LONDON COLLEGE OF FASHION MA_12 SHOW – POEMTRY

Words by Husniye Guler

The exquisite Raphael Gallery at the Victoria & Albert Museum held a catwalk show; 23 talented MA Fashion Design Technology graduates from the renowned London College of Fashion showcased their prodigious designs to an audience and viewers online. The awards were given out by Christopher Raeburn, a young and talented designer who recently won an award from the British Fashion Council for “Best Emerging Talent – Menswear.”

The show started off with Xianfen Gu, whose designs were absolutely stunning. The garments had beautiful designs in an alive red either on the shoulders of jackets or alongside the front. The silhouettes of the garments were lengthy showing off the tall, slim figures of the models.

XIANFEN GU

In comparison to Xianfen Gu, Yao Zhang’s outfits also had red on them however, Zhang’s Stains and Scars collection was made from natural materials with splattered faux blood stains on them. The shoulders of the shirts were torn and the models looked like they’d just come out of a war zone. It was interesting to see what the next outfit looked like but it wasn’t a personal favourite of mine.

YAO ZHANG

Tina Elizabeth Reiter was next to show her work and congratulations to her as she won the award at the end of the night for her ingenious menswear range. Her designs included skirts and polka dots for men which were quite feminine yet it looked dandy and masculine as the waistcoats and blazers balanced out the outfits. Could the future bring feminine chic to men’s fashion? We’ll just have to see!

TINA ELIZABETH REITER

Another menswear designer who really stood out for me was Birmingham’s Joseph Turvey. His garments had his very own illustrations on them which were put together with bright shorts and jackets. Turvey has been previously inspired by names like Givenchy and Christopher Shannon, who has recently shown a series of casual sportswear items which reflected onto Turvey’s designs. Sportswear is identified to be one of S/S 2013’s trends so, guys, you know what to look out for from now.

JOSEPH TURVEY

Hana Cha won the womenswear award at the end of the night. The Korean designer used three tones in some of her garments and added metallic detail. She tried to express the modern perception of upper class and lower class through her designs. Cha used little thin tassles at the end of her dresses opposing to the big shouldered capes. There was one outfit in particular which communicated her idea of the hierarchy, the dress which had a collar on just one side of it.

HANA CHA

One of the most phenomenal collections was the KORLEKIE A/W12 by Beatrice Newman. I was so taken by her dresses that I completely forgot to take down notes. The intricate details on the dresses were fascinating, and each and every one of them was heavily embellished. She reminded me of a young Alexander McQueen but with her own traditional style. There were elements of the underwater world as dresses had green metallic material underneath netting and the embellishments appeared to be seaweed on the models.

BEATRICE NEWMAN

Overall, the show was a complete success as the graduates showcased unique and wonderful pieces. The menswear designer Matteo Molinari won Collection of the Year Award and floored everyone with his crocheted tailoring.

We wish all the graduates good luck for the future and cannot wait to see what they will come up with next!

clockwise

1. Jacket – Vintage/Trousers – Vivienne Westwood/Chain – Ebay

2. Top – H&M/Skirt – Motel/Jacket – Vintage/Scarf – Urban Outtfitters

3. Boob Tube – Matalan/Skirt – Vintage/Waistcoat – Forgotten Vintage/Belt – H&M/Necklace – Topshop

Words by Ryan Child

DR. MARTENS SS12 Launch

I wore black Dr. Martens boots to school and got put in ICE. ICE was school-speak for Isolation. Sat at a table next to a teacher’s office, one knee up and running a finger over the yellow stitching, bored and trying to read old graffiti on the wall in front of me; something like Rob is a homo, all a bit blurry.

Tonight, Little Portland Street’s Exposure Gallery played host to the Dr. Marten SS12 Launch, the theme: First Love. With an exclusive viewing of the new short film (aptly titled), FIRST LOVE, starring Agyness Deyn and Ash Stymest, as well as announcing the winner of a photographic competition focused on what first love really means, the L word (not that one), really was all around.

Yes, but the SHOES. Brightly coloured or dark, yellow stitching or not, it’s the inexhaustible interest and devotion to a truly tireless brand that make Dr Martens such a perfect companion to tonight’s festivities. Music comes from Exlovers, who play a wistful set, backed by shelves of DM classics that look like crayons in a box. Tiny burgers and hotdogs are munched on while the captions by each competition-entry are read/understood/laughed at. It all comes down to experience, I guess. I’m told that I can put my beer on a table, next to the shoes, and that “it’s all in-keeping with the aesthetics”. I do that and remember bumping the rubber soles together, off each other, and start thinking about buying a new pair.

Maybe I’m in love? SLAP!DRINKANDPULLYOURSELFTOGETHERMAN!!!

Your new album ‘Damned Religion’ is out next month, can you tell me a bit about it?

We needed to get a new record recorded and we owed it to our friends, our family and our agent to come back with something world class. We wrote it three times back in our old studio called Superstar Studios and just blasted away at it, writing tunes and throwing it away – we wrote a whole album and threw the album away. It’s a bit more refined but it’s a Dear Superstar record.

It’s your first album in four years, why did it take so long?

The tours kept coming, to be honest. We were screaming out to write a new record, we had this vision of the damned religion and just wanted to get to the studio to find out where it took us. But the tours kept coming, which isn’t a bad thing. We went out with Buckcherry, Papa Roach and did a lot of cool festivals. It just seemed like every time we turned a corner we were like ‘Ok we’re going to record a record now’, but then there was another amazing tour we just couldn’t say no to.

How would you describe a Dear Superstar live show?

We try and hit that stage at 110mph. If we don’t come off battered and bruised then we don’t feel like we’ve done our job properly. We’re not posers, we just get as messed up as best we can and make sure everyone has as good a time as we do.

You had Johnny Rocker on board to produce the album, how did that come about?

We’ve done a whole bunch of touring with Heaven’s Basement in the past, we get along with all those guys, and Johnny especially. We wanted to do a few tunes together so he came up to our studio, spent the weekend, and we played that well we were like ‘You know what dude? Let’s just record the whole album together!’. So we tracked it in that studio with Johnny, and when we got to the end of it that was going to be the demo.

But we slayed it and Johnny made each individual instrument sound amazing so we needed to find a guy who had the same vision we’ve got and some kind of pedigree in production and mixing, then we heard that Bob [Marlette (Black Sabbath, Marilyn Manson, Atreyu)] wanted to work with us. We sent him a couple of tracks, he sent them back, and we were like ‘Oh my god! Is that still the same recording as last time?’. It sounded so different and made the record so huge. It sounds of the same quality as the Atreyu or Airbourne album he’s done.

So is ‘Damned Religion’ the best album you’ve ever made?

Yeah, without a doubt. Our first record, ‘Confessions’, we did that on £1000 shoestring budget, in a studio with a tin roof up in the hills of our home town. It was just a collaboration of tunes we could try to sell on the road. We did ‘Heartless’ and I’m still really proud of that record, I don’t want to take anything away from it, but on ‘Damned Religion’ we had the time and it’s a quantum leap ahead of anything else we’ve done before.

Your band’s from Manchester, which has quite an illustrious musical heritage. How does it feel to be a part of that history?

Obviously it’s a massive honour to be a band from Manchester, but I just feel in many ways that Manchester is stuck in the indie scene and we kind of wanted to break away from that a little bit. It’s not that we don’t love bands like Oasis, Happy Mondays and countless others, and all the punk bands from our city as well, but it’s not our heart and soul – our heart and soul is rock and roll. To think that we can fly the flag for Manchester in our own way, rather than rehashing what another band did back in the 70s, 80s or 90s, that means more than anything.

Rock and roll is where your heart is, do you try and live the rock and roll lifestyle?

We definitely used to, we got a bit of a bad reputation or good reputation depending on which way you want to look at it. When we were on tour with Papa Roach in Europe we actually got told to calm down. In many ways we’re kind of not proud of that, but now touring is getting so serious we’ve got to get the job done first – then party. We can’t let anything get in the way of that stage time we get. We’re so blessed to have played some of the biggest stages in the world that we don’t want to stuff it up when we get there.

So you’ve matured as a band?

I think we’ve matured as people and as musicians to make ‘Damned Religion’ as good as we could make it, obviously. I think touring with bands who have been there and done it kind of showed us the way. It’s not all about how much you can shove up your nose or how much you can drink, it’s about getting the job done and making a career out of it. So if we can make a career out of it these days, there’s no point spunking it all on drugs, women and alcohol. Not that all that isn’t fun of course, but our direction is the music right now.

But what is the most rock and roll thing you’ve ever done?

To me the most rock and roll thing I’ve ever done is putting the devil horns up whilst shouting ‘How’s it going Donington?!’. Getting on that stage at Download festival – we’ve done it twice now – with such a history on that land, and the bands that have played it, having that feeling is the most rock and roll thing I’ve ever done.

Finally, what does 2012 hold for Dear Superstar?

Just touring. The record comes out on 6th February and we’ve got to back that up as best we can, so we’ve got the Kill Hannah tour. Then we’re going round Europe on the Invade The Stage tour for a few weeks then we’re back home before heading straight out on another tour which hasn’t been confirmed yet so I can’t really say. We don’t want to leave any stone unturned, and it’d be nice to get out to Japan and the States this year as well, just spread the word and get into as many people’s faces as possible.

Who wants to read the dusty old classics when you can read them updated with blood and guts being spattered all over the place?

Me Me Me!!! Yeaaaah!

What’s become known as mashups even had an imprint (Quirk Classics) to cater for the likes of ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’ or ‘Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters’, and ‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’ is released this year in big screen movie format but is there room in the genre for a kiddie-friendly version?

Oliver Twist was ruined by that hideous musical film version. The book is dark and grim and unsettling. Fagin alone is enough to strike terror into the hearts of the young, Twist is gunned down, and Sykes meets his doom in a rather grisly manner. JD Sharpe didn’t really have to try very hard to make such a story any darker so instead she paints it with a supernatural brush.

There’s soul stealing, magical keys that strip a human’s free will, werewolves, zombies, cults, vampires, and buckets of blood sloshing about in abandonment. The story has been picked over and the gist remains – Oliver is an orphan, he goes to work for an undertaker, he meets the Artful Dodger and Fagin, is brought into the gang, Nancy and Sykes are still, respectively, flawed and a right bastard, Mr Brownlow is Twist’s savior – but Sharpe has created her own myth involving dark magic and Twist being the counterbalance to it in order to save the world.

It’s not a taxing read despite being nearly 300 pages, the language is ripe and there’s plenty of bloodthirsty description, and the spin given to the story is entertaining enough to keep both young adult and adult readers turning the pages. It would have been more interesting to see how far Sharpe could have pushed it had she been aiming it purely at an adult audience but, as it stands, she’s done more than enough to open the story up to a new generation.

OLIVER TWISTED by JD SHARPE is released 6th Feb.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Oliver-Twisted-J-D-Sharpe/dp/1405258179

Words by Dalia Black

HEADLINE TOUR

21/04 – Brighton, The Haunt

www.seetickets.com / 01273 606 312

22/04 – Norwich, Arts Centre 

www.norwichartscentre.co.uk / 01603 660352

24/04 – Portsmouth, Wedgewood Rooms

www.seetickets.com / www.ticketmaster.co.uk / www.gigantic.com / 023 9286 3911

25/04 – Bristol, Thekla

www.alt-tickets.co.uk/alttickets/default.aspx

27/04 – London, Shepherds Bush Empire

http://www.seetickets.com/Tour/TRIBES

29/04 – Leeds, Cockpit

www.lunatickets.co.uk / 0113 2455570

30/04 – Glasgow, Oran Mor

www.gigsinscotland.com / 08444 999 990

01/05 – Manchester, Academy 3

www.gigsandtours.com

03/05 – Liverpool, Academy 2

www.gigsandtours.com

04/05 – Dublin, Academy 2

www.ticketmaster.ie

05/05 – Belfast, Stiff Kitten

www.ticketmaster.ie

07/05 – Sheffield, Leadmill

www.leadmill.co.uk and 0114 2212 828

08/05 – Nottingham, Rescue Rooms

www.alt-tickets.co.uk/alttickets/default.aspx

09/05 – Birmingham, Academy 2

http://www.livenation.co.uk/artist/tribes-tickets?c=url_ext_tribes_300112

Tickets are available on exclusive pre-sale from 09.00am on February 1st at www.tribesband.com. Tickets then go on general sale at 09.00am on February 3rd.

http://www.facebook.com/tribesband

http://twitter.com/#!/tribesband

Whether you loved it, hated it or simply weren’t bothered by its glossy shimmer, Final Fantasy XIII was essentially a flamboyant corridor with a room at the end of it. Granted, the room at the end wasn’t half bad, but the seemingly endless slog that preceded it undoubtedly soured the final hours. By then many had become bored of point-to-point mechanics and Japanese hyperbole.

With XIII-2, Square Enix hve done a questionable thing by continuing the story of its predecessor. The god-awful supporting cast à la XIII are mostly absent, but the continuation of the arc and the similarities in presentation are still enough to secrete that disappointing taste on to your tongue buds.

This is a shame because XIII-2 corrects some of XIII’s biggest issues. Strict, relentless linearity has been left behind in favour of a far more open structure even though the world lacks connectivity. With freedom and exploration comes more to do but these additional activities feel like they’re included to tick a box, to please the people that XIII should’ve won over first time around.

You play as Serah, the younger sister of XIII’s lead emo, Lightning. Lightning has appeared in Valhalla, an area outside of discernible time. It’s there that she encounters Caius, a hair-dye-obsessed bad guy hellbent on continuing her sulk. Amidst the endless chaos, she also encounters the time-travelling Noel, whom she tasks with travelling back through the void to find Serah and bring her to Valhalla. Simply put, Noel is like Arnie in Terminator 2 and he’s going to stop at nothing to finish his mission.

It sounds complex but XIII-2 is bogged down by labyrinthine storytelling that fails to mask the simplicity of its tale. The objective of ‘find and save Lightning’ is enough to keep you progressing but with little expansion or evolution upon this – let alone the absence of a satisfying finale – XIII-2 feels disparate from the deep, interwoven yarns that series veterans have rightfully come to expect. This is a game that says nine words when three would’ve sufficed.

Captivation is not the cast’s strong point, either. Serah is not the abysmal fairy that Vanille was, but she lacks the personality to be a memorable leading lady. Noel is similar, retaining likeability but missing any trace of greatness. Without other dominant protagonists you’ll find very little else to concentrate on. The heavier focus on just two characters was a chance to increase personal bonds, but the good-not-great leads are impossible to connect with.

Connecting to the world is something you may find problematic, also. It’s beautiful, basking in stunning artistic variety, but the disjointed form created by the Historia Crux – your central time travelling hub – removes any sense of true exploration. It feels like you’re just witnessing various points in time, rather than inhabiting a world. Side quests, optional activities and the earned ability to revisit various points in time are all enough to keep you busy for well over 40 hours, but the magic of discovery is something that’s left to small, arena-like worlds rather than a sprawling metropolis of wondrous existences. Disappointing, especially considering the endless opportunities that time travel provided.

While the open structure improves but doesn’t fully resolve problems, combat still remains strong. The segmented action gauge returns, while paradigms and other complex options have been tweaked to speed up the action. Taking control of only two humans allows you to really focus on your load outs, experiment with tactics and perfect your approach without dealing with upwards of five party members. Tamable monsters add a new level of depth too, successfully lighting a fire in the heart of collectors and completionists everywhere. These critters serve as the third addition to your combat party and can be customised and upgraded like the two main heroes.

Other additions like conversation wheels and QTEs attempt to push the presentation into a more player-influenced territory, but the result is contrived. Annoying on-screen indicators are pointless, and it’s almost as if Square are shouting out that they’ve made changes for us to admire and applaud.

For all their efforts, there’s no doubting that XIII-2 is a better game than its better-forgotten father, but improving on such a huge disappointment isn’t a glorious triumph. XIII-2 feels like it’s treading over covered ground. It improves some issues and fully resolves others, but still has its fair share of troublesome flaws. It’s archaic and unapproachable, lacking narrative pull when it should swim in it. As a game it’s more than commendable, but the Final Fantasy staple demands more than a strong combat system and fancy visuals. Depth of story, pace and the intricacy of character relationships are the foundations that Final Fantasy is built upon. Sadly, much like its father, XIII-2 feels like it’s ready to subside.

6/10

Words by Sam White

WORDS FROM THE DIRECTOR, KEVIN MASON:

The ideas for this video shoot came from a few places, but mainly the 80′s styling (soundtrack etc) of Drive, the Ryan Gosling film as well as JG Ballards Crash, or at least David Cronenburg’s film version. I also watched Vanishing Point a few times, and took something from the idea that the lost ‘hero’ Kowalwski just drives, and does so because he is stuck in mental limbo – this became the reference for smashing the windsrceen etc before the shoot. A lot of my video work/fashion stories take a strong influence from cinema.

I was really keen to try and get the fetish quality of materials across, in key scene (for me) of the film Crash Rosanna Arquette gets her leg brace stuck in the leather of a super expensive car in the showroom and it tears the leather. This mix of hard polished metal and leather was the styling brief that I gave to Heather who came back with some amazing jewellery pieces, like the knuckle duster rings, which she paired up with beautiful leather wear. We even managed to squeeze in an original antique Victorian leg brace in the final shots. I am intrigued by the mix of man and machine, and how people feel a car is part of them.

Sam Hiscox and I worked on our direction to the model that everything had to be slow, deliberate and almost automated with movements. Each gear change should be punishing, really pushing hard, so we could emphasis the model and the car being one. The make up direction was fairly simple, with an emphasis on really contouring the face first and then adding a slight metallic shimmer to the cheekbone as we progressed.

With the edit we wanted to recreate the feel of an overwatched, over recorded VHS tape, and reflect this in the font as well. Sam produced a beautiful edit that shimmers and glitches and re-enforces the feeling of machines and mechanisation. The lighting direction came from wanting to make a sensual, neon, seductive feel. I then gave an industrial feel brief to the two people that produced a beautiful score for us.

Director: Kevin Mason

Camera/Editor: Sam Hiscox

Model: Mimi at Profile Model Management

Styling: Heather Falconer

Hair: Stylist Kalvyn Celic

Stylist’s Assistant: Sophie Yates

Assistant/Lighting Tech: Leon Foggit
Second Assistant: Matt Martin
Set Construction/Car Modification: Matthew Ring
Set Dressing: Alex Thirlwell

Original Score: THEO CELANO and ELIAS MOUKARZEL

Designers: AND_I, SVETA SOTNIKOVA, MARIA PIANA, ATSUKO KUDO, BJORG, DANS LA VIE, BERNARD CHANDRAN, MISSTA

Firstly and in my eyes most importantly, do you have a denim jacket? No, why not?? You have no excuses with all sorts including coloured/ patchwork and customised denim hitting down already. If you are going to rock the denim shirt look this summer then I would opt for a short sleeve and brave it over a rudeboy net vest. Brap Braaap.

Pattern will be finding its way into your shirts and shorts but don’t fret, I promise there will be a print for everyone come spring. Whether you are full swinging for the Hawaiian movement or prefer a more subtle approach, I recommend you clash it up and wear prints together.

You may remember it like the back seat of your first car (dirty buggers) but sadly it’s that time already, the nineties are now considered retro enough to be cool. Yes, the loud prints and appalling haircuts are back. The girls are already jumping feet first into Grunge but the boys need to put their faith back into Jazzy Jeff for this one with retro brights and logo sweatshirts… Thank god for VIVA with those Fresh Prince reruns. Be heroic with some lightwash denim (think ‘This Is England’ rather than ‘Saved by the Bell’ though).

Ditch the dishwater colours because they are as bland as a spam sandwich, twenty twelve is the year men embrace colour. Coloured chinos and pop tees are back on the agenda with brighter shades including oranges and reds. If this is a step too far then the best way to introduce colour into your wardrobe is through these fun loving soles. Sitting on the fence between smart and casual they are perfect for the GQ gentleman and you will be able to find them everywhere. Expect to see them worn with a turned up trouser and bare ankles Ooooeerrrr.

Mix it up and break the rules. What rules? There are no rules anymore!! A smart and casual mash up is perfect for the modern day man. We saw a lot jogging bottoms on the catwalks so brave the streets and shake of that chav stereotype by wearing grey jogging shorts with a wicked shirt – FIT!

Talking of grey marl – the knitted sweater remains as the wardrobe security blanket. I love it oversized and ultra light, plus every guy can pull a grey sweater off!!

The wax jacket is still clinging on for dear life but there may be room for a new contender – the bomber! No, we aren’t talking terrorists so get out from under the table. This is such a good summer jacket and available in a range of fabrics, so if you buy one item this year then invest in that.

There you have it. Only one thing left to do… pick out that perfect pair of Speedos…

Words by Sara Wilson

If there are two things you need to remember then it’s Pastels and Print. Expect to be bowled over by the extraordinary as both will be invading your social space over the next few months. When I say pastels, I mean it! Sugary sweet and cutesy clean, these pastel shades will be hitting down in the shops early on and sticking around. Jill Stewart and Preen were feeling fresh for Spring Summer 12, leading the way amidst an array of pastel loving catwalk collections. For those who can’t stomach all the shades of Mrs Kibble’s sweet shop then I recommend you put all your faith into lilac – easy to wear and suits most skin tones. Or, even better, be a shade braver with mint!!

Pretty pastels are not where it ends for the preacher daughter look. Louis Vuitton’s dainty doily approach is the catwalk of the season as daisy cut lace and applique will be getting us in the mood for spring. Whether it be 60s vibes or that 50s All American Girl, you can guarantee Mary’s garden growing everywhere with daisies as soon as the blossom blooms.

The 50s American housewife will be hanging around the streets of the Noughties thanks to catwalks like Marni and Prada. Cinched in waists pay tribute to the hour glass figure, as we celebrate the female form in all its glory. Bra tops and fuller skirts pave the way for our midriff loving girls, however if you also have great thighs then invest in some high waisted knicker shorts too – awesome summer look! Better put that new gym membership to good use and start doing those crunches!

Some of us can’t stick the good girl image and are rotten to the core. The grunge girls are back with a vengeance, dirtying up their dip dye pastels and revitalising the all important acid wash. Utility jackets in green and Khaki’s will be a must have for this look so get them in early!

Thank god for DIY, as I urge you to get out the old denims and start studding. And remember this dear reader, less is NEVER more!! Dig up that ‘vintage’ Pearl Jam album you stowed away and break out the bleach because if Maggie Thatcher has taught us anything, it is that when recession hits its time to get more involved with your wardrobe. Go wild!

It’s not only 90s grunge that is back but everything ‘bad’ about that era will be finding its way back to that special place in your heart. Sportswear for the average sofa spud is what I am talking about. Hello retro prints, crop tops and drawstring overload!!

Expect to see some neon flashes and serious racer detailing – racer back, racing stripe, racer front – it’s all about cutting out that unwanted fabric. Call it Olympic fever but I particularly love this trend as it lets me eat as much as possible whilst reigniting my love for high tops. Even Isabel Marant is crazing the heel lovers with these high tops…

It would be impossible to do a SS12 round up without talking about print. Prints will be exploding into your daily life like a kitsch science project. Expect it on all things imaginable. There will be no escape with this being a new age for the confident woman ready to don a full head to toe print. Kick back with Sebastian the crab for some ‘Under the Sea’ fun seen at Versace, Chanel and Holly Fulton. Black based florals will be helping the grunge girls get in touch with their feminine side as we revisit Chloe Sevigny’s 90s style.

Finally, you guessed it… Tribal is back on our high street. Batik prints and Desert trek utility will be big on the agenda but add some metallics to make it fresh. Mix up the casual with some smart pieces as it’s all about breaking the norm. If you can’t handle another season of tribal then just focus on the accessories as this is where ethnic is at its best. Burberry had my favourite take on this trend with some costume-esque beading …

Good luck and may the force be with you!

Words by Sara Wilson