I POSE LIKE: Jimi Hendrix
Name: Shintaro Nagamine
Occupation: Event planner/Blogger
“Jimi is my fashion hero—his style never gets old”

I POSE LIKE: Lady Gaga
Name: Mari Yabiku
Occupation: Free spirit
“Gaga’s fashion seems to represent her soul. Her performance and style seem to be a fight against her weaknesses. Now I am also fighting and confronting myself to become stronger. I like her style of expressing herself.”

I POSE LIKE: Liam Gallagher
Name: Mike Burns
Occupation: Editor/Promoter
“I dress like Liam Gallagher because he’s the last real British rockstar. I grew up on his music, and I have so many memories that seem to be soundtracked by Oasis.”

I POSE LIKE: Karen O
Name: Chiaki Marutani
Occupation: Cartoonist/Editor
“I dress like Karen O because she is an artist I am influenced by, and I respect her as a woman, an artist, and a person who has Asian blood. There are some female artists who have their own cool style in fashion… but no one dresses like Karen O.”

I POSE LIKE: Katy Perry
Name: Misa Hexagram
Occupation: Creator
“I like to dress similar to Katy Perry because she is so cute and looks so all-American. I like to combine elements of her style with my own personal style.”

TEXT BY Mike Burns
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jake Hodgkinson

Sketch London
When Sketch opened in London in 2002 in an 18th-century townhouse in Mayfair, its formula of delicious food by master chef Pierre Gagnaire and trendy atmosphere, courtesy of restaurateur Mourad Mazouz, paired with art, music, and rococo-meets-the-future décor, made it a favorite of the jet set. The most striking decorative detail: the mezzanine restrooms. A glossy, all-white staircase leads to a large vaulted room that could be straight out of Woody Allen’s movie Sleeper. Bathed in color-changing LED lights, the foggy chamber houses a grouping of at least nine glossy, egg-shaped pods that look like they were deposited by some giant alien being. Enter a pod and you’ll find an extreme all-white loo filled with a changing selection of eerie music or sounds. It’s reminiscent of a sensory deprivation tank, except taken to the opposite extreme. The washbasins, located outside the toilet enclosures, are traditional white porcelain pedestals flanked by antique sconces. The overall effect can be quite destabilizing, especially after a few of Sketch’s
potent cocktails.

Bushi-Tei San Francisco
Japanese company Toto is perhaps best known for producing the Rolls Royce of toilets, the Neorest 600. Ringing in at
$3000, this veritable throne features an automatic lid with proximity sensor that opens when a user approaches, a catalytic
air purifier, a seat warmer, an automatic flush, and of course the infamous “washlet” function with a heated air jet drier. Where to find one of these porcelain wonders stateside? The New
People complex in San Francisco’s Japantown has one, but for a true Zen retreat with a delicious meal, head to Bushi-Tei, a French-Japanese fusion restaurant nearby. Besides the aforementioned wunder-toilet, which is sure to leave your posterior enlightened, the washroom features a black pebble-lined
sink and a comfortable bench carved of wood from the
Nagano Prefecture for post-prandial meditation. Your dinner companions may be left wondering when you’ll return to
the table.

Bar 89 New York
Ever have that disturbing dream of being naked in public? If so, a visit to Bar 89 in NY will seem like déjà vu. The venue has been infamous for its restrooms for well over a decade. The stalls exploit the unique properties of Privacy Glass, which is a sheet of liquid crystal sandwiched between two panes of glass. When the door is unlocked, the crystals align so that the glass appears clear. Locking the door causes light to be dispersed by the crystals, creating a smoky effect that preserves one’s modesty, but just barely. It’s definitely not for the shy, and
the effect can be a bit disconcerting, but much less so than Venetian artist Monica Bonvicini’s Don’t Miss a Sec installation, which debuted across the street from the Tate Britain in 2003 and continued on to
Art Basel in 2004. Designed as a public toilet housed in one-way mirror panels, the work explored the frontiers between privacy and public exposure. Peep, a Thai fusion restaurant
in SoHo, also has one-way glass that permits bathroom users to surreptitiously spy on other diners in the pink neon-lit main room.

Gold Restaurant Milan
Dolce and Gabanna have long been known for over-the-top sexy luxury. In the designers’ Gold restaurant, located in European fashion capital Milan, glamour is definitely on the menu. In this international celebrity hot spot, the glittering décor is perhaps even richer than the food, and the lavatory in particular takes the gold theme to a whole new level. Reflective gold faux bamboo covers every surface, and enormous gold mirrors make primping a pleasure. Since this is, after all, a powder room, the reflective theme extends to ever-useful gold-mirrored trays on the gold-veined marble vanity countertops. In case the exceptionally well-dressed and beautiful clientele fails to provide sufficient eye candy, plasma screens play the cult Bond movie Goldfinger on a constant loop in each stall.

Gitane San Francisco
Mr. Important Design founder Charles Doell, who has quite a number of California, Florida, and Las Vegas eatery designs under his belt, is becoming particularly known for his exceptional hospitality industry lavatory designs. His plan for Gitane in San Francisco was nominated for this year’s Eater Awards prize for best bathroom. With dizziness-inducing geometric optical mosaic tile, art deco chandeliers, glossy walls blanketed in vintage flower prints, and nail-studded leather doors, the lounges harken back to the louche glamour of another era.

Vanity Las Vegas
Another Mr. Important project, the aptly named Vanity, in Las Vegas, boasts enormous washrooms outfitted with individual vanity stations. Each has its own lighted mirror, modern vessel sink, and red velvet tufted stool. The striking and sexy graphic wallpaper showcases blowups of heavily made-up lips and eyes, for inspiration perhaps. Though completely different in style, what each of Mr. Important Design’s projects has in common is a focus on the interplay of lighting, texture, color, and pattern to striking and unique effect.

TEXT BY Karena Akhavein

Most retailers operate with specific methods, chasing profit via products with the widest appeal. It’s a formula that ensures fun colors and funky styles are pushed aside in favor of the lowest common denominator. Meanwhile, clothing and home retailer Anthropologie has developed a dedicated and passionate audience by refusing to conform to the conventional wisdom of retailing.

From a converted dry dock in Philadelphia’s Navy Yard — a structure which earned an AIA 2010 Honor Award for Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle, Ltd. — Aaron Hoey, general merchandise manager of women’s apparel, argued that the company is unique due to a free-spirited culture. He claimed, “We would rather err on taking a risk that’s a smart risk than not risk at all. A lot of retailers are trying to maximize their gross margin, so they are willing to cut corners and take details out of things. We never try to take anything out. We don’t try to mass produce or cut corners. We believe in the greater good and working with really talented people.”

These ideas all sound great, in theory. But maybe the creative types are made to feel this way while bean counters pull the strings? Not so, claimed Keith Johnson, Buyer at Large. He explained, “We really value the artist who works in our store and works in our design team; it’s really who we are. So, I think, the guys who look at the numbers ultimately look at that, too. Yes, of course, there are times when there is certain business we look to drive the profit, in order to do the things that we love—the more artistic stuff. Most of the time, from a business point of view, we very happily continue on our merry way.”

Consider, for example, a prevailing trend for collaboration in retail: the famous guest designer program—think Karl Lagerfeld for H&M or Macy’s, Target’s collaborations with Missoni and Jason Wu, or Uniqlo’s guest designer program with the likes of Jil Sander and Opening Ceremony. Anthropologie’s approach stands in marked contrast to these models. The method is dictated, in part, by Johnson. He curates seasonal gallery shows with small groups of artists. The items could be principally fine arts, such as paintings, small crafts or sculpture; or he might select more functional goods like chairs or bowls. Those works then migrate or inform products in the actual stores. It could mean a sketch or drawing ends up on dinner plates or stationary, or a handmade line of furniture finds a larger audience.

Nathalie Lete and Rebecca Rebouche are two examples of artists who fortuitously migrated into homewares. Rebouche was originally commissioned to create an original painting for the Anthropologie in her hometown of New Orleans. Soon, her works were also hanging in the Rockefeller Center location. The interactions spurred by those occurrences spawned a mini-collection of bedding, dinnerware, puzzles, and wall art. A similar story is true for Lete, a French artist whose paintings were featured in a Johnson-curated show at the Rockefeller Center location. Now Anthropologie commissions four of her paintings annually, which are featured on a collection of dinnerware.

Further, it’s a model which ensures unique and artistic items are developed for Anthropologie. This often involves global traveling to find niche creators. After all, in order to create unique offerings, the company needs to search in unique places. The buying team will target a location, like New Orleans or Amsterdam. They then set about researching and networking to find the most skilled artisans and underground galleries. Then city visits, as chronicled in the 2009 Sundance Channel series Man Shops Globe, initiate an ongoing dialogue between buyers like Johnson and localized craftspeople.

Johnson explained, “There is a lot of follow up. There’s the discovery, of course, which is fantastic. Then there’s making sure if an artist has said they’re going to create something. Sometimes it can be like herding cats. You have to make sure the things are packed correctly, and things are as promised, like the quality.”

He continued, expounding how working with artists is both rewarding and surprising. “It’s part of the process,” he said. “I try to have enough projects going at one time. There’s going to be some fall out somewhere, where somebody isn’t able to complete their vision the way they wanted it, or something they wanted to change. It’s all just part of it. I have a deep appreciation for the process. To get something truly wonderful,
a good friend told me, he works on something until it stops annoying him. I don’t want to interrupt that. To say you put a time frame on something, you might get less than what you wanted. Then there are some people who do better with a timeframe.”

Johnson also pointed out that each of the 160 Anthropologie stores is able to customize the location’s visual presentations. There’s no formal set guide to ensure brand consistency for all products. And there’s no cooperate-style localization initiative, such as with Macy’s. Instead, the consistency is through a dazzling variety of eclectic styles. Individual stores are empowered to shape direction based on the local clientele. So while the mood or products might be the same in Dallas or Chicago, the actual experience can vary dramatically.

“It’s as personal of an experience as you can possibly have,” claimed Johnson. And, in fact, the company is able to create an intimate feeling, almost like a small boutique. The ethnic personality and global sensibility of the goods create an experience of discovery. Even the floor fixtures are available for purchase, and furniture offerings are often vintage finds or small runs crafted in an updated, yet historical style. Hoey said the goals are for “When the customer walks through, it’s an eclectic hunt, a find; it’s an adventure, an escape from reality.” Part of that escapism goes back to the exclusive product offerings. Marcia and Bill Finks, a husband and wife team working under the Primitive Twig banner, had been making metal sculptures since 1990, mainly from salvaged metal, antique parts, and found items. “We always negotiate exclusivity before price,” Hoey proudly claimed.

For Anthropologie, the duo created exclusive candle tapers, handmade from antique pieces of porcelain, tin, and glass. The piece will be featured in an upcoming December catalog. It’s a perfect example of the competitive advantage Johnson described when he said, “I do think that we are not really thinking about making huge quantities of things. We may only find a few hundred customers for certain items. But those are the items that get us really excited.”

Johnson explained the niche appeal when he said, “We’re not casting such as wide net. We’re very customer-specific. The people that do find us are sort of meant for us.”
Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie’s parent company, actually spans several brands: Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain, and BHLDN, a recently launched retailer for all things bridal. The company has been criticized for being a large corporation while presenting its brands as independent-minded. And while it is true the company claims billion-dollar profits, the alternative of offering an impersonal, uncaring facade is far less appealing.

Compared to any other significant retailer, the women who shop at Anthropolgie are extremely devoted and loyal to the brand. And while there’s a range of factors that foster this obsession, the root cause is that Anthropologie does not merely look to artists with the intent of extrapolating an artistic identity. But the people of Anthropologie listen to artists and dialogue with them. Hoey summarized, “There’s a secret behind the products: the vast majority have stories behind them. It comes from authentic relationships with our internal design team, as well as artists and designers, in the world. The products we end up with end up becoming something no one has seen before. We spend a lot of time inventing things creatively.”
anthropologie.com

TEXT BY Michael Cohen

The day Simmin Sethna left her family’s home in Calcutta for Paris, with dreams of mastering the ‘art of couture’, it seems unlikely that she foresaw the way in which she would inspire generations to come. Sethna attained her Master’s in Couture Pattern Drafting at the Ecole Guerre-Lavigne (now Esmod) in Paris around 1950, graduating second in her class, with a cache of masterfully designed clothing for ambassadors and socialite-type clients. With confidence and determination, she moved to San Francisco and started her own fashion school, The Simmin Sethna School of Fashion Design. There, from 1970 until the early ’90s, she trained droves of eager patternmaking students in ‘the French Couture way.’

Sethna’s exceptional talent integrated well with San Francisco’s natural tendency towards craft, quality, and eclectic local entrepreneurialism, creating the ultimate breeding ground for an American-West couture trend. The business of tailoring fine goods in San Francisco remained prosperous from the ’40s through the ’80s, before most garment manufacturing moved overseas, shuttering factories and leaving behind a surplus of talented seamstresses. However, many resilient San Franciscans continued to hone their skills, armed and ready for the city to shine once again as a tailoring mecca. These skilled clothiers set up their own custom sewing businesses from home, opened fashion retail co-ops, and taught.

Multi-talented fashion entrepreneurs such as Suzy Furrer, founder and director of Apparel Arts in San Francisco who has a font of knowledge for all things fashion, studied daily with Sethna for two years, learning the art, precision, and discipline of patternmaking. Furrer states, “I would not be anywhere in the fashion industry today without Simmin Sethna.” She started her own fashion design school in 1996, teaching patternmaking and design, illustration, draping, textiles, and business seminars, among other classes that rival Parsons The New School for Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York. Apparel Arts classes are unique in that they are individually paced and French tailoring-focused. Working quietly among students may be designers from large companies, such as Levi’s and The Gap, who have been sent to Apparel Arts to hone their skills. Furrer’s gem of a book, Building Patterns: The Architecture of Women’s Clothing, is an industry must-have. Her gift for teaching is undeniable, but it is her eye for fit that truly astounds; she can tell immediately when something is off by 1/8th of an inch, and her gentle suggestion to ‘drop the waistline a smidgen’ can instantly generate a leaner silhouette. It is here that aspiring designers learn to make patterns that they will cherish for a lifetime.

Kenneth King, an established custom couturier in his own right, with work on permanent display at the Prince Albert Museum in London and a client list that includes Elton John, also studied under Sethna for years. “Simmin Sethna had something that nobody else in the Bay Area had—exceptional training and a keen eye,” King fondly recalls, adding, “What I learned from her was the foundation of my career, it enabled me to make the kinds of work I saw in my head. She was a stern taskmaster, who knew her craft—this is a woman who ate, breathed, and lived for patternmaking. She taught anatomy as well as behavior of the fabric, [teaching me] that I would be dressing the mobile human form, not a wooden dress dummy, and all efforts were aimed at making sure that not only did the pattern look amazing, but that it actually fit and allowed the wearer to move and live in comfort.” Along with running a successful custom couture salon, King also teaches patternmaking at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, training the next generation of designers as Sethna had previously done for the generation before.

It has been more than 40 years since this couture cult icon sprinkled her expert fit magic upon Northern California, lending the tools and trade to bring to life any shape that a designer could envision. Many designers, teachers, manufacturers, and patternmakers have been linked to or influenced by Sethna in one way or another. Knowingly or not, it seems that Sethna, Furrer and other Apparel Arts instructors have laid the groundwork for an underground network of custom couture, one that is still flourishing in a city where innovative, one-of-a-kind pieces trump mass-produced goods. Quality can be addictive, and it is likely that once you have experienced a taste of custom fit, you will never willingly turn back.

Note: Sethna still lives in the Bay Area. Although no longer teaching, she manages to keep in touch with many of her former students.

TEXT BY Debra Winter
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Karima Cherif

Since setting up shop in SoHo back in 2007, MUJI is a brand that many will be familiar with—modern furniture, simple lifestyle goods and everyday essentials. But with a rich history of more than 30 years, there’s much more to MUJI than we think. Established in Japan in 1980 with a range of only 40 products, MUJI stores can now be found in most major cities throughout Europe and Asia, offering household goods, clothing, food, and cosmetics. With a company philosophy of “No Brand Quality Goods,” it is easy to label MUJI as the ‘Japanese IKEA.’ However, the set of ethics and traditions upon which it is based translates into beautifully designed, well-manufactured products at reasonable prices. MUJI is now somewhat of a national institution in Japan, with its products being found in the majority of homes and businesses across the country. And with such a loyal following, they take immense pride in their relationships with customers, not only in their native country but also around the world. Through their “Quality Producers for Everyday Life Research Center” project, customers are given a platform to share their ideas and opinions of MUJI goods, which are then communicated to the Tokyo HQ and discussed in weekly meetings. This connection with customers is key to their success in Japan, a country where honesty and communication are of the utmost importance.

Another major factor in MUJI’s sparkling reputation is their approach to the environment and society as a whole. MUJI aims to “work in harmony with our planet,” and this is apparent from their choice of materials, manufacturing processes, waste elimination, and support of fair trade. Their environmentally friendly and it socially conscious approach has been present from the start, and seems to have increased since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, with the introduction of a series of new initiatives that work to signify the importance of life.

After a long-standing admiration of MUJI, we at SOMA were honored to be invited to one of Japan’s most eagerly anticipated events of the year, the grand opening of Found MUJI’s new concept store in the heart of the über-hip Aoyama neighborhood in Tokyo. The event began with an exhibition of Spring/Summer 2012 products, showcasing the best of their vast inventory to the world’s media. Four floors displayed their innovative electronics, no-frills apparel and accessories, modern homeware, and delectable foods. The showpiece of the exhibition was of course MUJI’s brand new concept, Found MUJI. The idea for Found MUJI began in 2003, when daily essential items from around the world were sought out and collected by a team of designers and subsequently MUJI-fied—transformed and regenerated to fit the MUJI aesthetic, then produced in limited numbers for sale within Japan. Standout items have included traditional stainless steel bowls from India, and a string-fastening storage file and rather peculiar personal steam inhaler, both from France.
The afternoon was then spent with members of the board – including company president Masaaki Kanai, and creative director Kenya Hara, and product designer Naoto Fukasawa – who gave an insightful glimpse into the world of MUJI over a delightful lunch at Meal, the company’s stylish and cozy café. After lunch we headed to the small yet impressive Found MUJI concept store for the opening ceremony. Set in a refurbished version of what was MUJI’s first-ever store, we beheld two floors of assorted items that had the feel of a neighborhood jumble sale, high-end art exhibition, and history museum rolled into one—some
truly intriguing products presented in a well-planned, gallery-like setting.

The party kicked into high gear later in the evening, after a host of Tokyo’s movers and shakers made their way back to Meal for a night of celebration, cocktails, and canapés. The perfect ending to a fantastic day.
Luckily for us, will see MUJI’s long-awaited debut on the West Coast in the near future, with plans to open their first store in San Francisco—a wise move, considering that more than 25% of their online sales in the US and Canada come from the West. It is safe to say that San Francisco will be the first of many locations on the West Coast, as esteemed creative director Kenya Hara explains, “MUJI is like water, we flow naturally into people’s lives.” It seems that it won’t be long before everybody’s life has been splashed by a little MUJI charm.

Top picks for Spring/Summer 2012
MUJI presented an impressive range of new products from their S/S 2012 line-up, and after careful thought, we selected our
three favorites.*

LABO – In collaboration with British fashion designer Margaret Howell (ANGLOBAL Ltd.), the LABO apparel collection is based on keywords such as “straightforward,” “wearable,” and “unpretentious,” and that’s exactly what it is. Using 100% organic materials and simplified shapes, patterns, and colors, the outcome is perfect; a range of apparel for both men and women that is stylish and easy to wear.

Bamboo Dining Furniture – Made using Japan’s traditional raw material, these dining tables and chairs promote a rich heritage as well as providing a surprising amount of comfort, with the bamboo chairs flexing and bending to suit the user’s natural seating position.

Schedule App - iPad users that own a MUJI schedule book can import their monthly schedules by simply photographing specific pages. The image, including the user’s handwriting, is then transferred into a digital format and displayed clearly on the MUJI iPad app. Perfect for organizing your hectic schedules.

*Some products from the S/S 2012 may not be available in the USA yet.

TEXT BY Mike Burns
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jeroen van Oirschot

TEXT BY Mike Burns
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jacob Hodgkinson

Satoko
1. Drums and bass 2. My friends 3. Faux fur tippets and Uniqlo’s ‘HeatTech’ clothes because it’ll be cold 4. Energy 5. I’m still learning about Tokyo, so it’s too early for me to say

Adam
1. I don’t know about current trends. I listen to ’60s music and wear clothes from that era 2. I couldn’t even name one person 3. No idea 4. Money to make some suits for myself 5. Ever-changing, more than any other city in the world

Miki
1. The best nightclub is Trump Room2. My friends3. Knitwear4. Warmth and a holiday5. So busy but so pleasant

Kodai
1. Everything being exaggerated… because that’s what happens here 2. Sacai 3. Leather with faux-fur lining or mouton4. A nice surprise 5. 0 or 100

Sumire
1. Akira Minagawa, a designer at Mina Perhonen 2. Tenniscoats (band) 3. Animal motif scarves 4. A long and calm holiday 5. It’s an un-cool city, but that’s why I love to live here

Shintaro
1. iPhones 2. Takeshi Osumi, designer at Phenomenon 3. Big brimmed hats, like Lanvin’s and Dior’s A/W collections 4. Just to spend time with my favorite people 5. Babylon

Moe
1. Production and manufacturing 2. Nobody is the most creative 3. Vintage knit 4. Lots of delicious cakes 5. A strange place

As I walked into filmmakers Jason Cohn and Camille Servan-Schreiber’s home in Berkeley, California, a wave of déjà vu swept over me. An abundance of color and warmth, a pronounced playful sentiment… then the connection struck me: the décor bore many of the elements found in the work of two of the most influential mid-century modern designers, Charles and Ray Eames.

Cohn’s first exposure to these design pioneers was in college when a friend introduced him to The Films of Charles and Ray Eames DVD set, about which he said, “I was just kind of blown away by the [films]… I didn’t really know what to make of them because they’re just so esoteric and weird and eccentric, and they don’t fit into any clear categories of any kinds of films I’ve had previous experience with. They weren’t art house/experimental films; they weren’t informational-type films; they weren’t, you know, narrative films by any stretch of the imagination. They were just their own thing. But they were very, very beautiful, and the images stuck with me.”

He revisited the topic when he and his wife/co-producer, Camille Servan-Schreiber, were renovating their home. Given Servan-Schreiber’s French background and Cohn’s time spent in Los Angeles, the two had rather conflicting ideas about how to approach the project. A compromise was discovered when they realized they both shared an attraction to the Eamesian aesthetic. As a result, Cohn’s journalistic nature compelled him to research all things related to modern design and was particularly fascinated by the story behind the Eameses. He brought the idea to his colleague (and later co-producer), Bill Jersey, who loved it. And so, the seed was planted to create their documentary, Eames: The Architect and the Painter.

The film focuses on the story behind the Eames name. Not only is it an accurate historical representation that conveys the magnitude of influence that Charles Eames had on design, but it also draws to light several themes that are often overlooked: Ray’s contributions, the inner dynamics of the Eames Office, and (what Cohn hopes viewers take from the film) that “design is not a surface art.” “It solves problems,” said Servan-Schreiber. She also said that due to time constraints, the film is just a small piece of the greater story that could be told about the couple’s fascinating lives and prolific career. Yet the film manages to capture the essence of the Eames: their “spirit, whimsy, and eccentricity.”

Narrated by James Franco, the film visually manifests the trajectory the Eameses followed: beginning with the famous plywood chair, creating the Eames Office in LA, establishing the Eames name, making sure their designs evolved with the development of technology, etc. Eames: The Architect and the Painter includes people like Charles’ daughter Lucia; the Eameses’ grandson, Eames Demetrios; and those who were actually working in “The Eamery” (e.g. Jeannine Oppewall, Deborah Sussman, and Gordon Ashby) to give accounts that reveal a humanizing perspective of the Eameses. Cohn explained, “There had been biographies written about [the Eameses], and a lot of people knew about their work, but I felt like their personalities and personal lives and their life stories were kind of a black box because they were so private. And also because the Eames family didn’t like to talk about that stuff; they liked to only focus on, you know, their accomplishments as designers, and the Eames family had always kind of controlled the story quite a bit. And so I felt that the only way to get inside that black box and to reveal them as people would be to spend time with the people who kind of knew them best, in a sense, and those were the people who were in that 24/7 work environment with them all the time. But I was worried that these people wouldn’t be very good storytellers and, you know, a lot of them were getting a lot older… so I was a bit worried about that. And even in the interviews, they would be kind of discursive, and I was never that confident that they were going to carry the story. It really wasn’t until the edit that we started to see how good some of them were. And they just really were. It’s not just that they were so insightful about Charles and Ray, but their feelings for Charles and Ray…” “There’s just so much love. And feelings of admiration and respect that come through,” Servan-Schreiber added. “I think that, in a way, they had been waiting for an opportunity to sort of open up about their time in the Eames Office and about Charles and Ray,” Cohn said.

With respect to the process of creating the documentary, the team behind the film seemed to have experienced a very different path than what the Eames Office followed on projects like those for the US government and IBM (a more trusting arrangement in both cases). Instead, because of the restraints dictated by funding and an advisory board, scripts had to be developed and researched in early stages: “They want to make sure you’re doing your research, and they want to make sure you’ve talked to the best people in the field,” Cohn said. “The next stage was where we started saying, you know, these people are very smart and have a lot to say and they’re really interesting, and they’ve provided all of the background we need to know, but is that really the story we want to tell? And that was when we realized we wanted to spend more time with the people who knew [the Eameses] very well: the people who worked with them in the office,” he added.

“In our case, because the whole process of fundraising took about six years, and as some of these people were getting older, we started production five years ago—but very little bits and pieces. So over the course of several years, we accumulated a number of interviews. By the time we got the rest of the money to really get into production and get the rest of the interviews and get the editing done, some of these interviews had been lingering for a while, so there was a process of rediscovery of who these people were. So when we sat down in the edit room, it was wonderful to see it all once again. And then it really felt at that point we could decide how to really do this film,” Servan-Schreiber said.

Cohn further commented on the six-year process: “There’s something really cool that happens when the course of the film gets elongated [due to fundraising, etc.]: you start to discover new things that interest you,” citing the realization that the most common knowledge about the Eameses became “conventional and sterile” and their fascination with the Eameses’ eccentricity resulted. And the film indeed successfully portrays this dynamic alternate side to the well-known story about the Eameses.

With Eames: The Architect and the Painter in theaters since September 29th, Cohn said, “I would want people to walk away thinking about how design can serve society at a deep level and to dispel this notion that design is about providing that surface gloss for some trendy new feature that’s going to help sell products.” firstrunfeatures.com/eames/

TEXT BY Shilpika Lahri

The circulating story of Drive revolves around an awkward silence between two men broken by REO Speedwagon’s “I Can’t Fight this Feeling Anymore,” sung obnoxiously by a Dane hopped up on flu medication. The voice in question belonged to Nicolas Winding Refn, a self-professed “fetish filmmaker” from Copenhagen whose Pusher trilogy and recent English-language films have developed a cult following among Europeans and europhiles alike and earned him the audience of actor Ryan Gosling, who happened to flip on the radio in that moment of fateful blind date discomfort. The rare bond that soon developed between the director and actor has drawn comparisons to infamous Hollywood pairings such as Robert DeNiro and Martin Scorsese, and the two will be collaborating again for Refn’s upcoming film as well as a remake of Logan’s Run.

Drive, much like Refn’s last two films Valhalla Rising and Bronson, have won the Danish director both critical praise and dissent, their use of violence deemed at once disruptive and profound and their pulp, sleek imagery and scores earning references to Quentin Tarantino and accusations of producing derivative work. The polarized critical reaction to Drive unsurprisingly led to Refn snatching up the Best Director award at Cannes this past spring, and Cliff Martinez’s flawless, pulsing score, complete with effeminate pop hits like College’s “A Real Hero,” have kept the soundtrack at the top of the iTunes charts in a number of countries since the film’s release.

“Drive is about a man who becomes a superhero,” said Refn of Gosling’s unnamed protagonist in the film—a gifted stunt driver and mechanic in LA by day and an unflinching getaway driver by night. We caught up with the director over the phone while he prepped his next film, Only God Forgives, in Bangkok.

I’ve read in a number of places that you had several of the actors living with you throughout production. Is that a common habit for you? Well not as much as it turned out to be, but it was probably a great way to do a movie in Los Angeles. It was very communal, you know. Carey [Mulligan] moved in because she didn’t have a place to live in Los Angeles. The editing was done there too, and then Hossein Amini, who was writing with me, was living in the attic. Ryan [Gosling] had his own key, basically, so he would just come by all the time. I very rarely left the house, unless I really had to go somewhere else. And it also didn’t help that I don’t drive.

There’s been a number of rumors floating around about how you met Ryan, some of them involving too much cough medicine. Tell me about that experience.
Well the origin of that is that I was in Los Angeles to do a movie with Harrison Ford… There was a great script that Paul Schrader had given me, about a CIA agent who basically goes on an existential journey and dies. It turns out that Harrison Ford didn’t want to die, and I was really pissed off at myself for spending so much time in LA and working on this film. Out of the blue, I got a call from Ryan Gosling, and he asked if I would like to meet him. We were supposed to have dinner, but I had a very high fever and felt a flu coming on, and Harrison gave me a bunch of flu drugs, which you have in America and are very, very strong, and they instantly made me high as a kite. So when I met [Ryan], I was just so out of it that I could barely have a conversation. And so an hour and a half into the dinner I asked him, “Please take me home.”

One of the greatest things about Drive is the modesty of Driver. How much of that is just Ryan, and how much of that is you directing him? Well it’s a combination, of course. I’m a minimalist person; I think less is more. The way I would work with him is to just tell him to just keep everything inside. And then before each take I would hug him until he gave into the hug, and because he has this incredible ability to say a thousand words without saying a single line, it was a great opportunity to create a character who’s essentially silent.

When did you make the decision to embed Drive in the bleak, sleek look of neon ’80s LA? I don’t do drugs anymore, so music heightens my emotions. In Bronson, I ended up using classical music because the film became an opera. Valhalla Rising is about silence, so we used a lot of distortions [in the soundtrack]. Drive has an electronic score because it represents the beating of the heart of the character—he’s half-man, half-machine. But I didn’t want an aggressive electronic score; I wanted something very feminine to contradict the masculinity and violence of the driver.

How did that first encounter in the car with Ryan influence the soundtrack? I realized that Ryan and I have very similar sensibilities that are very feminine in a way. You can’t be masculine without being feminine. It was definitely the beginning of a good friendship.

TEXT BY William Blake
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Richard Foreman

Representing androgyny, Peter Loc Tan Nguyen’s collection defines the portrayal of masculinity and femininity brought into several pieces. Effortless, sophisticated, and understated are just a few words to describe the collection. As a recent graduate from Academy of Art University with a degree in both Fashion Design and Knitwear, Nguyen combines the two styles together to make a seemingly contemporary collection. To add a unique touch to his garments, Nguyen mounted knitwear pieces onto organza to make a more structural and sculptural feel. His purpose was to bring a new perspective to knitwear. Most of the textiles he used were made with an industrial machine to make a fine knit so that the knitwear aspect is disguised.

Some of his most memorable pieces include fine lines and structural cuts that convey the combination of masculinity and femininity he wishes is perceived from his inspiration of menswear. With a women’s ready-to-wear collection, Nguyen admits that he purposely used the construction of menswear and applied it in his designs.

“I wanted to explore what was inside of a menswear garment and translate it into a womenswear garment to play with masculinity but with feminine curves and fabrication,” Nguyen explains. With this aspect, his pieces definitely portray a balance of the two opposite characterizations. Nguyen believes that making his collection not so outrageous and expected distinguishes the feel and understanding of his fashion designs.
“I wanted to make a classic garment, but a piece that is simple and just illustrates what clothes are,” Nguyen articulates. In this mindset, his designs truly epitomize androgyny, making it something worthwhile, timeless and classic.

Nguyen is currently studying in Paris at Studio Berçot through Academy of Art University’s Sister City Scholarship Exchange. In 2010, he was the first place Council of Fashion Designers of America’s (CFDA) $10,000 Scholarship recipient. The money was used to fund his senior collection at Academy of Art University, which was shown at his graduate fashion show this past May. His collection was also just recently showcased at Vancouver Fashion Week as a part of a sponsorship through Vancouver Fashion Week’s producer Jamal Abdourahman.Hoping to stay in Europe for a few more years, Nguyen wants to see all parts of fashion, art and design, and eventually come back to San Francisco to establish his label. “As a designer, my goal is to express my perspective on fashion and design,” Nguyen concludes.

TEXT BY Lexie Tiongson
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Randy Brooke

Hershesons Blow Dry Bar, London
Situating itself in one the most ideal locations, Hershesons Brow Dry Bar is every girl’s fantasy. Located in the basement of London Topshop, the dry bar poses itself at the end of the road to the ultimate shopping experience. The textured wallpaper and modern luxuriousness of the dry bar summons shoppers downstairs with a fashion-forward menu. The hairstyles vary, as a girl can either choose from a simple, textured blowout to an edgy, punk rock up-do. All of which, the Hershesons team claims, can be completed in 30 minutes. The brilliant detail of this dry bar is no matter how simple or complicated the look, all blow outs are priced at £24. Hershesons offers its own name-brand beauty tools, complete with the teams’ brushes and flat irons used in their blow outs. Clients can also browse their wide array of top of the line human hair extensions, ranging from clip-in wig fringes (bangs) and long ponytails to Lady Gaga-esque hair bows. Make sure to make an appointment at the Hershesons’ Topshop location. With the attraction of a new outfit and a fashionable hairdo, the dry bar is bustling most hours.
Hershesons Blow Dry Bar, hershesons.com.
Topshop, Oxford Circus, London.

The Drybar, San Francisco
Ex-public relations professional Alli Webb began a garage business in her Los Angeles home called Straight-at-Home. By referral-only, Webb’s at-home blow outs were so popular she had no choice but to give in to demand. Thus the Drybar was created, with an ideal in place: “No cuts. No color. Just blow outs for $35.” The Pacific Heights location is nestled along Fillmore Street among designer boutiques and delicious eateries. The blow out bar features a modern atmosphere that beckons first-timers with a bit of pampering. Prompted with a menu, as well as a cookie and a cup of coffee (or drink depending on the time of day), clients choose from a variety of styles ranging from a tousled, beachy Mai Tai to a sleek, stick- straight Manhattan. A great activity to precede an evening event or a birthday party for the younger mindset, the Drybar offers private parties for groups. A favorite practice among clients: brunch blow outs that find groups either “recuperating from a big night or just wanting to start the day off looking great.”
The Dry Bar, thedrybar.com. 1908 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94115.

Blow, New York City
Located in New York City’s Meatpacking District, Blow has developed a cult following within city limits since opening back in 2005. Quickly following suit, Blow Dry Bar was reincarnated into Blow, a fully-functioning hair salon offering cut, color, and even a beauty academy to train stylists in the art the blow out. The brainchild of three industry experts, Stuart Sklar, Jennifer Denton, and Julie Flakstad, Blow is poised to give clients the ultimate beauty make over. Blow outs range from $40 to $60, depending on hair length. Clients can also add any other treatments on the separate menus: waxing, make-up, manicures, deep conditioning treatments, and even throw in cut or color. Blow now has its own range of products that clients can walk away with to try and achieve the same effect at home.The success of Blow evolved into a full treatment to prepare bridal parties, party girls, and other groups who want to enjoy a bit of indulgence. So book an appointment next time you’re in the NY area.
Blow, blowny.com. 342 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10014

TEXT BY Sara Iravani