#TBT: In The Studio With Faustine Steinmetz

May 27, 2014, 9:00 pm

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You might say that Opening Ceremony feels a bit like a proud parent at the moment. Four of our fave up-and-coming designers—whose collections we’ve carried since their early days—are finalists for the LVMH Prize. Jacquemus, Faustine Steinmetz, Craig Green, and Marques’Almeida are presenting their final collections before the winner is announced on May 22, and we’re catching up with them in the meantime.

Last year, we took a tour of Faustine Steinmetz’s London studio and learned more about the intricate, month-long process behind each one of her handmade denim pieces. Make sure to check out the video below the interview, where Faustine takes us through every delicious detail.

Shop all Faustine Steinmetz here

The first time I heard the name Faustine Steinmetz, it brought to mind mythical stories from Faustus to Faunus. And sure enough, the designer is doing something genuinely magical. A Central Saint Martins talent from the same class as Marques'Almeida, the French-born, London-based designer is taking denim to an incredible new level.

I met with Faustine at her East London studio, where I witnessed the exhaustive and intricate process that goes into weaving the fabrics that eventually become collection pieces. While we sat amongst the noisy looms, Faustine showed me a single pair of jeans that had taken a month to make, with four people cross-stitching over the entire denim garment. We talked at length about her fascinating process (depicted in detail in the gorgeous video below) and her secret weapon to surviving non-stop weaving.

ELOISE MORAN: How did the brand come to life?
FAUSTINE STEINMETZ: I thought about the kind of clothes that I wanted to do. I started with a pair of jeans. I didn't want to make dresses; I wanted to do something that everyone looks good in.

You do a lot of tapestry work. What gave you the idea of incorporating tapestry into denim?
I wanted to do something that doesn't really exist. Why does a dress deserve all the attention [more than] everyday pieces? If I had a lot of money, I'd really like to buy myself nice pieces that I could wear every day. I wouldn't want to spend my money on something I can wear only once. This is not how I feel a woman wants to dress today.

Was denim something you were always interested in?
Denim is such an important part of the wardrobe. You can say so many things with it, and I just never get bored. I love reworked denim; I've been reworking denim for five years now. At Saint Martins, I was shredding denim [and] putting it on organza. Now, I've started weaving denim. I never get bored of reproducing the same thing. I admire brands like Pleats Please by Issey Miyake; I love it and I collect pieces from it.

Each individual piece is completely handmade in your studio. What is the process of making each piece?
I start with just a white piece of cotton. The whole collection of Spring/Summer 2014 is just made from this cotton—it just really started from nothing! For that weave, I first dye the yarn and then shred it.

Were your skills self-taught?
Yes, definitely. Everything is self-taught, mainly from YouTube videos! Every time w

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The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 5/21

May 20, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Our Fave Designers Battle It Out For The LVMH Title

≪ Previous: #TBT: In The Studio With Faustine Steinmetz

NY: Master Mix + Red Hot + Arthur Russell at BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
May 29 & 30 at 7:30 PM
Picked by: Carson Meyer
What: A host of performers, including Cults, Dev Hynes of Blood Orange, Thao Nguyen, and Richard Reed Parry will play the songs of experimental musician Arthur Russell, who died of AIDS in 1992 and whose work has only garnered the attention it deserves in recent years.

Why Go: A rare chance to see contemporary musicians shine a light on the diverse body of work of the late composer, whom Pitchfork called “one of the great geniuses of New York City Music.”

NY: Titanus: A Family Chronicle of Italian Cinema at Film Society of Lincoln Center
May 22-31
Picked by: Mirror Cube
What: A series dedicated to films released by Titanus studios, the iconic Italian company responsible for some of that country’s greatest films of the post-war era.

Why Go: Titanus was at the forefront of Italy’s post-war golden age of cinema, and this retrospective showcases that: it features Oscar winners, new restorations, and some of filmmaking’s superlative artists, including Federico Fellini, Vittorio De Sica, and Michelangelo Antonioni. High points of the series include Luigi Comencini’s Bread, Love and Dreams, Vittorio De Seta’s Bandits of Orgosolo, and Dario Argento’s The Bird with the Crystal Plumage.

NY: II Machines at Knockdown Center
May 2-31
Picked by: Maxwell Hoffman
What: Two large-scale installations from contemporary artists Clive Murphy and Trevor Tweeten will occupy the massive open space of the restored early-twentieth-century factory in Queens.

Why Go: Clive Murphy’s sculptures were designed to highlight the intangible elements of the center’s enormous space, such as light and air. The inflatable “unpretentious and thoughtful” sculpture acts as a perfect balance to Tweeten’s film installation, a work that is grounded in the body’s movement through space, featuring dancer Lydia Chrisman.

LA: Jon Brion at Largo
May 29 at 9.30 PM
Picked by: Ashton Lunceford
What: The Grammy

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Our Fave Designers Battle It Out For The LVMH Title

May 20, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: New Editorial: White Noise

≪ Previous: The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 5/21

Opening Ceremony has a tradition of adopting up-and-coming labels right before they blow up on a global scale. Which is why it makes perfect sense that Faustine Steinmetz, Marques’Almeida, Jacquemus, and Craig Green, brands that have been carried at OC since their early days, are receiving recognition as LVMH prize finalists. All four of these designers are being celebrated for vision, determination, and aesthetic originality, and tomorrow, one will walk away with a very cool €300,000 to put towards his or her business. Even though there can technically only be one, all four of the young designers are winners in our eyes.

Faustine Steinmetz’s bonded thread designs—which take the designer up to two months to build and mold—have been applauded for their impeccable detail. Her key to success? “Have someone next to you who is good at business,” Faustine told us. When asked what she would do with the prize money, she laughed: “Next time I have an [Opening Ceremony product knowledge] clinic, I'll come in a limo!” Or more practically: “I'd spend it more on production and bring people in. We are not a fabric mill, but we are expected to have the same quickness.”

Our fave Parisian cut-and-sew genius Simon Porte of French label Jacquemus is an expert in conceptual design. Creating youthful and fun garments is Simon’s forte, and at a mere 25 years of age, he is ruling the women’s avant-garde fashion game. When we asked Simon what it meant to be carried at OC since his initial collection, he recalled, “I was 19. I didn’t know a lot about fashion and about stores, but I knew that I wanted to have my collection [at Opening Ceremony]. I was so happy; it was a big surprise to have an order from OC. I will always remember that day.” When asked what he would do if he wins, Simon remarked, “Only and only develop my collections. Precise the Jacquemus woman.”

Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida rule at fraying material to aesthetic perfection. Leading the denim-everything resurgence, Marques’Almeida’s deconstructed designs draw upon decades from the ‘70s to the ‘90s, with relevant modern updates. “We feel so honored and happy to have been picked up by OC since our first season,” Marta and Paulo told us. “It was unbelievable at the time, as we were doing our first showroom. We’ve had such a great relationship with all of the team since the beginning and we really felt like we had found a store that spoke the same language and understood what we were doing!” When asked what they would put the €300,000 euros towards, the designers said, “Everyday there’s something new coming up, so we definitely need to grow our team so that we can keep doing all these exciting new projects!” Among those on the horizon are a new website, a Resort collection, and their first runway presentation without NEWGEN.

Cult designer Craig Green’s poetic designs have literally brought onlookers to tears. The independent creative’s Spring/Summer 2015 London Fashion Week show blew up the internet, after crowd members were spotted experienc

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New Editorial: White Noise

May 21, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: A Summer Capsule Fit For Fireworks

≪ Previous: Our Fave Designers Battle It Out For The LVMH Title

I have a nostalgia for boredom. As I get older and find more and more things to occupy my time, monotony becomes a craving. I’m fascinated with the mundane, a haze that hangs over my memories of youth and the dripping wet, hot summers of my past.

Secaucus, New Jersey, is reminiscent of any hometown in any state: glittering office buildings make up the landscape, overturned shopping carts overwhelm vast and empty parking lots, and humidity hovers in the air. A flat, blinding light bounces off of the asphalt, creating pulsing mirages, which compliment the superior, man-made surroundings. People are few and far between. Entertainment is absent.

Technically, white noise is static: a random pulsing of signals without meaning. But within it—as within office parks—you can sometimes find flickering hallucinations. If you’re too busy, you’ll never see them. You have to embrace being bored.

View the editorial here

Kenzo Knit Blocking Sweater in aqua blue and Fanmail Denim Trousers in indigo. View the editorial here

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A Summer Capsule Fit For Fireworks

May 24, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: The Wardrobe So Versatile You’ll Forget About Seasons

≪ Previous: New Editorial: White Noise

Now that winter is officially over, we can rest easy knowing that with the warmer weather comes dripping ice cream cones, rooftop parties, firework-watching, and all the minimal clothing we wear to partake in such festivities. Just in time, Opening Ceremony presents a unisex summer capsule collection as fit for barbeques as it is the bod you’ve been working so hard on during winter hibernation.

Opening Ceremony Surplus is made up of soft cotton Long-Sleeve Crewnecks, Cut-Off Sweat Shorts, and Tees that feature our subtle star logo as well as an outlined American flag on the back. Harkening back to summer camp, each piece also includes a exterior label, where you can claim it as your own by writing in your name.

Show your pride… and your toned arms you worked so hard on. We promise, OC Surplus will soon become a staple.

Shop all Opening Ceremony Surplus here

Opening Ceremony OC Surplus Long-Sleeve Crewneck in navy, OC Surplus Cut-Off Shorts in heather grey, OC Surplus Short-Sleeve T-Shirt in army green

Opening Ceremony OC Surplus Long-Sleeve Crewneck in navy and OC Surplus Long-Sleeve Crewneck in heather grey

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The Wardrobe So Versatile You’ll Forget About Seasons

May 26, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 5/28

≪ Previous: A Summer Capsule Fit For Fireworks

Spring/Summer, Fall/Winter: Seasonal collections are the name of the game in the fashion world. Collection after collection, the idea of clothes belonging to a certain set of months in a year is accepted by an entire industry. Belgium-based Jan Jan Van Essche, however, has an alternative: one annual collection that is meant to act as your yearly wardrobe. Consisting of cleverly layerable pieces, each Jan Jan collection is meant to take you through anything the weather throws at you, 365 days a year.

With such a different way of thinking about how clothing takes you through the calendar, we asked Jan Jan himself how it all began. His answer was simply his personal experience. “In Antwerp, the weather is always tricky so one needs to carry several layers around… a bit of everything; isolation, ventilation, a rain-resisting layer, and so on, depending on the season. It’s also a fact that it’s not always winter nor summer at the same time around the globe. Why make a cruise, resort, or pre collection if you can just have a continuous story and a year’s time to tell it?”

With breezy knits, classic tanks, and take-you-anywhere button downs, we believe 2015’s story has a very happy ending.

Shop all Jan Jan Van Essche here

Oversized Geometric Long-Sleeve Shirt and Fitted Twill Trousers in indigo

Linen Crew-Neck Sweater in grey

Oversized Hooded Shirt and Straight Fitted Track Pants in black

Oversized Tank-Top in sandal

Oversized Tank-Top in dark purple and Striped Crepe Shorts in black

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The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 5/28

May 27, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Dorateymur Designs Shoes With Bowie And A Kennedy In Mind

≪ Previous: The Wardrobe So Versatile You’ll Forget About Seasons

We all have that moment where Friday night rolls around and a Netflix binge is the primary “event” option. In order to cure your major case of FOMO, we’ve teamed up with The Mirror Cube, a new happenings site that features events recommended by artists. With their expert panel of visual artists, actors, writers, and directors, The Mirror Cube brings you the lowdown on what shows, screenings, and exhibits you should check out each week in New York and Los Angeles.

NY: Purity Ring at Terminal 5
June 2 at 7PM
Picked by: Lauren Cohan
What: The futuristic indie dance duo takes to the road to promote its March 2015 release, Another Eternity.

Why Go: The band's popularity at music festivals has long been tied to its high-energy sound and performances. In a review of its latest album Another Eternity, Pitchfork described singer Megan James' style as "something like an origami expert, quickly folding and refolding melodies until they’re acutely angled, pointed, and elegant."

NY: Richard Prince: Original at Gagosian Gallery
Apr 9 - June 20
Picked by: Jess Manafort
What: The photographer and painter known for the inclusion of re-appropriated images shows a new series of repeated images rendered from books found in his massive personal library.

Why Go: There has been significant controversy surrounding the artist recently: his exhibition New Portraits, also on display at the Gagosian, has come under fire for its liberal use of borrowed images—in the case of this show, others' Instagram posts. Critics have debated the boundaries of intellectual property, with Prince himself saying, “I don’t see any difference now between what I collect and what I make.” You can see Original and New Portraits at the Gagosian and draw your own conclusions.

NY: The Wolfpack at Industry City
June 6 at 9 PM
Picked by: Mirror Cube
What: This documentary examines a group of brothers who were raised in seclusion in New York's Lower East Side by a controlling father and are only now able to freely explore the world outside of their apartment. The film is being shown as a part of the Rooftop Films Summer Series, and the event will include live music and a Q&A with filmmaker Crystal Moselle.

Why Go: The six Angulo Brothers, who are the subjects of the film, spent their early lives almost entirely at home—rarely ever leaving their apartment. Their knowledge of modern culture was mostly gathered from watching and reenacting movies, and this powerful doc explores not only the brothers' transformation once they're out in the world, but also cinema’s ability to inform who we are as people.

LA: Girlpool at Center for the Arts at Eagle Rock
June 1

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Dorateymur Designs Shoes With Bowie And A Kennedy In Mind

May 25, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Rapper Mick Jenkins Turns Hydration Into A Political Statement

≪ Previous: The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 5/28

What are footwear designer Dora Teymur’s favorite shoe moments? “Carolyn Kennedy’s tobacco loafers and Bowie’s metallic green, Cuban heel boots,” the designer tells Opening Ceremony.

While John F. Kennedy Jr.’s stylish spouse and the androgynous rock legend may appear to be polar opposites on the fashion planet, the unlikely comparison does find a happy medium with Teymur’s eponymous footwear line, Dorateymur. The London-based brand has been described as “femininity with a bite and a dash of masculinity”: think metallic Loafers with a square toe and two-toned leather Slip-Ons.

Since founding the line after graduating from London’s prestigious Cordwainers College in 2012, Teymur has consistently created androgynous heels with simple nods to past decades. “I find [the shoes] very easy to combine and wear,” says Teymur. “When it comes to dressing up, I’m fond of easygoing clothes and accessories. Everything in my wardrobe must get along with one another. So I believe, subconsciously, I design my shoes with that instinct.”

Which is why it makes perfect sense that Carolyn Kennedy, known for her minimal, put-together looks during an era of extravagant fashion, serves as a main source of inspiration. “She was able to present her entire wardrobe as one piece, in harmony with herself,” says Teymur. “I see this attitude as a gift, a talent. So I imagined what other shoes she could possibly wear over and over again if she were alive in early the 2000s.”

Shop all Dorateymur here

Turbojet Metallic Patent Heeled Loafers in silver, Munise Nappa Leather High Heel Slip-Ons in white, and Supercruise Patent Heeled Slip-Ons in white

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Rapper Mick Jenkins Turns Hydration Into A Political Statement

May 27, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Laundromats Are The New Art Galleries

≪ Previous: Dorateymur Designs Shoes With Bowie And A Kennedy In Mind

You've gotta love Chi-Town and all the distinguished talent the city produces. In the past few years, the city has fostered the young voices of everyone from Chief Keef to Vic Mensa and Chance the Rapper. But a new voice is rising to break the Midwest mold: Mick Jenkins.

Since climbing the mixtape pathway of Soundcloud with his most recent EP The Water[s], Mick has fashioned his own place as a lyrical powerhouse that can’t be ignored. With the 24-year-old rapper, there is a very distinct factor that sets him apart from his contemporaries: his knack for intertwining socio-political lyrics into beats that will have you ready for the dance floor. Like listening to Common back in those Common Sense days (with a little bit of Kaytranada-backed production, of course), Mick Jenkins is here to show you that his city—and the music that inhabits it—is more than its constant Chiraq comparisons. “People call me a conscious rapper, but it’s just me giving my thoughts and theories on the shit I see everyday in Chicago,” says Mick.

We caught up with the up-and-coming rapper high on the heels of his “P’s & Q’s” video release to talk personal style, his new EP titled Wave[s], and what all of the H20 references truly mean.

CHLOE DEWBERRY: Can you give us a bit of background on how you got started?
MICK JENKINS: I’m from the south side of Chicago. My mother has always listened to neo-soul and my father is really into gospel music, so those were two worlds of music I had growing up. My mother is a journalist as well; I was always good at creative writing from a young age. I started with poetry, joined the poetry club and a couple of the guys in the club were rappers. Hanging around them and seeing how serious they took it kind of developed into where I am today, kinda shaped all the waves.

How does the environment in Chicago shape the music that you create? Chicago is largely associated with a certain type of sound, and you defy that.
Well, I moved to Chicago in 2000, and I was 13 or 14 on the L by myself, not knowing where I was going. I got lost downtown plenty of times, not really knowing where I was going or that type of shit. With Chicago, there’s so much culture there, and it’s segregated as opposed to New York where it’s all a melting pot. When I’m in Humboldt Park, I meet a different type of person, when I’m in the south side I get really different types of people, and that was really cool in developing my views on the world and the way my music sounds for sure. Being able to pass through the city in that way and get lost in these areas really shaped how I view the world and where I find inspiration.

You got to interact with all of these different cultures. Do you feel that makes you a voice for many?
There’s the typical sound you expect to hear from Chicago, especially with trap music. I had friends who are your “Chief Keefs” or your “Lil Durks,” or whatever you want to call it, who know that lifestyle. I’ve been robbed; I’ve been held at gunpoint; I’ve been jumped—I feel like I represent the person from Chicago who has grown up with all this and that and didn’t necessarily go down that path. There’s tons of people like me who identify with everything that I’ve been through.

Your music videos definitely s

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Laundromats Are The New Art Galleries

May 28, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Love Is The Name Of The Drug in Heaven Knows What

≪ Previous: Rapper Mick Jenkins Turns Hydration Into A Political Statement

Normally, laundromats are drab gathering places of everyday chores and bleach fumes. But starting today, one laundromat in Soho is turning its 8AM–8PM business hours into an art show featuring photographs from the likes of Larry Clark, Ed Templeton, and Cheryl Dunn. Gazing at good-looking young things sans-shirt while washing your own dirty tees? This might just be the coolest gallery concept in recent memory.

Photographers and curators Benedict Brink and Todd Jordan picked the 168 Elizabeth Street Laundromt (yep, they skipped that “a”) for the show, titled The Spring Cleaning. In addition to iconic photographers, it features the work of everyone from designer Gosha Rubchinskiy to skate photographer Justin Guthrie, whose work Jordan discovered on the internet. “The youngest person in the show is 17, and then there’s Larry Clark,” says Jordan. “Larry Clark is inspired by that 17-year-old and that 17-year-old is inspired by Larry Clark. We’re connecting dots.”

The idea for the three-part photo show, which takes place over the course of three weekends throughout the summer, came about after Jordan happened upon the non-descript Soho laundromat that had displayed the same dusty, wrinkled images on its walls for the past eight years. “Someone just put their photos up in the laundromat and people were kind of forced to look at them everyday,” says Jordan. “When you’re in a laundromat, you have to kill time staring at the walls or staring at your phone.”

The result was The Spring Cleaning—as groundbreaking a concept as when OxiClean was invented for red-wine aficionados. In addition to the fact that you can wash off last night’s regrets for a few quarters while looking at the work of excellent photographers (“We just got together and wrote a list of all our favorite photographers,” says Brink), you also get to avoid the usual pretentiousness that usually comes packaged with art exhibit openings. “I go to a lot of art show openings and it can be so intimidating, going into a gallery and standing there awkwardly,” says Brink. “So it feels great to show all of this work that feels worthy of that, but in this environment that makes it very easy for people.”

Jordan added: “What’s less comfortable, a gallery or a fucking laundromat?” There’s no longer a question in our minds.

The Spring Cleaning Pt. 1 runs through June 4

168 Elizabeth Street
New York, NY 10012
MAP

The Spring Cleaning Pt. 1 runs through June 4. Photos courtesy of The Spring Cleaning

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Love Is The Name Of The Drug in Heaven Knows What

May 28, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Cosmic Numbers May 30

≪ Previous: Laundromats Are The New Art Galleries

Infatuation is the strongest emotion present in Josh and Benny Safdie's newly-released Heaven Knows What. Centering around the day-to-day life of Harley, a girl hooked on heroin just as bad as she's hooked on her sociopath boyfriend, the film captures the desperate yet adventurous lives of modern-day junkies in “love” on the NYC streets.

Playing out like a 2015 update of The Panic in Needle Park, the film centers around 19-year-old Harley and her constant flow of self destructive decisions. Whether she's panhandling on the streets for money for her next fix, or nearly committing suicide after the egging-on of her sadistic addict boyfriend, the film gives viewers a raw glimpse into the lives of New Yorkers they walk by judgmentally on the streets everyday.

Reminiscent of the gritty adolescent rebellion portrayed in Kids, as well as the tumultuous junkie love story in The Panic in Needle Park (all while avoiding the rapid needle-needle-downfall effect of Requiem for a Dream), Heaven Knows What evokes a sense of tragic authenticity, in part due to the street kids cast to star in the film. Arielle Holmes, who plays Harley, took to the role effortlessly—which may have to do with the fact that the film is loosely based off of her own life story. While conducting research for a different film in NYC’s Diamond District, the Safdie brothers came across Holmes on the street and, upon getting to know her story better, commissioned her to write a raw portrayal of her own experiences as an addict. Typing daily entries from Apple store laptops or library computers, Holmes sent the brothers the basis for the film (which is also reportedly being turned into an autobiographical novel titled Mad Love in New York City).

Which explains why the film feels more like reading a girl’s diary than another romanticized portrayal of drug use and street life. Addiction and love, or rather infatuation, are as raw as it gets in Heaven Knows What.

Find showtimes for Heaven Knows What near you here

Check out a preview of Heaven Knows What below, where Harley and her boyfriend Ilya find new ways to supply their fix.

OCTV: Heaven Knows What Clip from Opening Ceremony on Vimeo.

Heaven Knows What opens in theaters today.

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Cosmic Numbers May 30

May 29, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Cone Bras, Drag Queens, And OC-Collabs: Our All-Time-Favorite Jean Paul Gaultier Moments

≪ Previous: Love Is The Name Of The Drug in Heaven Knows What

Have you been feeling #confused for the past few days? Mercury retrograde seriously snuck up on us this week, and you might not know exactly what's up right now. Though clarity will not come through until June 11 at the earliest, listen up today—because a message you get from the universe will be crucial to understanding the bigger picture. Try not to focus on the messy details and move forward with a sense of serenity.

Aries
(March 21 - April 20)

Do you feel like none of your messages have been going through? Check your settings and make sure that your communication networks are aligned today. If you're feeling burned by a contact who seemed to have lost touch, you might find that you are actually the one who has lost touch in the situation.

Taurus
(April 21 - May 20)

You need to operate from a place of stability and strength on all levels. This is especially true in terms of your financial resources. Make sure your financial portfolio is totally organized this weekend so you can focus on the bigger picture.

Gemini
(May 21 - June 20)

Mars, the planet of action, in Gemini has made the past two weeks so busy for you that there hasn't even been a moment to acknowledge the effects of Mercury's retrograde. This weekend, you'll get a moment to rest and process the details, but don't get them twisted: A confusing situation could put you in a tizzy, but know for sure that it’s temporary.

Cancer
(June 21 - July 22)

Take a serious break this weekend to sit down and contemplate what's up in your personal universe. It's time to retreat to the comfort of your shell and avoid the real world so you can rejuvenate and relax.

Leo
(July 23 - August 22)

Social engagements will keep you occupied this weekend, but beware—your plans are subject to change. You like to be in charge wherever you go, but this will not be so possible while Mercury is retrograde in your 11th house of groups and connections. So just try to relax and enjoy the ride.

Virgo
(August 23 - September 22)

Cancel your brunch plans because career concerns will keep you occupied all weekend. It might not be the most fun you've ever had, but the progress you make now will be essential towards actualizing your personal goals.

Libra
(September 23 - October 22)

This Mercury retrograde has been seriously draining so you may be dreaming of a vacation right now. Take a look at flights this weekend and explore your options for summer travel. Relaxation could be just a click away if you see a flight for the right price online.

Scorpio
(October 23 - November 22)

You're not feeling particularly committed in the romantic department right now—and it’s totally okay to explore your options. But make sure you maneuver deftly, because a dating situation could easily become disastrous if you aren't careful!

Sagittarius
(November 23 - December 21)

Relationships have been prickly over the past week while Mars toured your house of partnerships, making you feel more confrontational than usual. If you haven't been on the same plane, pull your partner aside and see if you can level over the weekend. Communication will improve on Saturday evening.

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Cone Bras, Drag Queens, And OC-Collabs: Our All-Time-Favorite Jean Paul Gaultier Moments

May 28, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: What Does Alexander McQueen Sound Like?

≪ Previous: Cosmic Numbers May 30

Spring/Summer 2015 marks Jean Paul Gaultier’s last ready-to-wear line, and while the collection is beautiful, we can’t help but feel ever-so-slightly bummed. Other than drooling over this collection’s avant-garde, menswear-inspired pieces, we’re coping with the loss by looking back at all of the crazy, iconic moments in JPG’s past. We’ve gone so far as to compile a comprehensive timeline of our faves, so you can join us on a trip down memory lane.

1984: JPG shows us that skirts aren’t just for the ladies, sending be-skirted dudes down the runway (and the fashion world into chaos).
1990: Madonna unveils her iconic Jean Paul Gaultier cone bra on her Blonde Ambition tour. The piece would later be auctioned off for a whopping $52,000 in 2012.
1993: Belle en Corset launches, quickly becoming one of the most coveted perfumes of the time, with its feminine scent profile and avant-garde bottle design. In 2013, the perfume was relaunched to coincide with its twentieth anniversary, complete with 20 different versions of its corseted bottle.
1993: Gaultier teamed up with French television presenter Antoine de Caunes to create Eurotrash, a surrealist variety show that ran on the UK’s Channel 4 until 2007 and garnered over 15 million fans worldwide.
2000: Sarah Jessica Parker hosts the MTV Movie Awards—with an oh-so-SJP 14 outfit changes. One of the most notable looks of the night was a mossy green Gaultier gown.
2002: Naomi Campbell shocked at JPG’s Spring/Summer show by walking the runway sans-chemise.
2007: Dita Von Teese makes her runway debut for Gaultier in a saintly gold gown, securing the duo’s long-running friendship and collaboration.
2008: Marion Cotillard wins the Oscar for Best Actress for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose in a Gaultier gown fit for a mermaid.
2008: Kylie Minogue kicks off her global X Tour, decked out in space-age costumes created by Gaultier.
2009: Lady Gaga makes her first appearance at the MTV VMAs, walking away with three awards. The singer sported not one, but two Gaultier looks throughout the night.
2010: Jourdan Dunn walks Gaultier’s Spring/Summer show with a quilted, army-inspired look—and a

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What Does Alexander McQueen Sound Like?

June 1, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: The Next Best Thing To Having Rihanna In Your Hotel Room

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Tomorrow marks the exclusive US launch of the latest issue of AnOther Magazine. Dazed creator Jefferson Hack’s hyper-collectible, bi-annual fashion and culture mag takes a turn for the innovative this time, featuring an interactive LCD screen as a cover.

The theme is “Alexander McQueen: Past, Present, and Future.” With Inez and Vinoodh’s moody, black-and-white visuals of Rihanna wearing a collection of archival McQueen designs, this message is clear the second you turn on the magazine’s screen. Plug your headphones in, and the theme goes a step further. For this issue, AnOther enlisted John Gosling—McQueen’s music director for 15 years—to create an exclusive mix of some of the most memorable McQueen show soundtracks.

We sat down with the composer to talk AnOther Magazine, his relationship with McQueen, and the connections between music and fashion.

Shop all AnOther Magazine here

CHLOE MACKEY: Can you walk us through your process of creating the music featured in the video on the cover of AnOther Magazine?
JOHN GOSLING: Well, Jefferson [Hack] initially came up with the idea of the past, present, and future of Alexander McQueen thinking that it would be interesting to mix McQueen’s past and present to make something for the future. I decided to focus the Horn of Plenty [Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2009] show music, seeing as it was a sort of recycled mix of past shows. It was made up of all of Lee’s [McQueen’s] favorite tracks from past shows, so it seemed like a good place to start. So, I gave that out to five different people who remixed it and sent it back, and then we edited it all together.

How did you go about choosing the people that remixed the track?
They’re all people who worked with me on past McQueen shows. They’re all artists in their own right. They really understand the McQueen point of view. It just seemed like the perfect fit.

You worked as music director for Alexander McQueen for over 15 years. Where did it all begin? What was it like creating music for so many shows that have such an iconic status in the fashion world?
When you’re given such a strong concept like all of McQueen’s shows had, it was really easy to come up with what you wanted to do music-wise. It was almost as if you were given a script. So, although some shows took a really long time to piece together, it was always a pleasure working with [McQueen’s] vision. It was always very inspiring.

The visuals on the cover of AnOther feature a video of Rihanna shot by Inez and Vinoodh. How did the visuals of this cover influence your process? Did you and Inez and Vinoodh collaborate in any way?
Strangely enough, we really all worked completely separately and it all just came together at the end. I didn’t even see the film until the finished product was made! [Laughs] So, it was very interesting to see how it all playe

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The Next Best Thing To Having Rihanna In Your Hotel Room

June 2, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Fashion, Hold The Taxes

≪ Previous: What Does Alexander McQueen Sound Like?

The latest issue of AnOther Magazine launches in the US—exclusively at Opening Ceremony—today. Don’t let the word “magazine” fool you, however. With an LCD-screen cover featuring a BDSM-inspired video by Inez and Vinoodh of the cover star Rihanna in archival Alexander McQueen, all soundtracked by an album-length mix by McQueen’s longtime music director John Gosling, this issue of AnOther is not so much the kind of mag you’d throw in your bag and read on the train, but a collectible item for the home.

To illustrate how well the mag works as home decor, we went to the homiest place we know in New York: Ace Hotel. Other than Ace being the actual home of one of our stores, we knew that its beautifully decorated, uber-cozy suites were the ideal setting to show off the way AnOther lights up a room—figuratively and literally. Think of it kind of as a lava lamp, but instead of colored liquid, it’s Rihanna dancing in Alexander McQueen.

Want to make your special edition copy of AnOther Mag extra special? Stop by our 33 Howard Street store from 7-9 PM tonight for a signing by Jefferson Hack and Inez and Vinoodh. Space is limited, so RSVP to anothermag@openingceremony.us while you can.

Shop all AnOther Magazine here

Shot at Ace Hotel, AnOther Magazine VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1: Limited Edition With Digital Tablet in multi. Photos by Michael Elijah

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Fashion, Hold The Taxes

June 2, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: The Future Of Fashion Magazines Deserves A Party

≪ Previous: The Next Best Thing To Having Rihanna In Your Hotel Room

Tigran Avetisyan makes fashion about fashion. With three collections under the Moscow-based designer’s belt that all examine the current state of the very industry they occupy, it’s clear why Tigran describes his work as such. With exaggeratedly oversized fits, abstract dyeing techniques, and politically-charged graphics, Tigran Avetisyan’s garments know what they want to say, and are not afraid to say it.

Tigran’s Spring/Summer 2015 collection finds unexpected inspiration in the fragrance shelves of duty-free airport shops. The collage of faux-perfume labels featured in the collection’s tees, shorts, and button-downs pokes fun at fashion’s obsession with the world of fragrance—as well as Tigran’s own fascination with the relationship between the two. To find out the nitty-gritty behind what made “Duty Free Pour Homme” a reality, we spoke with Tigran about the state of the fashion world, his hand-printing technique, and capturing the dizzying smell of an airport shop’s fragrance section.

Shop all Tigran Avetisyan here

CHLOE MACKEY: You started your career at Central Saint Martins in London, then moved to Moscow post-graduation to start your line. What drew you to make the move?
TIGRAN AVETISYAN: I am originally from Russia, so after spending five or six years in London, I started to feel quite homesick. I guess that’s the simplest explanation.

How did your time in London—as well as your current home in Moscow—influence your work?
I think that London really opened my mind to a lot of things. It’s definitely a hodgepodge of so many different things, a mixing pot. I was exposed to so much, it was a very valuable experience. Moscow has a very different vibe. I feel like there are so many opportunities and possibilities [in Moscow] because everything is so new here. I really enjoy both cities and find them very inspiring.

Your past collections have been very political in nature. Where does your latest collection “Duty Free Pour Homme” fit into this ongoing narrative?
For all of my collections so far, I have been commenting on the state of fashion in some form. They have all been fashion collections about fashion collections, so to speak. With [Duty Free Pour Homme], I wanted to add a humorous twist to what I’ve been doing before. The past three collections were a lot more serious than this one. I’m making fun of fashion, and most importantly myself. I feel like you shouldn’t take your work too seriously; you really have to distance yourself from it.

You created perfumes to go along with this collection. What led you to the world of fragrance, and how did you go about producing your perfumes?
Basically, the idea behind the perfumes came from traveling a lot and spending a lot of time in the airport. I would watch people shop at duty-free stores, and notice that they carry the exact same fragrances at every store. It got me thinking about what my fragrance would smell like.

I only made around 10 to 20 of the perfume bottles and sold them to private customers, as the bottles were incredibly expensive to produce—they were 3-D printed. Every time I created a new perfum

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The Future Of Fashion Magazines Deserves A Party

June 3, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 6/4

≪ Previous: Fashion, Hold The Taxes

Yesterday, the latest issue of AnOther Magazine launched in the US exclusively through OC. With an LCD-screen cover featuring footage by Inez and Vinoodh of Rihanna dancing in Alexander McQueen, a magazine this special needed to launch with a bang. And so, obviously, we threw a party at our 33 Howard Street store.

Among the guests who navigated the Halloween-themed movie madness happening outside on Howard Street to get to the party was AnOther founder Jefferson Hack, who joined us to sign copies of the mag and chat about why AnOther and OC were a match made in futuristic heaven. “I like Humberto and Carol a lot, they’re real innovators. They’ve supported me from the beginning. The fusion of fashion and technology and design that they embody so well at OC is what this digital edition of AnOther is all about: innovation and forward-looking and the cross-section of technology and fashion.”

Shop all AnOther Magazine here

AnOther Magazine. Photos by Laura June Kirsch

Jefferson Hack and Marcelo Burlon

Michelle Harper

Drinks are served!

Cory Kennedy and Arden Wohl

Luar Zepol’s Raul Lopez

Copies awaiting to be signed

Jefferson and Humberto

AnOther setting the party mood.

OC's Chloe and Christine Hahn

Sabrina Tamar and Jayne Lies

Guests with OC's Barrington

OC's Koa and Jesse

L-R: Langley Fox, Jefferson Hack, Andre Saraiva

Andre Saraiva and Langley Fox

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The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 6/4

June 3, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Sun Buddies Brings The Festival-Ready Shades

≪ Previous: The Future Of Fashion Magazines Deserves A Party

We all have that moment where Friday night rolls around and a Netflix binge is the primary “event” option. In order to cure your major case of FOMO, we’ve teamed up with The Mirror Cube, a new happenings site that features events recommended by artists. With their expert panel of visual artists, actors, writers, and directors, The Mirror Cube brings you the lowdown on what shows, screenings, and exhibits you should check out each week in New York and Los Angeles.

NY: The Vaccines at Warsaw
June 9 at 9 PM
Picked by: Brianna Lance
What: The four-piece British rock band hits New York City on their international tour in support of their new album, English Graffiti.

Why Go: The Vaccines aspire to reach larger audiences on the level of popular artists like Kanye West and Beyoncé, saying, “We think that how they make music and how they connect with people is above and beyond anything we’ve ever experienced.” Now's your chance to see the group in a relatively intimate setting before they graduate to stadium shows.

NY: The Flick at Barrow Street Theatre
May 31-Aug 30
Picked by: Raviv Ullman
What: The Pulitzer Prize-winning play about the ups and downs in the lives of the staff of a small town’s movie theater.

Why Go: The chemistry between the co-workers in the play fosters a distinctive intimacy, with the New York Times calling the work, “Wondrous, devastating, hilarious, and infinitely touching.”

NY: Hospital at Museum of the Moving Image
June 14 at 5 PM
Picked by: Mirror Cube
What: This Emmy Award-winning documentary from master filmmaker Frederick Wiseman explores the day-to-day activities of Harlem’s Metropolitan Hospital—and was selected by the National Film Registry to ensure its preservation.
Why Go: This 1970 classic of documentary cinema will be shown in 16mm with director Frederick Wiseman introducing the film via Skype. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see what critic Pauline Kael called, “as open and revealing as filmed experience has ever been.”

LA: Holychild at The Troubadour
June 10 at 7PM
Picked by: Mirror Cube
What: The electronic duo is on the road with new material from their recently released debut full-length, The Shape of Brat Pop to Come.

Why Go: While the duo categorizes themselves as “brat pop,” don’t let that fool you—the pair uses music to highlight societal issues, with lead singer Liz Nistico saying, “You can’t change something by just saying something. People need to come to the conclusion themselves, and I really like using pop as my means to do it.”

LA: Kahlil Joseph: Double Conscience at MoCA
Mar 20-Aug 16
Picked by: Ilirjana Alushaj
What: A lush, double-screen projection of modern day Los Angeles as inte

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Sun Buddies Brings The Festival-Ready Shades

June 1, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Kim Gordon And Humberto Leon Talk Art In NYC, Pop-Culture Feminism, And Hillary For President

≪ Previous: The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 6/4

All it took was a slightly at-wits-end Bibi Andersson in Ingmar Bergman’s 1966 classic Persona to inspire a line of frames that has quickly become a 2015 outfit staple. Modeled after a pair Andersson’s character wears in the film, Sun Buddies’ original Type 01 silhouette is now part of a family of shades that blend classic shapes, fun acetates, and high-quality lenses from Carl Zeiss Vision.

This season, the Swedish optical brand, headed by brothers Hannes and Simon Hogeman of Très Bien, joins forces with Opening Ceremony to create three exclusive styles just in time for summer—and all of the hazy festivals you’ll wear them to. Keeping with the ‘60s cinema theme, these unisex styles feature psychedelic ombre shades and gradient lenses fit for day-to-evening sunshine levels or simply channeling your funky inner-Andersson when the sun comes out.

Shop all Sun Buddies for Opening Ceremony here

Type 05 Sunglasses in plum lilac. Photos by Walter Pearce

Type 01 Sunglasses in bordeaux cherry

Type 02 Sunglasses in blue sky

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Kim Gordon And Humberto Leon Talk Art In NYC, Pop-Culture Feminism, And Hillary For President

June 3, 2015, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: OC Sample Sale, It’s The Brooklyn Way

≪ Previous: Sun Buddies Brings The Festival-Ready Shades

Kim Gordon never ceases to amaze us. When she's not busy writing a New York Times bestselling memoir or appearing in prints from our upcoming Fall/Winter 2015 collection, she’s revisiting her visual art roots and immersing herself in painting, sculpting, and curating. In each exhibit she graces with her presence, Gordon’s voice shines through. Fresh off of a recent Spring Gala at The Kitchen, thrown in honor of Gordon and fellow artist Dan Graham, Gordon is presenting her first solo show at 303 Gallery tonight.

The City is a Garden finds Gordon analyzing the beautification of NYC, a place she’s been associated with since the days when downtown meant “artist haven” instead of “bro haven.” The pieces in the show, executed in a wide range of mediums, elucidate Gordon’s critique of New York as a gentrification mecca. The City is a Garden also showcases Gordon’s signature text-focused painting style and new expansions on it, like crumpled finishes on gessoed canvas and glitter spray paint. Always the art lover, OC founder Humberto Leon caught up with Gordon ahead of her opening. Below, the Cali transplants talk consumerism, pop-culture feminism, and whether Kim will choose Hillary for President. Yup, all bases were covered.

HUMBERTO LEON: The City is a Garden is your first solo show here at 303 Gallery. Can you tell me a bit about it?
KIM GORDON: The crumpled word paintings are names of condo developments or slogans that they use, like Bauhaus Inspired Living or The Highline, Fortress of Glassitude, and Chelsea Enclave. The hedge [sculptures] are symbolic of two things: First, how the city has changed. If you walk through the Lower East Side, you keep bumping into parks and suddenly there are four planters in the middle of the street that weren’t there. Mayor Bloomberg brought the whole beautification of the city and has made it about upping the ante for consumerism in a way, and there’s all of these condos. I’ve never seen so much building going on. The people buying the condos aren’t necessarily going to be living there—they’re out of country-ers. So the hedges are representative of that. Second, they also bring in how art is part of that whole consumerism. At art events, they often use these hedges, and they’re instant walls. It almost represents some kind of class. I feel like they could be at MoMA, but I also like that they look like furniture, so it’s almost like an indoor sculpture garden.

The whole crumpled aspect is also representative of things that didn’t work and are thrown out, or the disposability of everything.

You’ve done these text pieces for years, but have you done the crumpled text pieces before?
No, these are new. I did the first one at the White Columns show I had—I was going to do rock bands that are broken up and the first one was The Sonic Youth. I have a show in Athens that’s opening that includes those and Sonic Voice. The silver ones are called Ladies of the Paradise, which is taken from this Émile Zola book [Au Bonheur des Dames] that includes the description of the first department store, and the director talks about how he has the pleasure of the ladies. The banner is called The Vessel and it relates to the glamour of the artist in the studio, as if that could be bought and put in the lobby of one of these new condos. It’s also a documentation of painting, but it’s like a performance.

I kno

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