THE SPRING ISSUE
Modern Day Romantic
Robert Geller sat next to his older sister on a flight from Germany, en route to London Fashion Week. It was 1989. He was 13-years-old, The Cure was in his Walkman, and he had no idea what he was about to experience. During the trip he saw a few runway shows and visited Yohji Yamamoto […]
Haute Hotel
Beauty in the details Tucked away on Via San Raefelle, mere steps from Milan’s breathtakingly ornate duomo, the Hotel Straf offers a mélange of fashion, art, and hospitality that is truly one of a kind. Vincenzo de Cotiis, the pioneering architect and multi-disciplinary sensation behind the exclusive Brescia-based fashion house HAUTE, has transformed a 19th […]
The Other Watergate
Nixon Bar makes an alluring proposition to nightlife vultures Nixon Bar is perfect for the discerning Greek population in Athens as well as, vociferous nightlife critics and tourists on the prowl for something that belies sameness. Named after the disgraced president, the bar/restaurant/cinema is referred to as “Watergate” by the locals. But to be fair, […]
The Edison
Nostalgia-infused libations The Edison isn’t so much a replica of the Roaring Twenties as it is a re-imagining of a bygone era forever etched in history for its social, artistic and cultural upheaval. The bar and lounge encapsulates an Old World style and a refined sense of romance that once dominated the vibrant metropolis of […]
Bourbon & Branch
The noble experiment Long after Prohibition ended in 1933, the influence of the Capone Era still lingers in the historical Tenderloin District of San Francisco. Bourbon & Branch is a window into the 1920s, when the sale and consumption of alcohol was banned across the U.S. Hit the buzzer on its unmarked wall today and […]
Bar Centro
José Andrés’ molecular gastronomy Inside the extravagant SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, the collaboration between celebrity chef José Andrés, world-renowned designer Philippe Starck, and retailers Murray Moss and Franklin Getchell is a eclectic undertaking, to put it mildly. Arguably, the four pillars that comprise this lavish undertaking are: Rojo y Blanca, a play on the […]
Her Space Holiday
Where over hyped bands sweep in grandly then quickly fade in a sea of indie obscurity, Marc Bianchi has been quietly reinventing himself through his cerebral brand of bittersweet synth-pop for 15 years. As front man and jack-of-all-trades for his band Her Space Holiday, Bianchi’s sweet and shy demeanor is offset by his natural ability […]
Rye Rye
From a studio on 23rd street in Baltimore, rap’s new “it” girl, Rye Rye, told SOMA what she would wear to: ( 1 ) Kurtis Blow’s Harlem Hip Hop Church: “An old school hip hop look… like a lot of gold bangles, bamboo earrings; but I would wear some appropriate slacks, like dressy-type wit street shirt.” ( 2 ) […]
The Raveonettes
You know their faces. The boy-girl duo staring blankly from behind eyeliner-clad eyes, leaning into your gaze like something out of a Vice magazine page or assorted web photo. You assume you know their music through these images. Maybe you assume they’re a punk band from their harsh look or maybe you assume they’re a […]
Hecuba
Something is happening in music studios all across Los Angeles. A new scene of adventurous musicians, perhaps weary from the nonstop attention directed at certain East Coast boroughs pushing the musical envelope, is wooing avant-garde music lovers, demonstrating that experimental pop need not conjure thoughts of cold weather, brownstones, and the Brooklyn Bridge. LA bands […]
The Story of a Fashion Icon
Director Anne Fontaine gives us a glimpse of Coco Avant Chanel Those unfamiliar with the enigmatic prowess of Coco Chanel will surely have a fashion history lesson upon viewing Anne Fontaine’s newest cinematic exploration, Coco Avant Chanel. The film tells the story of how the iconic designer created an empire from humble beginnings and surpassed […]
Beauty and the Bottom Line
Editing the trends with Anna Wintour To outsiders, the fashion industry may seem no less chaotic and perplexing than a three-ring circus, what with its overproduced runway shows, and power players often known for their outré visions. In this world of costumed eccentrics and unabashed excess, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour plays ringleader, her whip being […]
Behind the Veil of Diane Pernet
Illuminating Fashion From a Shaded View Diane Pernet carries a dark and mysterious elegance that can often intimidate. Intentionally fading into the black uniform of her signature dress, she is quite a beauty if one is lucky to see her even partially unveiled. Diane’s voice is a soft whisper; yet her words ring true to […]
Marilyn Minter
Marilyn Minter’s Pleasure Principle It is difficult to tell if Marilyn Minter’s subjects are meant to make viewers uncomfortable—or turn them on. A self-proclaimed “still life art photographer,” Minter’s pornography-inspired portraits of women seemingly possessed by the voyeuristic lens all appear to be objects of her wildest hallucinations. Yet, upon closer inspection, the images reveal […]
Culture in Transformation
No one could accuse Miuccia Prada of having pedestrian taste in art, but even by her own standards, the mind-stretching art exhibition at the Prada Foundation space in Seoul will strike many as a brave choice. Under the ice-white roof of the Transformer, visitors will enter the felt-lined dreamscape installation “Turn Into Me,” conceived […]
