 

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Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Shane McCauley

Fashion by Derric Lowe

YSL 60TH

The 60th anniversary of the Maison Yves Saint Laurent is a unique occasion to celebrate iconic pieces created by the French designer.  Archive pieces, spanning across four decades, are captured with the most recent collections, designed by Anthony Vaccarello.

Photographer by CAMERON McCOOL at SerlinAssociates

Fashion by PAUL SINCLAIRE at CXA 

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Featuring ECE BICAK at Marylin Agency, EMI STANKOVIC at Oui Managemnt, FLO FLEMING at Elite, TANYA CHURBANOVA at Monster Mamagement & NAJIB ABDI at The Claw Models 

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Make-Up by Morgane Martini at The Wall Group

Hair by Michael Delmas using Mr Smith Hair 

Nails by Cam Tran at ArtlistParis 

Casting director Samuel Ellis Scheinman for DMCASTING

Production by Anna Rybus at Prospero Production 

Photographer’s assistant Yuliya Dryablova

Stylist’s assistant Thomas Santos 

Make-Up assistant Hicham Ababsa

Hair assistant Clément Billon

Nails assistant by Magda Statchura  

PA Theophile Parat

WORDS OF COLOUR

Alexandra Shipp is best known for her role as the iconic mohakwed super heroine 'Storm’ in X-Men: Apocalypse and Deadpool 2, as well as playing Aaliyah in the Lifetime TV movie about the late R&B singer’s life, and Kimberly Woodruff in the 2015 Oscar-nominated film Straight Outta Compton. With her star on the ascend for some time, the actress is now gearing up for her next big screen release, tick, tick…BOOM!, an adaptation of ‘Rent’ creator Jonathan Larson’s autobiographical musical. She’s in-demand, but for us she talks about taking up her rightful space in contributing to culture. What can’t she do, am I right?

Left Top Bossi & denim pants Eytys

Right Full look Diesel

 Within the political climate of Black Lives Matter, and black acting talent being underrepresented on the big screen for too long, what’s your take on how to continue to diversify the industry, and how should it nurture new raw talent with fresh ideas?

 I think the main hurdle artists today face is racism. To really create change in this institution, we have to tell more diverse and inclusive stories. I’m personally tired of the straight white male perspective and would like to see a newer and more fresh approach to storytelling. We’ve seen every royal colonising story there is. We’ve seen the white saviour. We’ve seen the man sweeping a woman off her feet. I want to see real adversity, something I can relate to. Why not try to tell something different?

Left Denim pants Eytys

Right Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

So true, and your own movie career has spanned a diverse range of characters and stories, what do you look for when it comes to choosing projects?

 Every job is different, but when I’m choosing a project, I’m looking for the opportunity to occupy a space in which I’m not usually seen. I didn't go to college nor did I study political science, so this is my form of activism. I target roles that weren’t originally written with a woman of colour in mind. I also look at how much work is there for me to do within the story: does she speak? When she speaks, does she have a voice that affects the narrative of the story? This mindset/checklist helps me not only find the roles that interest me, but helps put myself in a position where I can inspire those who look like me to see themselves with more possibilities. 

Top Bossi & denim pants Eytys

 Talking of possibilities, in ‘tick tick BOOM!’, you play Larson’s (Andrew Garfield) girlfriend Susan, a dancer, who is tired of continuing to put her life on hold while he ponders if his own impossible dream is worth the cost. How did you fight to make your own dream a reality?

 In many ways, I feel like I’m still fighting. There’s so much I want to do on this planet, and for us humans, we only have so much time to do it! When I first moved to LA, I didn't have much in the way of opportunity. I didn't have any connections or even friends, so I had to make due with working multiple jobs and scrounging to afford acting classes. I also worked at a couple music studios! I honed my craft between singing, acting and songwriting and kept my head down and allowed my work to speak for itself. I’m still doing that today and I love the opportunity to learn more and further the reality that has always been living in my head!

Left Full look Chanel

Right Full look Diesel

 So how did it all begin for you then?

 I have always wanted to be a singer, so at 10 my mom put me in theatre camp and I fell in love with the stage in a new way. With music, I was being myself, but with acting I was able to encompass a whole new physical being. I became fascinated with creating back stories and diving deep into the things that make my characters  tick. I knew it was something I always had to do from then on!

 And with talent in abundance, and an admirable determination, you’ve achieved so much already, which Jonathan Larson (on whom tick tick…BOOM! is based), eventually did in his quest for success - what does success mean to you?

 Success, to me, looks like respect in the way of acknowledgement. When someone is great at what they do, and others see that and respect that and acknowledge that… man, that’s the best feeling! I wish Jonathon could’ve gotten the chance to see the impact he made with his brilliance. He’s inspired generations with his success and it’s truly been an honour to be a part of telling the world more about him.  

Left Earring Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right All Calvin Klein

His musical Rent was inspiring and deliberately diverse, tackling the AIDS crisis by putting HIV positive characters at the forefront, and also gay characters and a cast that featured Hispanic and black leads. It made people look at musicals in a different way and was ahead of its time. What do you think its impact has been on musical theatre today, and in particular casting black actors / performers?

 I think that RENT has moved the needle forward for BIPOC performers in major ways. It showcased the fact that a great performer/performance isn’t indicative of one’s racial background, but their talent. There’s systemic racism and bias in every institution, and Jonathon was able to look that beast in the eye and say “ I really don’t care.” Since then, I think there’s way more opportunity for BIPOC actors and writers. But don’t get it twisted, it’s still not equal. There’s more work to be done and more opportunities for people in a place of power to diversify and grant positions to people of colour. 

 

So who are the other writers /filmmakers inspiring you right now?

 I’ve been a fan of Ava DuVernay for a very long time. She not only has an incredible eye for directing, but she produces forward thinking projects as well. It’s the type of career that I admire and would love to follow the footsteps of! 

Left Vintage Gianfranco Ferré

Right Top Bossi

 You mentioned singing is a big part of your career too, and you’ve released your own tracks like “Dirty Long Sleeve Shirt”. Which performer do you admire, or what song has had the most impact on your life?

 Music has always played a huge role in my life. There were times when I felt like the only one who could understand me was Alicia Keys! The minute I heard ’Songs In A Minor’ I started playing piano and writing my own songs. To this day, I draw a lot of my inspiration from that powerful goddess!!

Left Top Bossi & denim pants Eytys

Right Earring Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

So outside of your appreciation for Alicia and work, what else brings you joy?

 Spending time with women who I admire and look up to brings me so much joy! Women are incredible and inspire me to deepen my understanding of what’s possible. I learn so much from women and how they operate and move about this earth. 

 

Ok, so the clock’s tick tick ticking…. last question, Garfield’s character Larson is profoundly concerned with time in the movie, and thoughts that he’s running out of it. What are your personal goals over the next 5 – 10 years, and what are some things you are still looking forward to doing? 

 In the next five years I’d love to get to a place where I’m not only making music but touring and playing live shows! I love performing in front of a crowd and the thought of a stadium singing along to my songs gives me goosebumps! In the next 10 years I’d like to dive deeper into writing and directing. I want to be behind the camera and showcasing female driven BIPOC stories. I think that I’m meant to be a forklift to young and diverse talent in my industry, ever reminding audiences that everything is possible for anyone.

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Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Doug Inglish

Fashion by Yael Quint

Make-Up by Cherish Brooke Hill

Hair by Mitchell Cantrell

Nails by Amber Studer

Photo Assistant Brian Stevens

Production assistant Denise Solis

Digital Tech/ Retouching Maxfield Hegedus

Stylist Assistant Karla Garcia

Production by Lisa Perkins & Yael Quint

Production Design Isaac Aaron

Special thanks Initiative PR

THE HONEST TRUTH

Ever sit back and wonder what Mark McKenna is up to? Same. 

He’s a busy man, you see. From his acting debut in the charming 2016 musical Sing Street, to playing a hammer-wielding crusader in the exhilarating Amazon Prime Video series Wayne, and touring with his four-piece pop band Milk. The rising star’s latest role sees his untimely death in the Peacock Original series One of Us Is Lying. We asked him to dish on whodunnit?, and whether he’s good at keeping a secret.

Jacket N°21 and denim pants Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 Hello Mark. How’s it going?

 I’m good. I’m currently stuck in Toronto, but I love this city so no complaints. 

Full look Valentino

When you read the script for One of Us Is Lying, what appealed to you about it?

 I’ve always liked the idea of changing things up every time I move onto a new job. The exciting thing about this script for me was the fact that I would be playing a “villain” type character, which I had never done before. It was also fun to play a character that mainly only exists in flashbacks and playing with the idea of changing up how he’s played, depending on who’s remembering the moment.

Jacket Paul Smith, pants N°21, sneakers Adidas, sunglasses Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello and tee ATM

In the actual story, your character Simon outs everybody's secrets online, are you good at keeping secrets in real life?

 I like to think I’m good at keeping secrets. If someone stresses something is a secret, I often put it so far in the back of my mind, I’ll probably forget about it. Also, being bad at keeping secrets is a very fast way of losing friends or people's trust.

Jacket Paul Smith, pants N°21, sneakers Adidas and tee ATM

Full look Valentino

 The series is clearly set up for a sequel season, so without giving away too much, what can you tell us, if anything!?

 The producers and writers have been keeping their ideas for season 2 secret. So, at this point in time, your guess is as good as mine. Or maybe I do know, and they told me to keep it secret.

Left Jacket Paul Smith, pants N°21, sneakers Adidas, sunglasses Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, tee ATM

Right Trouser & sweater Fendi

 Well it’s no secret that your career has been on the rise since your breakout roles in Sing Street and the cult fave series Wayne, what do you look for when it comes to choosing projects? 

 To be fully honest, I’m not at a point in my career where I pick and choose my projects. I’ve only ever turned down a handful of roles, but I’m very grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given. The projects that I gravitate towards are the ones that I generally find most interesting, no matter how big or small the scale of it is. I’ve never been too concerned with always being the “leading man”. I’ve always just wanted to play whatever character I find most interesting and see where I can take them. I’m constantly inspired by creatives who push boundaries and take risks.

Left Top Vanessa Krongold

Right Pants N°21, sneakers Adidas and tee ATM

 So which filmmakers/creators are inspiring you right now, and who would you like to work with?

 At the moment, I would love to work with the likes of Noah Baumbach or the Safdie brothers. I love how “slice of life” their movies are, and I think that gives actors a great opportunity to really develop their characters. In the next 5-10 years, I can only hope I have a roster of diverse work I can look back on and be proud of.

Left Trouser & sweater Fendi

Right Jacket N°21 and denim pants Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 And be proud of your music too obviously, as you’re also part of the band Milk. You’re touring soon, what’s it going to feel like to play live again, finally?

 I’m excited to play music again. We haven’t played live since early 2020, so I’m nervous but it will be fun. I have a weird relationship with live music because I hate singing but I love playing music. But I always end up enjoying myself on stage.

Left Jacket Paul Smith, pants N°21, sneakers Adidas, sunglasses Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello and tee ATM

Right Sweater Fendi

 You enjoy photography too from what I’ve seen on your Insta - is it therapeutic to disappear behind your camera and not be the subject anymore?

 I definitely consider photography a hobby. I’m still not sure what exactly it is about it I find so fun. I feel like it just coincides with music and acting. I think I just really enjoy having some sort of creative outlet. It’s a very “artsy” thing to say and I’ll probably look back and hate myself for this, but things just make more sense to me when I can express it creatively.

Left Full look Valentino

Right Jacket Paul Smith, pants N°21, sneakers Adidas & tee ATM

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Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Shane McCauley

Fashion by Carolina Orrico

Grooming by Candice Birns

COMPASSION IS KEY

Will Poulter says that the roles he gets excited about the most are the ones that have the potential to spark social change. ‘I think about what the story is saying and what it is contributing to society. Is it just pure entertainment or does it have some kind of social application and will stoke an important conversation,’ explains the British actor known for his roles in instant classics like ‘Midsommar’ or ‘The Revenant’. It’s no surprise then that he decided to be part of Danny Strong’s miniseries ‘Dopesick’ (out now on Hulu) without any hesitation. The show, based on an investigative book with the same title by Beth Macy, is a complex portrayal of the opioid crisis in American society - it simultaneously dissects the sinister tactics of a big pharma corporation ruthlessly trying to increase the sales of OxyContin and tells the stories of people who became dependent on the highly addictive drug. For us, Poulter talks about the research he did to prepare to play a pharma sales rep and what it’s like to act opposite his legendary co-star, Michael Keaton.

Left Jacket Alfred Dunhill

Right Jacket & knit Hermès and Lanvin

 What attracted you to this project? What was it about Danny Strong’s vision when it comes to telling this story that made you want to be part of it?

 The opioid crisis in America was something that I was aware of and interested in before this project came along – looking at it from a socio-political perspective, it really intrigued and concerned me. And so when I was asked to do ‘Dopesick’, I jumped at the opportunity to have a hand in trying to explain how the corporate forces united to trigger the worst drug epidemic in American history. Danny is a writer that I’ve admired for a long time. I think he does a really wonderful job when it comes to influencing important conversations and addressing societal issues. 

Knit & belt Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, pants Etro, shoes Malone Souliers Man and bracelet Sinum

What intrigued you about your character, Billy?

 I was really interested in the arc that he experiences over the course of the series. He enters the pharmaceutical industry with the best intentions, but with time, he starts to wrestle with the moral conundrum of being involved in such a successful company, when that success is built on the backs of hardworking people that are being taken advantage of.

Full look Ermenegildo Zegna. XXX Couture

 What research did you do to prepare for your role?

 I started by reading Beth Macy’s book. After that, I focused on getting a better sense of how my character would fit into this story. I was researching the Purdue Pharma training programs and looked at the materials that were popular amongst young salespeople at the time. There’s a book called ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ which is considered to be one of the earliest self-development books. And looking in retrospect, a lot of the principles in the book are wildly problematic – they go beyond winning people over and having a positive influence, and read more like a how-to on manipulation and deceit.

Jacket & knit Hermès, pants Lanvin and shoes Grenson

 What was the most surprising or shocking thing that you have discovered in your research?

 The extent to which Purdue lied and fabricated data in order to present their drug as being non-addictive when the reality was entirely opposite. I learned about stories of them inventing graphs and burying the information that reflected anything negative about the drug. Another thing was the level of intimidation towards the employees – anyone who reported any worrying feedback or said anything remotely negative about the company was threatened with legal action, which is really quite sinister.

Coat & tracksuit Cold Wall

 Most of your scenes are with the acting legend, Michael Keaton. What was it like to act opposite him?

 He’s phenomenal, I absolutely loved working with him! He was so generous with his energy and time, as well as very encouraging – he really bolstered my confidence along the way. He sets a great example with his professionalism and draws the best out of people around him because he is so good! He makes the experience so real and immersive that you just turn up and react to him – he immediately gets you in the right zone [to tell the story].

Jacket Alfred Dunhill

 

What’s important to you while choosing future roles?

 I think about what the story is saying and what it is contributing to society. Is it just pure entertainment or does it have some kind of social application and will stoke an important conversation? If I feel like the project will initiate social change and action, that’s when I get excited the most about any possible role.

…

“Dopesick” premieres November 12th on Disney+.

Interview by MARTIN ONUFROWICZ

Photography by RAF STAHELIN

Fashion by MICHAEL MILLER

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Groomer FEDERICO GHEZZI

Digital Tech TONY TRAN

Photographer’s assistant CONNOR KENNEDY

Stylist’s assistant FRANCESCA RUSSO

ELECTRIC FEELING

Cassian Bilton says that he can’t remember ever not wanting to be an actor - ‘As soon as I did my first play while I was growing up, I caught the bug. I was hooked.’ The Brit has made his film debut in a short ‘The Devil’s Harmony’, which won the Sundance Jury Award in 2020. This year, Bilton has been catapulted into a whole new sphere of storytelling - he’s currently starring in a mega Apple TV+ production, ‘FOUNDATION’ - a show based on a classic sci-fi series of books by Isaac Asimov about a Galactic Empire civilization on the brink of apocalypse.  We spoke to Bilton about the experience of working on a bigger-than-life set, his favourite sci-fi films and his love for the theatre stage.

Full Look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

How did this project come about for you and what attracted you to this role?

This part is unlike anything I’d read or seen on screen before. The opportunity to play a cloned version of a man alongside two other brilliant actors is something that really excited me. 

Full Look Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane

What in your view is the biggest strength of ‘FOUNDATION’ from a storytelling perspective? 

‘FOUNDATION’ wrestles with a lot of very big ideas. It tackles the interplay between science and faith, the decay of power and the importance of hope in a time of crisis. The show doesn’t shy away from tackling these questions head-on and asking its audience to consider them themselves. I think that’s really thrilling. 

Pants Hermès, Knitwear Loewe & shoes Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane

What surprised or amazed you the most about the process of working on such a grand show?

I arrived expecting to be shooting against green screens but almost all of our sets were practical. We also travelled to half a dozen countries around the world to shoot on location. It adds such a rich, lived-in texture to the show and really helps us out as actors. 

Full Look Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane

Are you a fan of the sci-fi genre yourself? If so, what are some of your favourite sci-fi films?

I’m a big fan of Alex Garland’s ‘Ex Machina’ and Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Arrival’. Both films ask really searching questions about what it means to be human and what our not-too-distant future might look like. 

Left Full look Berluti

Right T-Shirt Acne Studios, pants Ann Demeulemeester, knitwear Hermès & shoes Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane

What made you first want to become an actor and when did you realize this is something you would like to pursue?

I can’t remember not wanting to be an actor. As soon as I did my first play while I was growing up, I caught the bug. I was hooked.

  You have extensive experience as a theatre actor. What do you love the most about performing on stage and what’s your dream theatre role?

I don’t think there’s anything like it. It’s electric. It’s where I feel most alive. I’d love to do a Duncan Macmillan play. His ‘People, Places and Things’ at the National Theatre was one of the best shows I’ve seen on stage.  

Shirt Our Legacy & denim pants Levi’s

What’s your dream collaboration? Any actors or directors that come to mind?

I love Michael Fassbender and Steve McQueen’s creative collaboration. I’d love to work with either of them one day. 

…

Interview by MARTIN ONUFROWICZ

Photography by JAMES GREENHALGH

Fashion by MARCO DRAMMIS

Grooming NADIA ALTINBA

Stylist Assistant MATTIAS REINULA

TWO STEPS AHEAD

Tom Mercier’s magnetic presence is palpable regardless of the medium, equally powerful on cinema screens and in his self-shot performance-like Instagram videos. The Israeli actor, who is currently living in Paris, received great attention back in 2019 for his debut role in Nadav Lapid’s ‘Synonyms’, and have continued to intrigue the audiences since – last year, he starred in Luca Guadagnino’s HBO coming-of-age show ‘We Are Who We Are’ and his most recent feature, ‘My Night’ (directed by Antoinette Boulat), premiered during the 2021 Venice Film Festival. In between being on set, Mercier collaborated with us on a limited edition publication simply named ‘TOM’, where he was shot in an array of dynamic poses by photographer Jan Philipzen. To celebrate its launch, we spoke with Tom about his most recent role, his approach to acting and why he loves the art of movement.

Your new film ‘My Night’ has recently premiered during the Venice Film Festival. What attracted you to this project and the role that you play in the film?

 At the time, I just came back from Italy [from shooting ‘We Are Who We Are’] and I felt a bit detached from Paris – I didn’t know what was my place in the city, so I wanted to have a job that would give me a feeling of structure. After reading the script, I realised that the character is searching for the same thing. So I thought it was interesting for me to explore this young man, Alex, looking for a connection to himself and his generation. But I also tend to do things without asking myself too many questions because I’m afraid to confront my own life - I prefer to observe it through the perspective of the characters that I play.

 Your big breakthrough was the lead role in Nadav Lapid’s ’Synonyms’ and you have just collaborated with him on a short film ‘The Star’. What’s your collaborative process like?

 When I first worked with Nadav, we had this relationship where I needed him 100% as a director and he needed me 100% as an actor. And we had a lot of luck that we met each other back then. Today, working with him is very special because it’s so effortless – we shot ‘The Star’ in just two days – I came to Israel for vacation and he was just like, ‘You’re here for one month. Let’s do a short movie!’ [laughs]

 

Last year, you starred in Luca Guadagnino’s ‘We Are Who We Are’. What are some of the lessons that you have learned from him on set?

 Luca is kind of like a ‘Peeping Tom’ on set, a voyeur. You don’t feel that he’s in the room, but he’s looking at you and he has constructed the whole area like an architect. Or like a DJ in a way – he’s putting on the music, but he’s not telling people how to dance. And when you’re with a good DJ, when you’re getting into that room, it’s rock.  And this is what’s so nice about Luca - he’s giving you all the access to get into that place, but then you will need to dance. Luca is a great filmmaker, but at the same time, also a great artist. He can design a perfume shop and look at the scene at the same time. [laughs] He’s a very special guy.

 You’ve worked with some great directors and actors already, but what is your dream collaboration? Any actors or filmmakers that come to mind?

 I think my dream is to actually direct myself one day! I want to work with actors, take my words and put them on a page, or take images that I have in my head and release them onto the screen. I would love to collaborate with Denis Lavant or Juliette Binoche.

 

What stories are you drawn to exploring on the screen?

 I want to tell a story of a master and slave relationship – I’d like to look at this approach of having that sort of undefined admiration towards someone and desire to do whatever they tell you without questioning it. I find this dynamic very interesting.

 Many of the videos that you post on your Instagram have a performance art-like quality to them. What do you love the most about expressing yourself through movement?

 I always have this feeling that my body is walking two steps ahead of me, whereas, with words, I need to search for what I want to say – so they’re coming as a bit of an echo. I think physicality allows you to access different characters and new observations. It’s a bit like with the dancer Vaslav Nijinsky – it’s not for nothing that he was considered the God of dance, because he believed that God was speaking through him. And similarly, I think that God (if he exists) is not speaking through our words, but through our flesh and our movement. And that’s why I love to explore body language.

…

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Jan Philipzen

Fashion by Jonathan Huguet

BEAUTY OF EMPATHY

For Swedish actor Edvin Ryding, empathy is key - ‘I think it’s important to understand your character, even if you don’t like the way they act at times.’ This year, Ryding proved how great he is at feeling for his characters in the Netflix mega-hit LGBTQ+ drama, ‘Young Royals’. In the show, Ryding created a beautifully nuanced portrayal of Wilhelm - an heir to the Swedish throne, who after being forced to attend boarding school, starts to explore his identity through a relationship with a fellow student (played brilliantly by Omar Rudberg). The coming-of-age series has been widely praised for its approach to queerness and diverse representation - it was also just picked up for a second season earlier this week! We asked Ryding about why in his view the show has resonated so greatly with the audiences, his dream collaborations and what he hopes happens to Wilhelm next.

Denim pants Hope, Tanktop Calvin Klein

Since its release, ‘Young Royals’ has become a massive Netflix hit. Why do you think the show has resonated with the audiences so strongly and what are you hoping is the message that people are taking away from it?

 I think it’s because, in our storytelling, we’re not making a big fuss about the sexual orientation of the characters. So what I’m hoping is that people feel like today, one’s sexuality shouldn’t be surrounded by any forms of stigmatization. Also, I think that it’s beautiful how most of the characters on the show are interacting with each other – they’re talking about their problems, instead of just acting out on their emotions.

Parka Prada

 Wilhelm is such a complex character. What has been the most challenging about becoming him?

 The thing I found most challenging was trying to find the right balance between his anger, sadness and his desire to be with Simon. I think it’s important to understand your character, even if you don’t like the way they act at times. I’m not a fan of how impulsive he can be – a good example is a fight he gets into at the club in the first episode  – but I get that he does it out of sheer anger, fear and shame. At the same time, I really like his capability of speaking openly with Simon and how good they are at communicating with each other.

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‘I feel really relaxed when I’m working. I think that’s why I still love acting so much – it’s a very safe space for me.’

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Jumper Valentino

 What scene was the most memorable to shoot?

 The first one that comes to mind is when Wilhelm is high and running around the football field. That scene was entirely improvised and I had so much fun doing it!

Denim pants Hope

What are you hoping will be the progression of Wilhelm, if your show gets renewed [Netflix confirmed the plans for the second season of ‘Young Royals’ two days after this interview]?

 I have a love-hate relationship with his decision in the last episode – I understand why he did what he did, but from an audience standpoint, I don’t agree with him. So I guess I’d want him to feel the consequences of his actions. But I also want the other characters to understand him a bit better.

Tanktop Dries Van Noten

When did you first realize that you wanted to become an actor?

 It was right around the time when I first became aware of what creativity was and that acting was the best way to express that creative side in me. I think I was about 10 years old – that’s also when I realized that I wanted to continue doing it for as long as it would bring me joy. It’s only now in recent years that I understood I could maybe do it for a living.

Full look Dries Van Noten

 What is your dream role or project to be part of? What are some of the actors or directors that you look up to and would love to collaborate with?

 It would be a dream to work with Greta Gerwig or Felix van Groeningen, the director of ‘Beautiful Boy’. And of course, I’d love to collaborate with Christopher Nolan, if I’m ever so lucky! When it comes to actors, there’s so many - Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet, Florence Pugh, Asa Butterfield, Emma Mackey. But I also want to continue working here in Sweden – I’m now friends with a lot of the actors that I’ve worked with in the past and it would be a fun challenge to collaborate again on new projects.

Left Coat Loewe

Right Hat, jacket and pants Tiger of Sweden & shoes Lemaire

 What do you like to do in your spare time to decompress?

 Well, I have a few great friends that I feel really comfortable with when we hang out . I also like to be alone and read books or watch movies – that’s how I try to disconnect from everything. But at the same time, I feel really relaxed when I’m working. I think that’s why I still love acting so much – it’s a very safe space for me.

Left Coat Lanvin

Right Hat, jacket and pants Tiger of Sweden & shoes Lemaire

Denim pants Hope

…

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Marco Van Rijt

Fashion by Robin Lycke

Casting by IMAGEMACHINE cs

Grooming Lasse Pedersen

Photographer’s assistant Kalle Altin

Stylist’s assistant Monzora Shaw








BEAUTIFUL CREEPY HONESTY

After the Genesis album that marked her first significant steps in the music industry, Tessa Dixson is establishing her musical identity with the release of her new single "Creep". By grabbing the tools of electronic music, the 24 year-old belgian-american artist explores the possibilities of alternative music in order to build her own musical and visual environment. In between a world of reality and fantasy, Tessa Dixson asserts her own independence, both as a creative and as a woman. Love and sensibility, depth and vulnerability; these are some of the feelings on which the young woman is opening up about today - and the ones we discussed together.

Can you tell me more about your new single? Why is it different from your previous projects?
I wrote this song two years ago in London with the French band Planet 1999. I had a really great vibe with them and, when I came out of the studio, it just felt right. I never had this feeling before. My previous projects were more a reflection of who I was surrounded by. Even if Genesis was a big step, it did not completely represent me. “Creep” reflects me as taking my own direction. The video clip also embodies this new identity. I worked with completely new people for this project, and I am so grateful to them for understanding my vision. 

What is the song about?
It is about a heartbreak, and about having a hard time to trust somebody new. “Creep” is a bestial way to get into a person, but in a beautiful way by trying to get closer to their emotions. It expresses the attempt and the difficulty of figuring out how a person is beyond first impressions. This desire to access this person’s essence also mirrors my own wish to deeply access my own self. 

How do you qualify the genre of this new universe?
I like to define my music as a dark futuristic fairy garden vibe. Futuristic because of the sounds and the visuals that are used, fairy because of the tension between fantasy and reality that is brought. Even if I love doing pop, I wanted to explore different ways of composing by using programming and electronic. In time, I would like to find a way to make both pop and alternative music. 

It must be a challenge for you to release this song today, isn’t it?
It is! Especially because I lost the people I used to work with. I see this project as a new and fresh start, which is exciting but also very stressful. Sharing this song is like sharing a part of me, of my vulnerability. 

What does it say about you and your evolution as an artist?
I think you are reborn every time you create something new. This one says out loud that I am becoming more independent in my choices. It takes time in the music industry to understand what you want, and to be heard for that. 

I guess the music industry can be hard to stand in, especially for a woman...
It is hard indeed, but it is also beautiful. There are more and more women and queer artists rising up today. But there are not many women around, like women musicians, managers, producers, etc. It is shifting, but very slowly. I feel very lucky because I think I am working now with the only woman tour manager in Belgium. 

Do you think it would be different if more women would be at these positions?
Definitely. I am pretty sure that, as women, we have a deep connection between us, and in general. I faced a lot of men who judge you regarding your experience and taking control a lot. Of course, there are great men too in the music industry! But I feel more confident with women around me because it is a collaboration, not a “you are working over me” relationship. 

There is music, and there is performing. I heard you were pretty present on stage, how do you consider that part?
Performing is where music comes alive, and so do I. Being on stage when I was younger appeared as the place I wanted and needed to be. The feeling you get when you are there is so powerful, made up of nerves, adrenaline and excitement. More than singing in front of a public, it is about creating a real show that includes scenography, set design, lights, clothes, in order to transport people into a timeless universe. 

What is the goal of all of this for you?
To live. And to make people live. To escape, and give an escape to people so we can keep dreaming. 

TD_26 BIS.jpg

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“Reaching a self-confidence is probably a lifetime work. So, I guess the dream is to be able one day to trust myself completely. That will be my personal achievement.”

And what is your dream?
The truth is, when you are a sensitive person as I am, you need a strong shield, because you give yourself to people all the time. You need to be sure about who you are and what you are doing. Reaching this self-confidence is probably a lifetime work. So, I guess the dream is to be able one day to trust myself completely. Even if doubting and criticizing are important, I would like to sometimes tell myself that I am good enough. That will be my personal achievement.

It must be a challenge for you to release this song today, isn’t it?
It is! Especially because I lost the people I used to work with. I see this project as a new and fresh start, which is exciting but also very stressful. Sharing this song is like sharing a part of me, of my vulnerability. 



What does it say about you and your evolution as an artist?
I think you are reborn every time you create something new. This one says out loud that I am becoming more independent in my choices. It takes time in the music industry to understand what you want, and to be heard for that. 

I guess the music industry can be hard to stand in, especially for a woman...
It is hard indeed, but it is also beautiful. There are more and more women and queer artists rising up today. But there are not many women around, like women musicians, managers, producers, etc. It is shifting, but very slowly. I feel very lucky because I think I am working now with the only woman tour manager in Belgium. 

Do you think it would be different if more women would be at these positions?
Definitely. I am pretty sure that, as women, we have a deep connection between us, and in general. I faced a lot of men who judge you regarding your experience and taking control a lot. Of course, there are great men too in the music industry! But I feel more confident with women around me because it is a collaboration, not a “you are working over me” relationship. 

There is music, and there is performing. I heard you were pretty present on stage, how do you consider that part?
Performing is where music comes alive, and so do I. Being on stage when I was younger appeared as the place I wanted and needed to be. The feeling you get when you are there is so powerful, made up of nerves, adrenaline and excitement. More than singing in front of a public, it is about creating a real show that includes scenography, set design, lights, clothes, in order to transport people into a timeless universe. 

What is the goal of all of this for you?
To live. And to make people live. To escape, and give an escape to people so we can keep dreaming. 

…

Interview & photography by Hanna Pallot

Tessa is wearing Marine Serre & Raf Simons

DEVOTION IS A WONDERFUL THING

For Finn Ronsdorf, Berlin-based singer and songwriter, the process of creating music is something that can’t be rushed. ‘Music comes when she comes, she can't be forced to manifest. If she wants to play hide and seek, even a bright and unfurnished room won't make her more visible,’ says the artist. In his debut EP ‘Odes’, Ronsdorf creates a beautifully melancholic landscape of love and loss - he opens up completely and encourages the listeners to create their own meaning to his lyrics and melodies. We spoke to Ronsdorf about the process of exploration in his music, his upbringing in the evergreen German region of Black Forest and the ongoing collaboration with filmmaker and photographer Matt Lambert.

Your EP ‘Odes’ came out a year ago. How do you look back on that work and the time you were creating it?

 The EP was recorded almost three years ago, in 2018. The songs were finished way before that. So all we needed was a nice studio, a piano and my voice. We recorded the whole thing in one day. Those songs are all one-takes as far as piano and singing are concerned. Here and there we added some subtleties afterwards. It was a lovely day; just a few people coming together. You can hear them spontaneously singing with me on the song 'Blue'.

What are the emotions or themes that you are looking to explore with your music?

 I can see that the songs have some devotional fragrance to them. Devotion is a wonderful thing. It is the holding of a very intense emotion in silence, without any resistance. But this is nothing intended per se. You must know, I'm not really looking to do anything. Factually, looking to do something and exploring don't go together. If I have any intentions or pre-built results in mind, exploration is impossible.


What environment do you find most inspiring when working on new music?

 Music comes when she comes, she can't be forced to manifest. If she wants to play hide and seek, even a bright and unfurnished room won't make her more visible.

I read that you grew up in the Black Forest area.  What was your upbringing there like and how that influenced you as an artist?

 The smell there is truly special. We have mighty mountains and remarkable trees. And it can be really silent. But there is also a lot of noise coming from the people. I grew up in a small town, people are always busy talking, 'this is good', 'this is bad'... I know this is the case everywhere, we're all grown in bad soil. What else can I say? My father played good music, my mother painted, my brother developed a very sharp mind, I was in between and in doubt.

When did you first realize that you wanted to pursue music?

 There used to be a strong will when I was a child. But at a certain point, I found this desire rather exhausting. This is not the case with music only, it's with any desire. They're ever-changing, projecting themselves on something new, but they can seem very sticky, too. Today, I cannot say I pursue music.  It might pursue me, but it is not my doing. It is you putting me in this position, asking that question, and I will take it.

FINNRONSDORF_2021_YaëlTemminck_02.jpg

“Factually, looking to do something and exploring don't go together.

If I have any intentions or pre-built results in mind, exploration is impossible.”

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You worked with Matt Lambert on videos for ‘Blue’ and ‘Ode to a Love Lost’. How does his work reflect the subjects that you are talking about in your music?

 I don't have any subjects to talk about. Those are words filling the sound, forming the melody. I don't have any message to offer. But if you truly understand that, you will see that you'll yet find some sort of message, created by your own thought process. If you see that very clearly, you might find that almost everything you see and experience is your own image-making process.

Matt has a great visual eye and knows how to put things in the right place. He has what you could call 'taste'. There was no ideological discussion between us, or anything of the sort. It is just two people coming together and working with sound and aesthetic. The rest is your business!


You’re currently doing some live shows at festivals. What do you love most about performing live?

 The people, the places. But there are people and places everywhere. Even now. Performing for me has no more value than any other activity.


What have you been working on since ‘Odes’?

 There is a lot of material. I think there will be a song and a video coming out soon, both finished. Now it's a matter of outer circumstances.. let's see!

…

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Yaël Temminck

Fashion by Leendert Sonnevelt

RAP'S REBEL

Sheck Wes is the multifaceted Harlem-born artist who creates atmospheric, yet catchy, bass-heavy dark anarchic hip-hop beats like “Mo Bamba” and “Live Sheck Wes, Die Sheck Wes”. 

Backed by Kanye and Travis Scott, his unshakeable confidence and distinctive looks have also earned him catwalk rights with LV and Yeezy, and he’s no stranger to ballin' like a mo'fuckin' (basketball ) pro either. We caught up with him to talk about fashion faux pas and going crazy.

Left Suit, shirt & sneakers Louis Vuitton and sunglasses Moscot

Right Jacket Balenciaga and hood Kenzo

Your father was a tailor for the legendary hip-hop couturier Dapper Dan - how did that influence your own style growing up?

 Growing up, my Dad’s shop really influenced me a lot, as I would meet so many other people who weren’t even Dapper Dan, and just get to learn about fashion and look at things in a different way, and see so many different people outside of my African / Senegalese heritage. Being in New York especially was really cool too, because there were so many designers and I met so many people who were all around my Pops, so he was really important.

Jacket & pants Balenciaga and hood Kenzo

 What was the first item of clothing or shoes you bought?

 I bought white Nike Air Force 1’s with the blue patent leather back and blue check, they were super smooth!

Suit, shirt & sneakers Louis Vuitton and sunglasses Moscot

 Did your Mother ever make you wear something that you were like, noooooo way, I can’t be seen out in that!?

 My Mother made me wear everything that made me say ‘No Way!!’ I had a Bob the Builder overall suit when I was like 8 years-old, and red turtle necks with Frosty the Snowman on the collar.  My Mom didn’t care, I had army fatigue chuck tailors, my swag was everywhere! I feel that’s why I just created a style which is just natural, everything I ever wear, even with my shoes, is just so natural.

Crewneck Denim Tears, short & hood Kenzo and sneakers Balenciaga

 You’ve modelled for Helmut Lang, Louis Vuitton and Yeezy, how did you perfect your ‘Blue Steel’ face? :)

 You gotta clench ya jaw man and look at the caaaaaaamera!

Left Turtleneck Prada, beanie Telfar, jacket APC X SACAI, pants Junya Watanabe & sneakers BalenciagaRight Crewneck Denim Tears and hood Kenzo

Left Turtleneck Prada, beanie Telfar, jacket APC X SACAI, pants Junya Watanabe & sneakers Balenciaga

Right Crewneck Denim Tears and hood Kenzo

 From when you started rapping to the multitalented artist you are now, how have you evolved musically, where’s your head at?

 I think I’m more patient now, very patient. I feel like now that I’m more established I can take more time to look at things, because when you’re not established you’re always having to keep your foot on the gas and keep things going. I’ve just been chill and be cool, but I’m used to going crazy, so I think I might just go back to going crazy!

Turtleneck Prada and jacket APC X SACAI

 You’re playing pro basketball in Paris too, so along with fashion and music, that’s your three wishes granted - next time you blow out the candles on your birthday cake, what are you going to wish for next?

 I’m gonna wish and pray for more time, a long life and good health.

 You have new music coming out too, can you tell us what to expect? 

 A more mature version of the young Wes, this is not my boy, this is Sheck Wes, headed to paradise it’s a whole journey, it’s levels, like from the bottom to the top or from the top to the bottom, however you want to see it.

…

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Ricardo Gomes

Fashion by Rita Melssen

Sheck Wes is represented by IMG

FLY AND FREE

Lil Dre means business. After proving himself as a skilled skateboarder on the New York scene, Dre was cast in the HBO series Betty - a show based on Crystal Moselle’s acclaimed 2018 film Skate Kitchen, centred around an all-girl group of skaters who navigate their lives through the male-dominated field. Recently, Dre has been also making his name known in the fashion world - he walked in the Spring 2022 Rhude show in Los Angeles and appeared in the Off-White eyewear campaign opposite Justine Biticon and 90s modelling legend, Helena Christensen.

Now, Dre is preparing to take over the music industry - he just released his new track ‘DONT ASK’ and we’re told he’s currently in the midst of a bidding war between a few major labels. We had a quick chat with Dre about his first experience as an actor, why he’s a big fan of Virgil Abloh’s work and what he loves about skating.

Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

You recently starred in the HBO show Betty. How did this project come about for you and what attracted you to it?

 Rachelle Vinberg, who is a lead on the show, recommended me for the part. Acting is something that I’ve always wanted to try out. The show took me out of my comfort zone and it’s an outlet for me to open new doors. 

 

You also appeared in an Off-White campaign. What do you love about Virgil’s vision for the brand? 

I love that Virgil always gives opportunities to people who don’t get the recognition they deserve. 

Pants and belt by Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello


Are you a fan of fashion more generally? If so, what other brands are your favourite and why? 

Yes, I step out of the house lookin fly as fuck every day. I like what I like, it doesn’t matter what brand it is.


What can you tell us about your music? What is the message that you want to spread with it?  

I go with the flow. I just rap about what I feel in the moment. 

Shirt and necklace by Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

What are some of the rappers that you look up to? 

Thugger, Carti, and Uzi are the ones that inspire me a lot.


What do you love the most about skating?

Skating makes me feel free. I will never not love skating, it’ll never get boring for me.

…

Photography by Alex La Cruz

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Fashion by Jacob Dekat

Hair by Fitch Lunar

Lil Dre is wearing Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

The full story will appear in our upcoming FW issue, out this October.

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