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Aggressively Pretty: Goen. J Spring/Summer 2014

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I'm not sure if it was because I spotted it on my way to lunch or that my sweet tooth's roots are finally infiltrating my brain, but the first thing I thought of when I saw Goen.J's newest collection was "cake." Big layers, lace tape, and pretty pastels reminded me of basically every birthday cake I ever had when I was a little girl; I felt like diving face-first into a pile of the pleated and lacy garments and taking a big bite. Pleated detailing crawls across oversized tops, shorts, and dresses in looped designs that bounce with each step. Little did I know, underneath the super sweet silhouettes was an insidious inspiration—the agressive betta fish. "I once had a tropical fish, the betta, and I was inspired by the colorful fins," designer Go Woun Jong told me via email. "The fins inspired me to create the pleats as a starting point of the collection, and using them creates a movement like a fish swimming in the water." 

Underneath the ruffles, the garments themselves are simple and intricately tailored, which is Goen.J's speciality. (Previous seasons have seen tapered trousers in tatted velvet and the introduction of that amazing long lace varsity jacket.) The lace tape pieces especially show the tricky balance between athletic and adorable. "Every season lace is used to show harmony in contrasts," Go Woun said. "Lace is a great material to express femininity, and I like to mix it with a masculine fit." The juxtaposition of traditionally delicate materials and strong, dominating shapes is exciting, because there's no reason women can't be tough and beautiful at the same time. We can have our cake, and wear it too!

Shop all Goen.J here

TYPE 2 PLEATED BLOUSE in white and ASYMMETRICAL PLEATED SHORTS in white

Pleated wing dress in baby blue

type 2 pleated shirt dress in pink

pleated collar dress in black

pleated long jacket in black

type 2 pleated blouse in white

pleated wing blouse in white

pleated wing jumpsuit

'Real' Talk with Years & Years

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London-based dance trio Years & Years officially began online. Brit Emre Turkmen and Australian Michael Goldsworthy were both searching for bandmates when they met in a forum and quickly bonded over their shared love of Radiohead. Actor Olly Alexander (you’ll know him from Skins and most recently, Le Week-End) would join soon thereafter, but only once Mikey had vetted his vocal abilities after overhearing him singing in the shower at a friend's apartment. And the band's oft-confused name? Emre had this explanation: "We just spitballed ideas and [Years & Years] was the only one that no one hated. I think I just said it and everyone went, 'Oh alright.'"

From their origin story, to their name, to even their fashion sense, Years & Years is decisively unstudied. It’s a welcome relief in an age of acts carefully curated by teams of advisors and publicists, devoid of any unique personality, or worse, performing perfection. The boys of Years & Years, on the other hand, aren't concerned with being obvious, and relish conflicting interpretations of their work. When asked about their dark video for their single “Real,” a stunning visual that begins with a chance encounter between Olly and Skyfall's Ben Whishaw in a seedy nightclub bathroom, Olly said, “I was just very happy that people are being like, ‘What the fuck is this video about?’”

Although their music might be classified as electronic, Years & Years isn't hiding behind their laptops. To get a better feel for their sound, imagine a soul-influence Disclosure if Sam Smith were the permanent lead singer. Now officially signed to Polydor Records, the band is poised to usher in a new wave of synth-dance-pop. Check out what the band had to say about their failed ode to Jennifer Connelly, the making of their epic new music video, and their favorite YouTube comments. 





Clarke Rudick: How did you guys meet?
Michael: I’m from Australia so I didn’t know anyone.
Olly: Mickey doesn’t know anything.
Emre: Mickey’s an alien.
M: I woke up in a glacier and got thawed! [Laughs]
E: We met online because he was looking for a guitarist.
M: I was looking for a guitarist because that’s what you need in a band…
E: Now I don’t play guitar anymore.
M: I didn’t want to be a traditional band. I just wanted to do a completely different thing. And I made a little video and put it up on the website, and you [to Emre] liked that. And our love for Radiohead is what bonded us.
E: He was drunk four times in a row when I went [to meet him] and I was like, "Do I really want to hang out with this guy?"
O: For the rest of your life!
E: And then Michael met Olly through a friend.

Legend has it Michael heard you singing in the shower. Is that true?
O: It is true! But I had already told Mickey that I wanted to be in the band. I can’t remember what I was singing… probably the Fugees or something. That is actually my shower song: “Killing Me Softly.”
M: Olly did come in quite early. We didn’t have much material before Olly came on. I was more of an idea really. [Laughs]

What are each of your guy’s responsibilities within the band?
M:

Marques'Almeida's New Skin

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When Marques'Almeida’s Spring/Summer 2014 collection debuted on the runway last September, the tell-tale designer aesthetic of blue denim was awash with some new specimens of the acid-colored chiffon and taffeta variety. In the last few seasons, the brand has departed from its raw-edge, denim-on-denim roots by adding exotic animal skins to its repertoire of materials, i.e. boxy jackets made entirely from cowskin and cowhide-spotted, "classic" trainers. But, what really has shoppers exclaiming for joy is the snakeskin saddle bag, the brand’s first venture into handbags and an all-out showstopper at that. Also—fans of the brand's early aughts days will welcome a familiar selection of tube tops, spaghetti straps, and strappy platform sandals. 

Shop all Marques'Almeida women's here and men's here




Marques'Almeida Fitted Denim Style Jacket and Track Suit Style Shorts in black/white



Silk Taffeta Top in multi

Python Purse in green/pink

Metallic Organza Mackintosh in metallic pink

Chiffon Changeant Sleeveless Top in lime green

Chiffon Changeant Sleeveless Dress in pink

Denim Fitted Jacket in dark indigo




Cowhide Boot-Cut Trousers in black/white
DENIM RAW EDGES SHORT-SLEEVE HOODIE in black

Norma Kamali on Relaunching her 1980 Sweats Collection

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From our FOREVER NORMA editorial spotlighting the sleek and chic woman of 90s Tribeca to our very first visit to her WELLNESS CAFE, OC's obsession with all things NORMA KAMALI is absolutely no secret. And why should it be? The iconic New York designer has brought us everything from the sleeping bag coat to Farrah Fawcett's little red bathing suit to top notch olive oils responsibly sourced from across the globe. For her Spring/Summer 2014 collection, Norma took a chapter out of her own legendary book, revisiting and reinterpreting her iconic 1980 Sweats collection that marked the first time women took sweatshirts out of the locker room and into their everyday lives, transforming conceptions of casual clothing. From fashion to fitness and the constellation of facets in between, Norma's career has focused on empowering women. I caught up with Norma to discuss the evolution of Sweats, her daily workout regimine, and what makes an empowered woman. 

Shop all Norma Kamali HERE


Emily Manning: This Sweats collection is reminiscent of your 1980 Sweats collection. Can you describe the atmosphere that inspired the first collection—what motivated you to design in this way? How exactly does this re-launch draw on its senior?
Norma Kamali: The first collection actually was before people were wearing casual on the streets. I swam a lot and after I would put on a grey sweatshirt from the Army Navy store and I always loved it because it would soak up the water and I'd feel warm and I wouldn't feel chilled or anything. I thought, "I wear my grey sweatshirt all the time, why don't I do some cover-ups?" Soon I had this huge collection of everything you could think of for any wardrobe, for any time of day, in grey sweatshirt. And it was from that that I did a partnership with Jones Apparel doing a full out collection starting with grey sweatshirting and then going into variations.

There was an energy in the air for people to dress in a more casual way. Nobody was, there was still kind of this Studio 54 attitude, but there was a subcurrent of wanting to be casual. When the pendulum swings of people wanting to be all the way dressed up all the time, then there’s a need to kind of go the other way, and so this was in the right place at the right time. I did it for a decade, and I couldn’t do another sweatshirt thing again. Then in the last ten or so years I’ve been wearing my jog pants and then I did a capsule collection and the response was incredible. Customers were emailing me with pictures of things they bought from 100 years ago saying, “You’ve gotta do this again.”

So I put the collection together again and I actually think it’s quite different––philosophically it’s exactly the same––but it is quite different from the original collection in that it’s very modern in its simplicity. You can make it your way just by the shoes you’re wearing. My sweats then had shoulder pads and all kinds of stuff going on, but I did have these core styles like the rah-rah skirt and some big sweatshirts. Those were the styles that I saw were the timeless styles, and so I took that from my collection and I carried forward the idea tha

Second Lab's Souvenir Shop Style

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We know you copped the tees, tanks, shorts, sweatshirts, beanies, and SIGG water bottles from our logo-ed out Opening Ceremony Represent capsule collection and video (shot by OC pal Goodsy), but your love for all things OC doesn't have to end there! To point, Japanese brand Second Lab put a brand-exclusive spin on its collection of souvenir shop-inspired rugs, a shout out to New York, LA, London, and Tokyo—all, conveniently, in cities where OC calls home. A play on the words “second hand” and “laboratory,” Second Lab specializes in taking retro ideas and making them novel, by blending iconic Americana visual culture with high-quality materials and clean craftsmanship.

Shop all Second Lab HERE 

LOS ANGELES RUG in Los Angeles, paired with Gosha Rubchinskiy Old Skool Leather Vans 

New York Rug 


London Rug
Tokyo Rug 

Telfar Clemens' Swimwear-Inspired Collection

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TELFAR CLEMENS’ Spring/Summer 2014 collection “MAINSTREAM:FLUID” builds on his brand’s history of probing the seemingly contrasting notions of high concept and accessibility by unifying them in complex, always surprising ways. Where the New York designer’s past seasons have seen deconstructionist approaches to sportswear, the Spring/Summer 2014 collection works for the first time through a swimwear lens. A collaboration with SHANZHAI BIENNIAL, the meta-brand brainchild of artists Babak Radboy and CYRIL DUVAL, SS14 plays between simple shapes and unusual cuts to create binary-bending androgynous silhouettes. Presenting men’s ballet flats, halter tops, and mesh cover-ups through a unabashedly topical QVC aesthetic, the collection lands neither wholly on the side of concept or commodity, but in their interaction, becomes entirely normalized.

Shop all Telfar HERE

MESH SWIVEL TUNIC in green and WEL SPLIT SHORTS in khaki, paired with a Patrik Ervell shirt (available in stores)
 
Swivel Tunic in white

Mesh Swivel Tunic in green

Mesh Short-Sleeve Dress Shirt in white

Mesh Simplex T-Shirt in black

Hooded Halter in black

Get the Look #10 T-Shirt in white

Get the Look #9 T-Shirt in white

Get the Look #8 T-Shirt in white

Double Shorts in black

Claire Ptak's Easter Treats: Chocolate Beetroot Cake

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Scrap the chocolate Easter eggs and hot cross buns because London baking babe Claire Ptak (owner of our favorite East London bakery, VIOLET) has written us three exclusive Easter-inspired recipes. The best part? They're gluttonous without the gluten.

Beetroot in a chocolate cake adds a depth to the flavor and texture that is amazing. Don’t worry, the cake won’t taste weird. Think about carrot cake. The root vegetable makes the cake perfect for after dinner served with crème fraîche: velvety and not too filling. The color of the beetroot just barely comes through, adding a certain luminosity. The best thing about this cake is that it is made with equal portions of everything so it is super easy to memorize. I call it the "200 Cake" because you just put in 200 grams of each thing! Plus, it's totally gluten free. What’s not to like? 



Chocolate Beetroot Cake


200 grams cooked and peeled red beetroot
200 grams unsalted butter
200 grams dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa solids) chopped into pieces
4 eggs, separated
200 grams caster sugar (or fine-grained sugar in the US)
1 teaspoon salt
200 grams ground almonds

1. Butter and line a 20 centimeter (or 8 inch) loose bottom cake tin with baking paper. Heat the oven to 170°C (338°F).

2. Cut the beetroot up into chunks and blitz in a food processor to a fine purée. Set aside.

3. Put the butter and chocolate into a large heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water to melt. Do not stir until the chocolate has mostly melted. Stir together gently and continue to melt until smooth. Turn off the heat but keep away from any drafts or the chocolate will set.

4. Meanwhile, separate the eggs and put the whites with the caster sugar and salt and set aside. Whisk the yolks lightly with a fork to break them up and then stir them and the ground almonds into the melted chocolate. Now whisk your egg whites to stiff peaks. Hopefully you have an electric mixer, but if you don’t, you can do this by hand, too.

5. Fold the stiff whites into the chocolate mixture until fully incorporated. Pour into your prepared cake tin and bake for 45 - 50 minutes until set but still wobbly. Allow to cool for at least 25 minutes before serving.



Follow Claire's INSTAGRAM to make your mouth water! | Find more of OC's food-filled adventures HERE!   
Photos by Jodie Herbage

Most Wanted: Raf Simons x adidas Response Trail Sneakers

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"Most Wanted" presents our favorite and most coveted items available at OC.

Calling all athletes and fashion lovers! Belgian designer Raf Simons has once again joined up with adidas to create vibrant, avant-garde versions of the shoe brand's iconic styles. Our favorites this season are the Response Trail sneakers, complete with 90s color-blocking, major treads, and mobile accents on the heel. Available now in women's and men's sizing!
 
Shop all Raf Simons x adidas for women and for men.
 

Carven Goes to Bamako

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When Carven creative director Guillaume Henry first saw the work of Malian photographer Malick Sidibé’s late 60s, early 70s era street style snapshots of Bamako’s youth culture, he was struck by the ways in which the Malian youth effortlessly folded European influences into their own cultural codes of sartorial expression, exuding an infectious, organic elegance. Drawing on the house’s storied, near 70-year history of creating an adventurous third space between Parisian refinement and playful freedom, Carven’s collection updates the blend of brightly colored Malian textiles and European construction found on Sidibé's subjects for the modern age.

While Henry’s tailored separates, slightly oversized collars, and sharp hemlines refreshed sixties shapes and silhouettes with a youthful sophistication, the most notable elements of Carven’s cross-cultural collection can be found in its fabrics. Featuring both breezy, drapey linens and cotton woven with plastic, the collection marries sharp, mod structure with relaxed, casual elegance, ultimately ringing true to the attitude both Sidibé and Henry sought to celebrate.

Shop all Carven HERE
PRINTED CREPE DE CHINE JUMPSUIT in Black/White/Yellow
 
Short-Sleeve Poplin Shirt in White


Zig-Zag Tweed Fitted Blazer in Black/White

Zig-Zag Tweed Shorts in Black/White

Sleeveless Deep V-Neck Dress in Black

Printed Satiny Poplin Dress in Avocado

Crepe Sleeveless Top in Black

Tri-Color Hair Net Skirt in Black

6 Ways Not To Be A Coachella Stereotype

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Ah, Coachella—otherwise known as two back-to-back, jam-packed weekends of contemporary music's biggest and brightest acts shredding in the So-Cal desert debauchery. Of course, the big C isn't merely about swaying to Solange surrounded by palm trees and posi vibes, it's also something of a spring Fashion Week. But, done wrong, it can be a total eyesore. To those who deck out in denim cutoffs, fringe, lace, and the infamous DIY daisy crown, we say: no more, man. Seriously, before you throw on Rumours and debate between which washed-out 501s pair best with which neon bandeau, check out OC's guide to not being a Coachella stereotype. 
No Day-Glo wraparounds? No problem. These BERHNARD WILLHELM X MYKITA Daisuke Sheild Sunglasses are a great stand-in. For our full list of alternatives, see below. 

1. No three words kill a vibe quite like "DIY daisy crown" (other than "sale is over"). That's right—it's high time the festival fixture was dethroned. This Jennifer Behr COSETTE HEADWRAP is a fresh, functional take on floral headwear. 


2. Nothing screams "Coachella uniform!" quite like a grossly short pair of denim cutoffs. Whether studded, bleached, tie-dyed, or "Whatever" bedazzled, Indio has seen them all. Instead, trade up in these Isa Arfen Elastic Culottes. The sheer stripes will keep things light and airy, and unlike denim diapers, they won't result in a wardrobe malfunction.


3. Stand out from the mass of standard-issue black ankle booties with these Toga Pulla Four Buckle Boots. The perfect balance between modern and cowboy, these stompers put a refined Americana spin on things. 

4. Triple-tier vests and capes are cool, but not since SLOANE PETERSON tore it up to "Twist and Shout" in white-leather shoulder pads has fringe rocked so hard. Blackmeans Studded Fringe Suede Jacket kills it softly—just the way we like it. 

5. Half boyfriend jean, half delicate-lace trouser, these hybrid House of Holland Lace Boyfriend Jeans will be like the purple unicorn at Coachella. As the festival headliner (yes, that would be OutKast) proves, sometimes, two titans are better than one. 

6. Don't take your look into Top Gun territory with some run-of-the-mill aviator frames. These Opening Ceremon

RISD: Ridiculously Interesting Sartorial Decisions

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Art students in homemade outfits aren't usually what you picture when you hear the phrase "street style photography." But take one look at the new-to-OC book RISD STREETWALKERS and you'll realize the wacky fashion subculture of art school is as worthy of documentation as the Taylor Tomasi Hills of the world (or more). From gravity-defying haircuts to socks worn as hats to bejeweled teeth, RISD Streetwalkers won't disappoint those looking for creative style inspiration. The book captures a community that “celebrates personal style with zero restriction," said author and RISD grad Dana Davis.

For those of you not familiar with Providence geography, Brown University (which this writer attended) sits atop “College Hill,” while its more artsy, collegiate contemporary, the Rhode Island School of Design, sprawls over the hill’s descent into downtown. To me, College Hill always seemed more like an anthill and RISD students were the little workers, hauling canvases up and down its steep impasse, often identifiable by their ostentatiously atypical garbs. Five prints in one ensemble, wearing seven different necklaces at a time, and always, always statement socks! Compared with the understated hipster style of the Ivy League, RISD screamed uniqueness. This wasn't your New York Seinfeld normcore—these students took individual style seriously. So it was to no one’s surprise (and many’s delight) when, in 2008, someone started a RISD fashion blog. 

Dana Davis didn't start the RISD Streetwalkers Blogspot herself. But when the two upperclassmen who did left it to slowly die on the Internet two months in, Dana saw her chance and took over the mission. For the rest of her college days, she became the sole historian of RISD sartorial antics. 

Davis, who studied graphic design, has now moved on to New York, but her days as a street style blogger have now turned her into author. Designed by Davis using bubble letter font and bright gingham page backdrops, RISD Streetwalkers the book presents an IRL version of years of online fashion chronicling. 

Beyond just immortalizing the trendy whims of art school kids, Davis includes some particularly comical insights on just what those crazy RISD students looked like. 

“There were a lot of overlaps in wardrobe choices across both genders,” Davis recalls. “Homemade hair cuts, tight pants, nail polish art, even some nail polish on the face, food worn as jewelry, shirts worn as hats, and some strategically placed toothpaste stains.” 

And you thought this whole time those were paint stains! Damn art school kids. And the parties? Seemingly less about clothing. “There was lots of dancing, body paint, and occasional nudity,” Davis shared.
 
When I’m walking down a New York avenue and the sea of baseball caps blends into a grey one-ness, I often miss my college days of half naked, colorful, carefree raving. It seems like RISD Streetwalkers is not a bad way to momentarily relieve that nostalgia. That said, Davis and I both agree that there’s one appetite College Hill filled that you can’t really gleam from a book. We both really miss the pizza.

Ana Cecilia Alvarez writes about art and feminism in Brooklyn. She tweets @_LLO

KTZ's Antiques Are As Cool As Its Clothes

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On a recent trip to one of London's antique meccas, Golborne Road, I happened upon Kokon To Zai Home. The third shop for the cult streetwear brand founded by Sasko Bezovski and designer Marjan Pejoski is housed inside an old Scottish butcher shop in Notting Hill. The unassuming locale, which opened in 2008, has developed a dedicated following among design insiders and KTZ fanatics for its unique mix of both Sasko and Marjan's fantastical clothing and accessories, as well as curiosities and vintage items from around the world. KTZ's all-over prints and avant-garde silhouettes––inspired by everything from Buddhist Swastikas to American baseball jerseys––feel oddly in step with the exotic objects scattered around the store (an eclectic assortment that included everything from framed butterflies to headhunters' necklaces from Papua New Guinea). I sat down with Sasko to discuss KTZ's foray into interior design, streetwear culture, and New York City youth.

Shop all KTZ here


Clarke Rudick: Hi Sasko! Let's start with a question about KTZ as a brand. KTZ usually exists in a streetwear context. Do you see it as a street brand?
Sasko Bezovski: You can turn any label into whatever you want. Regardless of whether it’s Balenciaga, Givenchy, Comme des Garcons––they’ll turn it into streetwear. Every collection has those elements. I think KTZ has evolved. KTZ was a perfect example because it never stayed the same and it never projected the same images. It was momentum that was really captured by the fans of streetwear at the time.

Where do you produce the collection?
In Indonesia. I used to [spend a lot of time there] because we were setting up the whole system of work. We just wanted to make [the factory] different from anything else that exists. Why not Indonesia? It has good weather, lots of raw materials, and also it’s a quite poor country and it’s nice to give back to the people. It encourages a lot of young people. We have a lot of young Indonesians [who] come and they work for us. Not only being part of our team, but also contributing to the collection. I’m very proud of that.

You have stores in London and Paris, you produce your clothes in Indonesia, and you sell internationally. Do you see KTZ as a global brand? 
It’s everywhere. We are in Taiwan… Korea… China. America embraced us in such a great way. In acceptance, in appreciation, in consumption, in visibility, in wearability; almost in every sense. People [in America] really like creative, honest, and attune-with-the-time elements. Opening Ceremony… was one of the first stores that embraced us and said, “We really appreciate what you’re doing and we can really see the creative potential within the brand.” 

How would you describe the youth of New York that you see wearing your clothes?
New York is very urban, very raw. The street is where you see the impact because everything happens on the streets. It has such a big influence on the youth. And the minute you get different, you get noticed. And I think people are really intrigued by the techniques we are using, like toweling. Each season we bring a different technique to the game. Fashion is about innovation. 

How did you decide to o

Sky High: Adventures With Magic Dirt

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You know that girl who's always munching kale from a Tupperware while you sneak another Haribo from your desk drawer? Or who always has a tip for moisturizing your face with, like, sesame seed oil she got from a holistic healer upstate? Who loves and makes fun of Gwyneth in equal measure? That’s Sky! In SKY HIGH ON HEALTH, she reports on nutritional, wellness, and green lyfe fads both crazy and helpful.

Sun’s Organic Tea & Herb on Bayard Street in Chinatown will fill you with a sense of total possibility. When you walk into the shop, you are surrounded by hundreds of glass canisters, which sit on shelves that cover every inch of wall and floor space. Each canister has a handwritten label detailing the ingredients and healing properties of the contents inside. When I went there with my friend Paul this winter, I actually felt like a kid in a candy shop! Except instead of the jars being full of candy... They're full of some sh*t that looks like dirt.

Sun is the wonderfully wise woman who owns the shop. We talked to her a little bit about the column and she walked us through some of her favorite remedies. I told her about my problems with eczema as a child and how my mother would source potential cures from all over the world hoping to heal me. One of my most distinct memories was visiting an herbal medicine shop similar to Sun’s to fill a “prescription” given to me by a witch doctor—let’s just say, drinking Bug Tea is an experience I will never forget. Hoping there were no hidden critters that Sun might push on me, I scanned the room. A jar stashed away in the corner caught my eye—”Sea Buckthorn Powder.” Perhaps you’ve heard about the sea buckthorn or maybe, like me, you came across a tiny bottle of sea buckthorn pills at Whole Foods and senselessly paid an exorbitant amount of money for what you realized, only after purchasing, was a ten day supply? #Prettyhurts. Yikes. But I’d rather go broke testing natural skin care supplements than risk potential toxins in over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. As we all know—there’s no glow like a natural glow.

So, back to the sea buckthorn. In case you haven't seen it, it’s a shrub with these electric orange berries that contain the most potent amount of vitamin C you can get from any one source. The bioactive compounds in the berry are used extensively in dermatology—anti-aging face creams, lotions and sun care, as the berry extract is thought to absorb UV rays. There are so many Internet rumors about this plant: it was the sea buckthorn berry that gave Pegasus, the mythical winged horse of Greek mythology, his ability to fly! Legend also has it that the sea buckthorn gave the many troops of Genghis Khan’s army the strength they needed to conquer so much of Asia and Europe. My favorite is the claim that Russian cosmonauts took sea buckthorn supplements to protect against radiation in space. Let's go to the moon!

Sun’s suggestion was that I try something called ‘Shilajik’—her go-to remedy. The label claims to “arrest aging” and “produce rejuvenated body cells.” Sounded intriguing enough but she followed up with, “heals any ailment.” “...Any ailment???” I asked. “What do you mean?” Sun winked at me: “Trust me, I drink this everyday.” So we packed up some sea buckthorn power, some magic dirt or &lsqu

Meet The Model: Gia Seo

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Meet Gia Seo, OC model and associate at OC ACE! When this Alaska native isn't sporting the latest Marques'Almeida, Low Classic, or Steve J & Yoni P she's a freelance stylist and film editor who has a soft spot for McDonald's fries and loves hanging out in Williamsburg. 

Name: Gia Seo
Your neighborhood: Brooklyn (Go Nets!)
Hometown: Alaska
Astrology Sign: Taurus
Occupation (when you're not modeling): Stylist, freelance film editor
Essential photo shoot song: "In Those Jeans" by Ginuwine
Most prized possession: Leica R6 camera
Best gift you've ever received: A year long stay in Berlin from my parents
What is something that everyone should try at least once? The waterfront on Kent Avenue gets really windy. Definitely take a plastic bag and helmet down there and try to jump when a gust of wind comes through.
What's the most played song on your iPod? "Superman" by Eminem
Favorite place to go to escape the city: The sculpture garden in the Lower East Side is a secret pleasure of mine. Most people think that access is limited but the owners are a quiet, friendly bunch who encourage time spent in the garden.
If you were on a deserted island––five necessities: Unlimited access to McDonald’s fries, probably unlimited Seagram’s ginger ale, a pet snake, some hair ties, [and] a fishing net. (In this order)
What is something about you that no one would expect? Grew up wearing L.L.Bean and hunting (not a city native y'all)
What was the easiest and hardest thing about modeling for Opening Ceremony? The easiest was getting hair and makeup done. The hardest was standing in front of camera and trying not to blink for every single shot.
What are you doing when you're not modeling? Recently I’ve been trying to get my bike fixed. In the long run, taking every job that I can to further my career as a visual artist.
Where's the coolest or strangest place you've ever been for a photo shoot? I recently shot for this video in someone’s apartment in Williamsburg that was straight-up a real life Mad Hatter’s home. The entire place was covered from ceiling to floor in weird metal trinkets, quirky figurines, overgrown plants, dirt, Persian carpets, etc. Really, the works. I kept expecting Alice to come through the rabbit hole.
Best gift you've ever given? I gave my newborn niece a New York Yankees outfit. In retrospect I realized that was probably the worst thing because she lives in Boston… In reality the best gift (if considered one) [was] dedicating six months to an orphanage of ten brothers and sisters in San Juan, Argentina with two of my friends. I really fell in love with the kids and the community. But that was probably a gift I received more than a gift I gave.
If you weren't a model what would you be doing? I went to school for film, but as a year passes since my graduation, I realize my passion really comes down to styling (which, for me, is synonymous with being a visual artist). Every person is a canvas waiting to be overgrown with personal dedication, inspiration, and an essence of mystery. Call it naïve but for me that’s as intimate as it gets in style.

Proper Gang (Cloned)

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OG OC alum Max Vanderwoude Gross knows what he likes. His brand, Proper Gang, is only in its third season, but the cropped hem-and-boxy fit aesthetic has already become a signature PG silhouette. The designer's talent for mixing street and formal creates a look that's tailored and clean, but also just outside the line. This season, he brings a pop of bright color and print into the mix, using, for instance, vibrant yellow leather and leopard to freshen up a classic jacket. Opening Ceremony recently spoke with him on the phone to chat about Proper Gang's current look—and future outlook.

Shop all Proper Gang here.

Dana Melanz: Hi Max! To start, I wanted to ask if you had any specific inspiration behind your Spring/Summer ‘14 collection?
Max Vanderwoude Gross: One of the things that I was influenced by was an older man's leisure wear, like grandpa style, but in a young, fresh way. Like, an older man has been through life, so he has the liberties to wear things that someone younger might not feel comfortable wearing. 

It's funny you said that, because I remember looking at the clothes and thinking, "This looks like old men on a golf course." I wasn’t sure if that would be insulting, so I didn’t want to bring it up... [Laughs]
That's a nice summer look, you know. You mix something a little formal, causal, sporty, it’s kinda like a mash-up. It's what I try to do with Proper Gang in general—putting together different worlds to try to create our own language. To be honest, I don’t know if I work the same way a lot of designers do, like I don’t have some photo or some historic figure that inspires a collection, per se. Ultimately, I try to make cool clothes that are wearable. Things I want to wear, things I think my friends wanna wear. 

Did your grandpa dress like that?
Some stuff, yeah. He’s a cool guy. But, I think it's more just the mentality. 

So, it’s like how people dressed back in the day. Even if you were just going out, you were put together.
Yeah, you were put together, but not too formal. It's like a walk-around-in-the-mall-kinda-outfit, but still looking fly. [Laughs]

To talk a little more about the particular pieces, you’ve used athletic-style mesh before, but this is the first season where it’s been super sheer. Are you introducing, as my colleague put it, the male midriff?
No—it’s called the layering polo, because you’re supposed to wear a T-shirt under it. I mean, however the hell you want to wear it, that’s the way it's supposed to be worn. But, my personal thought behind it is that the look is really to wear a tank under it, like a very Lower East Side, summertime BBQ kinda thing. That’s my thought. It’s not, "Let’s show off my summer abs."

How did you choose techy fabrics for your collection? 
I think about what I want to wear in the summer, and how hot it gets in the city. New York is a big part, even though I’m not referencing something specific. Cotton is great, but it’s the same deal. How do I take something classic and make it something fresh, something you haven’t seen before? So, I use technical fabrics, but in a casual way. Like the red gingham shirt: It's classic, but you don’t usually see it in a Japanese fabric. 

You mentioned the sporty look, but there’s also a prep school vibe. Something about the cropped pants makes me think about kids who j

PARTY ON: OC Does Coachella, Wearing (What Else?) Tevas!

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This past Friday, while Coachella revelers were shielding themselves from a brutal sandstorm, Opening Ceremony was relaxing by the pool at the Saguaro Desert Weekender celebrating the upcoming launch of our OC x Teva collaboration. From tricked-out sandals and tequila to photo booths and braid bars, this was the perfect kickoff to the beloved two-weekend fashion music festival. Bikini-clad partygoers rocked out to DJ sets by Kingdom, Total Freedom, Prince William, and P. Morris—and fought for turns floating around on the pool's ever-ready, two-person inflatable swan. As the sun set, the smokin' hot British newcomer, FKA twigs, took center stage to a riveted audience. Safe to say, with killer tracks and dance moves to match, the Jamaican-Spanish artist (notable as James Blake's most recent opener) was quite the crowd pleaser, laying down hits like "Papi Pacify" and "Water Me" to a sea of lit-up iPhones. 'Til next time, kids. And when that happens—we'll have two swans. We promise.

 

FKA twigs performs at our Coachella event!


Solange


OC's Jacky with dFm team


Prince William
P. Morris

OC's Jenny, Jacky, Heather, and Jesse


New York's Best Belgian Food: Markt

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Belgium is famous for two of the best ingredients in food: chocolate and beer. But there's a lot more to the nation's cuisine than that. As part of our YEAR OF BELGIUM, OC is sampling the best curry ketchups, Waterzoois, and moules-frites our own hometown of New York has to offer.

Looking at the enormous glass and stainless steel Apple store at 14th Street and 9th Avenue in the Meatpacking District, it’s hard to imagine the building once housed one of New York’s original Belgian restaurants. The neighborhood has changed a lot since Markt, the brasserie which now resides in Chelsea, first opened in 1998. Markt, meanwhile, has remained classic. "If we changed our menu, our regulars would scream," Sam, a manager, told me on a recent visit. Dark wood, gleaming brass, and soft lighting set the mood here, transporting regulars, tourists, and casual visitors alike to Belgium, even if just for the length of a meal.  

The restaurant's menu is wide-reaching, pulling from all parts of Belgium, and all-inclusive, with dishes listed in Flemish, French, and English. In addition to lunch and dinner, the restaurant offers brunch on the weekends, where you can have dishes like Pancakes au Sirop d’Érable (American-style pancakes with butter and syrup) or Slaatje Van Witloof en Veldsla (Green salad of Belgian endive and mâche.) 

The long bar at Markt holds special significance. Markt was one of the early adopters of Stella Artois in the U.S., carrying the pilsner 14 years ago before Stella Artois became just Stella. Now, Markt carries Maes pils instead, a golden lager that is dry and hoppy. Although it is a top-selling beer in Belgium, it is lesser known in the US., and Markt aims to change that. Maes pils appears paired with a lobster salad, the lightness of the beer cutting through the rich lobster and the bed of avocado salad on top of which the lobster lays. The beer also shows up in a mousseline for an omelet with crab and asparagus.

The omelet is part of the brunch menu, a substantial selection of dishes that covers all the bases: omelets; "American-style pancakes"; exquisitely light waffles with the perfect amount of crunch, soups; salads; raw bar options served with traditional cocktail sauce, a Belgian cocktail sauce, horseradish, and a red wine and shallot mignonette... Although the menu favors seafood-lovers, even the pickiest eater is sure to find something to eat.

MARKT
676 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10010
MAP 

Heeseung Kim is a writer based in Brooklyn, New York 


Photos by Jonathan Baskin
 

Fashion Icons On The Memories Held In Clothes

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“Sometimes in fashion,” ANJA ARONOWSKY CRONBERG once told me, “dominated as it is by novelty and youth, we forget the importance of longevity.” To that end, the founding editor of sartorial journal Vestoj recently hosted a storytelling salon in Paris. She invited six people with decades of experience in the fashion industry to tell a personal story—a memory, woven around a garment that had been meaningful to them. Then she invited us, the audience. “Make yourselves comfortable,” she encouraged. “Sit on the floor if you like—there are pillows!” 

The salon was hosted in the Marais district of Paris, in the partially renovated space of the Fondation d'entreprise Galeries Lafayette, a new arts venue supported by the Parisian department store Galeries Lafayette that will officially open in the fall of 2016. We passed through the industrial building from room to room—first under a disco ball that revolved above, making the dark room snow with light. “I’m just hoping that people will open their closet[s] and really think about what they have,” Cronberg said. 

INGMARI LAMY—the fashion model-cum-KENZO-muse and designer—sat on a white beanbag, wearing an all-white ensemble. Her long white hair and a necklace of turquoise fell around her, and she held a photo album open in her lap as she talked about her first shoot. 

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac—whose designs famously include a coat made of teddy bears (he later dressed Lady Gaga in a version of plush Kermit the Frogs) and a double poncho for couples (with a zipper in case of divorce)—spoke about his experience dressing a pope, the only fashion designer to ever do so. 

Fashion editor Irene Silvagni pulled a black woolen overcoat tight around her. To her, it recalled the WWII soldiers. Young Silvagni was among those who went to the Hôtel Lutetia—in the sixth arrondissement—which once served as a meeting point for returning soldiers and their families. But Silvagni went to receive a father who never came home. 

The sweetest story was told by Head of London College of Fashion Frances Corner. “I needed,” she began, “I wanted, a dress to get married in." The white dress in question hung on a hanger from the ceiling beside the desk Corner sat at, like a ghost. 

“It found me," Corner testified. “With no hard understructure, no unnecessary additions—long-sleeved, high-necked—with no train, no veil, just flowers in my hair, it allowed me to be the center of attention without shouting. The dress, made from several different types of Victorian lace and new oyster silk, was bought from a shop that formed part of the antique center in [London’s] King’s Road. It was a dress that had been upcycled long before anyone had coined that term. I believe that garment,” she continued, “like a taste, a smell, or a phrase of music can transport you back to a certain moment in your life. I have several such items. A grandmother’s jumper. Trousers from Cambodia. My son’s baby dungarees. All kept, not for their fashionability, but because they symbolize moments of my life. I always have faith an item of clothing epitomizes a moment in time.” 

Days later, I met up with François Quintin

Asma Maroof Answers The Drum Call

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It’s 6 PM on a Sunday at Washington DC’s Kennedy Center and Asma Maroof, one-half of of FADE TO MIND OGs and longtime OC friends NGUZUNGUZU, is looping drum samples as a spirited pack of six-year-olds dances at the foot of the stage. Just about the farthest cry from her usual venue vibes—clubs lit only by the occasional wall projection—Asma’s daylight Kennedy Center set was part of the Hip-Hop Fusion Drum Call, the finale event of the three week One Mic: Hip-Hop Culture Worldwide festival.

Oscillating between contemporary drum outfits and digital rhythm machines, the Drum Call showcased hip-hop’s international roots. The performance included M.I.A. and Thievery Corporation drummer Kiran Gandhi, all-female percussion group Batala Washington, and Philly-based producer Hezekiah, who weaves African, Caribbean, and Indian traditions. Asma, meanwhile, pieces together club cuts from virtually scene in the world from African house to London grime, resulting in a sound that's constantly evolving and almost unclassifiable.

I quickly caught up with Asma before the show to talk her involvement with the Drum Call, the future of FUTURE BROWN, and Ciara's return to the top. You can catch the full Drum Call performance here!

Emily Manning: How did your involvement with Drum Call come about?

Asma Maroof: As boring as it might seem, the event organizers contacted my agent, but I thought the showcase sounded really interesting right off the bat. I grew up in Maryland and frequented the Kennedy Center, so I was super stoked to hear about it. I know Kiran through other shows and Hez I’ve actually met in Los Angeles before, so I came in already having some strange connections to this show, and so far everything’s worked out really fluidly.

The Drum Call is a combination of solo and collaborative work, but this isn’t your typical back-to-back set that goes on in the club. How did you reconfigure your set around the showcase's structure?
I decided to use a lot of loops and I brought my drum machine so I can have one-hits available; you can’t give too much information when you’re playing with so many live percussionists. This definitely isn’t my usual cup of tea, I feel a little out of my element! But as nervous as I am, I’m also really excited.

You and Daniel [Pineda] are frequently asked in interviews to describe Nguzu’s sound, a task which even people who are intimately familiar with it find challenging. Given the spirit of this event, what sorts of global sounds or beats does Nguzu reference and how do you find them?
I love kuduro, kizomba, tarracha—which is sort of where our Perfect Lullaby mixtapes come from. Anything that catches my ear or his ear from all over the place seems to end up in the things we create. And it’s all on the Internet, that’s what’s really cool about discovering sounds now. Also, we've been travelli

Pretty In Punk: Undercover Spring/Summer 2014

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"The world used to be silent
Now it has too many voices.
And the noises are constant distraction
They multiply, intensify.”

So begins “Shut Up,” a Patti Smith-type movement between powerful spoken segments and guttural baselines that drives the opening track off Savages’ debut LP, Silence Yourself. Serving as the soundtrack to Japanese brand Undercover’s first womenswear collection, the song spoke beautifully to designer Jun Takahashi's pursuit to capture communicative contradictions: "The collection of this season is themed on such contradictions in this world, in addition to internal struggles that we face on a day-to-day basis and sets of opposing emotions within humans," Takahashi's press release stated. 

Since he was a teen, Takahashi has collected pieces from Seditionaries, Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s joint punk label, and continues to put a punk spin on classic pieces. Case in point: Spring/Summer 2014. Bringing together bondage and bows with colorful PVC details, Undercover gives sleek, sophisticated shape to more "traditional" punk wardrobe tropes. 

Shop all Undercover HERE

CUT OUT DETAIL LEATHER JACKET in A White.
Photos courtesy of Undercover

LONG SKIRT in Red

Cat Rose Tee in A White

Patent Panel Long-Sleeve Top in C Black

Panel Detail Corset in A Black

Leather & Fabric Asymmetrical Skirt in B Black

Patent Pants in A White
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