In conversation with .. 3!

In conversation with Alma, Xuehka, Kraków Loves Adana, Eugenio Andrade Schulz, Mattiel and many more ...

model / Logan Stevens 

www.effenberger-couture.com 

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model / Logan Stevens 

www.effenberger-couture.com 

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Meet The Team in Quarantine 

@marcel_schlutt @nicolas_simoneau @nicphilf 

@nicosutorfashion 

@slaterkarl 

Solitude: The Devil’s Worst Weapon 

I’m sure you hear it all the time that humans 

are social animals. We need to spend time together 

to be happy. 

In a world gone wild, those who prefer solitude are 

seen as eccentric at best and defective at worst, 

and are often presumed to be suffering from social 

anxiety, boredom, and become alienated by others. 

Editor-in-Chief 

Fashion Editor 

Art Director 

Art Editor 

Music Editor 

Marcel Schlutt 

mschlutt@kaltblut-magazine.com 

Nicolas Simoneau 

nsimoneau@kaltblut-magazine.com 

Nicola Phillips 

nphillips@kaltblut-magazine.com 

Loneliness is a negative state of mind, marked 

by a sense of isolation. 

At the moment the whole world lives in isolation and 

we all have to struggle with this condition. With this 

new issue we want to give you a moment of joy. 

To forget about being alone for a while. 

#staysafe 

Your KALTBLUT Team 

Fashion Editors 

Nico Sutor 

nsutor@kaltblut-magazine.com 

Karl Slater 

kslater@kaltblut-magazine.com 

Contributors 

Sebastian Pielles, Lewis Robert Cameron, Anna Barr, 

Amanda M. Jansson, Aysha Hussain, Marcus Knupp, Alex Howard 

Proofreading by Amy Heaton and Nicola Phillips 

On The Cover 

Photography Victor Supertramp 

Photography assistant Jennifer de los Mozos and Héctor Ges 

Stylist Xènia Gabarri 

Stylist Assistant Erika Acosta 

Makeup Anna González 

Hair Ruben Mongés s 

Set Design Anna Gustems 

Models Adrià, Marc and Beza 

From Blare Management 

Always yours > p.56 

Beret by Ainara Antxia 

Pants by Eñaut 

Blazer by Scotch & Soda 

Blazer by Llamazares y de Delgado 

All Copyright at KALTBLUT www.kaltblut-magazine.com @kaltblut_magazine 

KALTBLUT MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BY MARCEL SCHLUTT AND NICOLAS SIMONEAU 

All of KALTBLUT´s contributors are responsible and retain the reproduction rights of their own words and images. 

Reproductions of any kind are prohibited without the permission of the magazine, editor and each contributor. 

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Alma > p.6 HOMO > p.16 

New Age: 

Generation 

Africa > p.36 Eugenio Andrade Schulz > p.44 

Mattiel > p.52 

Xuehka > p.102 

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King Of Her Castle: An 

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Interview With ALMA 

Interview by Nicola Phillips @nicphilf 

All photos by Sebastian Pielles @piellesshots 

Finnish pop-punk supremo ALMA 

is at the top of her game. In just 3 

years the highlighter-haired polymath 

has topped global charts with her 

incredible scream along hooks and 

irresistible melodies. “Chasing Highs” 

and “Karma” in particular reached 

platinum status with “Dye My Hair” 

going gold, she has written for the 

likes of Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, 

Lana Del Ray, Charli XCX, Tove Lo 

to name a few, and has garnered fans 

the world over from Elton John to 

Dua Lipa who she worked with last 

summer in LA. Live, she has toured 

extensively bringing punk and pop 

together in a not to be missed show 

that assaults all the senses. A unique 

and talented writer ALMA is leading 

the charge on a new wave of female 

powerhouses that have something to 

say through their music. Engaged, 

forward thinking and opinionated 

she addresses issues from women’s 

rights to body positivity to sexuality 

to depression, drug use and anxiety 

head on. 

Now on the cusp of releasing her 

highly anticipated debut album Have 

U Seen Her?, we had the chance to 

speak to the Finnish powerhouse 

about self-worth, twin connections, 

fame and keeping level headed 

throughout it all. 

So you’ve literally just finished your 

huge tour supporting Christina 

Aguilera in the UK. How are you 

feeling? 

Uh, tired. [laughs] I’m good. That 

was an amazing experience and 

she was so nice and she invited me 

herself to the tour and I was very 

honoured that she wanted me like, 

what the hell? She’s a legend. I met 

her and she explained to me that 

she saw me at a festival where we 

played together. I played first and 

she played after and um, yeah, she 

just kinda loved my set and fell in 

love with my style and that’s how, 

and she was like, I want to have you 

on the tour and, and yeah. Then she 

got me and of course she did, she’s 

Christina. 

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“Sometimes you 

just have to 

remember to 

take the time for 

the real ones.” 

And did you get the chance to introduce 

any new songs during the shows? 

Yes definitely. I played a lot of new tracks 

because I wanted to showcase my new 

album that’s coming out soon. So yeah, it 

was very fun. I love to play the new tracks. 

You already worked with Dua Lipa last 

summer. Are you still between LA and 

Finland and are you guys still in touch? 

We’re still in touch. Like, you know, she’s a 

friend. Every time when I meet her, it’s just 

like a little party, always. But yeah, I do go 

to LA all the time. I think Dua’s traveling 

around the world. I don’t think she lives 

in LA, but obviously every artist hangs out 

there a lot. She’s the best and she’s been 

supporting my career and I think she’s 

amazing. 

Do you find that your hometown and LA 

have any similarities or are they totally 

different? How do both shape your 

music? Where do you find it easiest to 

create new songs? 

They are opposites. Like Finland is dark 

and cold and LA is bright and fun and 

sunny and amazing. I feel like every time 

I go to LA it’s not a real world. Like that’s 

where I pause my world. That’s where I 

live. Like my fantasy world where I see 

celebrities and eat good food and party and 

just, you know, live a celebrity life. Then when I go back home I’m like, 

I’m hanging out with my friends, going into local bars and so obviously it 

affects the music. When I’m in LA I write songs that are a bit more poppy. 

And more like dreams and you know, positive stuff. But then I went back 

home, I’m like, God, like shit, fuck the shit. No, but like for real, I go back 

to the old memories and you know, there are my friends, my love, my like 

everything. So then there comes the real stuff. 

I love your power anthem “Bad News Baby”! Can you tell us about the 

song and the video? 

The song I wrote in LA and that was a time when I went to LA and I felt 

like I’m not good enough and I’m not, you know, all the pressure hit me 

and I tend to write like powerful songs in LA ‘cause I just need to write 

them for myself. Like “I can do this”. So that’s another song when I’m 

just like, “I can do this. I’m the bad news.” But I’d be like, I’m gonna, you 

know, “nobody can fuck with me” basically. So it’s all for myself, like it’s 

a song when I feel like I’m not good enough or I’m like, I feel like, you 

know, just bad about life. I play that song. The music video I shot with my 

favourite Finnish producer and we directed together and I just wanted to 

have a lot of powerful women. I know most of the people that were in the 

video and you know, I wanted to showcase different kinds of women and 

just, you know, a lot of power. Powerful. It was a powerful day. I was like, 

fuck yeah. 

Yeah that’s important. Keep your sisters with you. How about the song 

“When I Die” – pretty intense topic. What prompted you to write that? 

Yeah, I also wrote it also for myself ‘cause my biggest fear is to die and 

then I was like, you know what? I’m just going to write a song about when 

I die and it’s not going to be, you know, people crying and it’s going to be 

positive and, yeah, it was just like I’ve put my fears upside down and I was 

like, when I die, I hope everybody got two drinks in their hands. I hope, 

you know, people were just having a good time. ‘Cause it’s like if I died, 

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then I thought like, I don’t want to be scared about dying 

because that’s really my fear. Like, my biggest fear would 

be like when I wake up and everybody else is dead and I’m 

left alone or something like this. So yeah. I wanted to make 

it positive ‘cause you know, it can happen. 

own struggles in life. And everybody especially at this time 

is living a hard life. And I’m 23 this is probably the worst 

time. ‘Cause everybody’s figuring out what they want to 

do. So I’m not complaining, but it’s hard. It’s not always a 

dream. 

And your upcoming album “Have U Seen Her?”, are you 

referring to yourself in the title? 

Yes! So basically, me and my sister, my twin sister, we 

used to see these 

dreams when 

we disappeared 

and we were 

running away 

to like big cities 

and we both saw 

the same kind 

of dream. And 

the only thing I 

could remember 

is that in the 

dream I heard 

like “have you 

seen them, or 

where are they, 

where are they?” 

And stuff like 

that. And I think 

that I was like, 

“Oh someday I 

just want to go 

when I’m old I 

want to go to like 

New York or to 

like LA and just 

be successful” 

‘cause I feel like 

nobody else 

in my family 

is successful. 

Everybody 

else is just like 

trying to figure 

out their life. 

And then when 

I forgot about 

a day.” 

that dream and 

then grew up 

and I got this 

success and 

everything and 

then suddenly all the papers are like, “Have you seen her? 

Have you seen ALMA?” I was like, maybe this is the dream 

finally, the dream that I kept on having like, and then I 

knew I was like that should be the title of the album. 

Is it really like a dream though, or is there a darkside to 

your new fame? 

There’s a lot of amazing things about my career. Like I am 

so honored and I’m so lucky to do what I do. Like so many 

people want to do the same things that I did, but I’m not 

gonna lie that it’s, it’s not an easy world. It’s not a dream. 

No, it can be a nightmare, but still, everybody has their 

Will we be hearing more Charli XCX and Tove Lo? Or 

will there be completely new collaborations? 

You know, we’re friends and we’re gonna collaborate 

forever. So 

definitely, yes. 

“Believe in 

yourself. 

Work hard, 

but know 

that nothing 

happens in 

How was it 

working with 

Miley Cyrus? 

You know, it 

was amazing. 

She’s amazing. 

Obviously I’ve 

been a fan and 

I’m still a fan. 

And what the 

hell? Obviously 

I’m always a fan. 

It was an honour 

and she’s been 

helping me so 

much, she’s 

always given 

good advice. We 

met at a party 

and then the 

next day I went 

to the studio and 

recorded in it for 

like two weeks in 

a row. And then 

we just wrote 

a lot of stuff 

and actually for 

myself, so there 

might be a song 

coming up that 

is co-written by 

Miley for me too. 

Nice! From when 

you first started 

making music to 

now, how do you 

feel you’ve grown 

as an artist? Or even just as a person overall? 

When I first released like “Chasing Highs” and all of 

those songs, I felt like I didn’t know who I was. I still don’t 

know who I am and I’m still a fucking baby, but I’m a bit 

more grown, a bit stronger, a bit you know, faster, better 

[laughs]. But like now, I feel like people expected me to put 

an album out already two years ago, but I didn’t want to do 

it ‘cause I was like, I have to figure out my way. I’m like, I 

just don’t want to keep on leading my career to some path 

that I’m not sure about. But at this moment I feel like I’m 

ready and I feel like definitely these new tracks, they’re 

leading the way. It’s not probably THE way yet, but it’s still 

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the right direction. I think I’m always just 

gonna keep on changing, you know, getting 

better ‘cause I’m still very young and very 

much just learning life and getting more 

experienced. 

Who has been some of the most 

inspirational people that you’ve met along 

the way? 

My mum and my sister, my friends. I still 

get most of my energy and most of my 

friends helped me to write my music ‘cause 

I need that sometimes when I’m working 

so hard, I’m like, I don’t know what I should 

say. And then I just go out with my friends 

and you know, talk about my troubles, 

anxieties and drama in my life and I’m like, 

okay, now I’m ready to go back. But when 

it comes to making music, Mark Ronson is 

my idol. And I’ve met him a couple of times 

and he’s been amazing. Andrew Wyatt, 

a producer, Charli XCX, Justin Tranter, 

amazing songwriter. 

What is the best advice you’ve ever 

received? 

One I got from Charli XCX when I was 

having my first like “hits” moment in my 

life. She was like, “Okay, right now I can 

see that in your life, there’s a lot of people 

coming in and you’re doing great and 

enjoy it. But try to remember who your 

real friends are and they’re the ones who 

are going to stay.” Like some day these 

other people are not going to be here. Like 

even if your career would be 25 years or 

you would be Madonna, I don’t care. Or 

you would fucking fail and nothing would 

happen next year. They would leave at 

some point, but your real friends are the 

ones that are going to be there forever. And 

that is very basic stuff, of course. But when 

you’re having a very successful moment 

in your life and so many things happen so 

fast, you don’t forget it, but you just don’t 

have even time to think about stuff like 

that. So it was very important and I was 

like, I think after that party, (‘cause it was 

at a party, obviously) I called everybody 

who was really important to me. Sometimes you just have 

to remember to take the time for the real ones. 

And what advice would you give a young artist who was 

scared to put themselves out there? 

Believe in yourself. Work hard, but know that nothing 

happens in a day. Nothing happens in a year. Nothing 

happens in five years. You know, you have to, uh, you 

have to keep on just like waking up every day and, and 

trying to figure out what makes you happy and go that 

way. So what makes you happy? Then you know that you 

are doing something right. If you work hard for two years 

and nothing goes your way and you don’t even like what 

you’re doing just fucking stop, do something else and that 

makes you happy. Also take breaks ‘cause you need time to 

recover. 

When did you have that “oh my god I’ve actually made it” 

moment? 

Never [laughs] I’m so hard to myself. I think I never 

would be saying I made it, but there was a moment when 

I celebrated one of my achievements. That was when the 

Charlie’s Angels song came out and I was part of that 

songwriting team. That was a big moment for me cause, 

you know, Ariana Grande, Miley, Lana Del Rey they’re like 

probably from every category they’re like the best ones that 

I would want to work with. And it was like, yeah, that’s what 

I felt. I felt like I was proud of myself and I admit. It’s hard 

to admit that I’m proud of myself, but at that moment I was. 

Who would you love to collaborate with next? 

A lot of people. I would love to work with SIA. I would love 

to work with Lady Gaga any fucking day. Think that would 

be the dream. 

What’s the one thing that you can’t do without? 

Um, coffee and my friends, my friends very, very much. 

What are your top 3 moments recently? 

Releasing the first part of the album then getting to work 

on the Charlie’s Angels song, and that was an amazing 

moment. And then, yeah, I have to say touring with 

Christina, ‘cause that was amazing. 

What was the last song that you listened to? 

Last song I listened to. Oh, it was Raye and David Guetta. I 

don’t like EDM usually, but that song is somehow fucking 

amazing. But otherwise I’ve been listening to the old My 

Chemical Romance albums. 

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ALMA’s Have U Seen Her? album is due to land on 

15 May, 2020 via RCA Records/Sony Music. 

Instagram @cyberalm 

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KALTBLUT meets the 

HOMO boys 

Interview by Lewis Robert Cameron 

@lrcfashionstylist 

So last year I asked our KALTBLUT readers the question ‘What do you get when you mix Mean 

Girls, Paris Hilton, Pokemon and Sailor Moon with a couple of beefy hot dudes?’ The answers was 

new Queer label on the block HOMO, a cute and defiant T-shirt brand created and founded by two 

handsome HOMO’s named Karl and Orestes. Fast forward to 2020 (also known as the apocalypse), 

I catch up with the HOMOtastic duo to talk T-shirts, couple goals, celebrity thruples and being a 

diverse multicultural brand with a Queer as fuck endgame. 

It’s been almost a year since I 

interviewed you guys, tell me what you’ve 

been up to since then? 

Karl: Omg it’s been a year already?! 

We’ve been really busy! We’ve reached a 

700 sales milestone on our online store 

*yay*, extended our colour bases to pink 

and black with new vinyl prints, designed 

two new collections one for Autumn/ 

Winter and a brand new super fun Daddy 

collection, AND we have a few new artist 

collaborations coming up! 

Orestes: Also, this is a KALTBLUT 

exclusive! We have a very cool collection 

dropping soon. It’s called Drag Mouth. 

It’s a sassy collection of statement tees 

capturing the energy and drama of Drag 

Race. 

Wow, that is busy. I’m sweating rainbows 

just thinking about it. Now for those who 

may not be familiar, describe HOMO in a 

few words. 

Orestes: Playful, Zero Fucks, Inclusive, 

Queer Culture. 

You created HOMO together and we 

didn’t touch on it in great detail last 

time, but you guys are basically a virtual 

power couple! How does it feel to be the 

gay t-shirt version of Brangelina?

“We embrace 

all cultures 

& ethnicities 

and genders 

in our 

everyday life 

so that 

comes out 

in our 

label.” 

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Orestes: HOMO is relatable because we created 

something that we felt was missing to give it 

to people like us. We embrace all cultures and 

ethnicities and genders in our everyday life so 

that comes out in our label. 

Karl: Our house is multicultural, we are a 

mixture of Maltese-British and Greek-Cypriot 

We’ve always been the outcasts, never really 

fitted in with society or social groups and that’s 

why people resonate with HOMO because they 

have finally found their tribe, a place were they 

can express themselves without judgement and 

look cute doing it! 

What’s your favourite design from the new 

collection? 

Karl: We’re are really excited about the new 

artist collaborations! We’re obsessed with the 

designs, we definitely think that they fit in 

with our brand but and the same time add new 

flavour. We believe that there is a design in the 

mini collections for everyone. 

Orestes: Also the Drag Mouth collection. OMG! 

The Work and Slay tees written in text as if it was 

written on the werk room mirror with lipstick by 

one of the Queens. 

Sounds super cute AF! Can you spill any details 

about any other upcoming collections? 

Karl: We’re developing the idea of offering our 

customers a range of accessories to be paired 

with our range and add that extra flare to their 

wardrobe. 

Orestes: We’re also expanding our colour palette 

and possibly some new silhouettes. 

So a full HOMO lewk. Speaking of lewks, if 

your house was on fire and you could save only 

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one item of clothing from your wardrobe 

right now, what would it be and why this 

particular item? Don’t worry no HOMOs 

were harmed in this theoretical scenario. 

Karl: My House of Holland x UMBRO long 

sleeve tee because I like nothing more than 

a high-end/streetwear collab. The contrast 

of high-end and street is very inspiring to 

me. 

Orestes: My Versace Gold Ring - It’s the 

perfect accessory but mostly because it’s 

an anniversary gift from Karl. 

Seriously, stop trying to make me cry 

already! What was the last meme you 

looked at? 

Karl: Regina George saying ‘Sanitise your 

Fucking Hands’. 

Orestes: Carrie Bradshaw writing on her 

computer and contemplating ‘As I went out 

of my house without gloves and a facemask 

I couldn’t help but think to myself. Am I 

socially barebacking?’ 

LOL. I will be Googling those 

immediately. If you had an unlimited 

budget a la Chanel, Balmain etc what 

would a HOMO runway show look like? 

No expense spared. 

Karl: We’d have a big ass set like Chanel, 

models from Marco Marco, the creativity of 

KTZ, the opulence of Versace the swagger 

of Adidas and the playfulness of Moschino. 

So that needs to happen. Who would be on 

the Front row? 

Orestes: Paris Hilton, Cody Fern, Usagi 

aka Sailor Moon, Lion-O, Trinity the Tuck, 

Alaska, Billy Porter, Kim Petras, Dua Lipa, 

Lizzo, Dorian Electra, Rihanna, Jigglypuff. 

Last album you streamed? 

Orestes: Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia 

Last thing you watched on Netflix? 

Karl: Tiger King… #overrated 

Finally, what advice would you give to other 

couples who work together? 

Orestes: Don’t do it! 

Karl: On a more serious note- If your 

relationship is not 100% solid there’s a 

chance that it might break you apart. 

Good advice. Words to live by. Bonus 

question, and this is thanks to my next door 

neighbour’s little girl who always asks these 

kind of questions, what would you rather 

be, a unicorn or a giant iridescent butterfly? 

Orestes: Duh?! A unicorn! 

Karl: Plus, you can use the horn as a dildo! 

I wish I’d never asked. :P. 

Instagram @homo_london 

Shop etsy.com/uk/shop/ 

HomolondonStore 

Meet the Designers 

Instagram @theotherkarl 

Instagram @mro_presents 

Photography by Remi McQuen 

@remithephotographer 

OMG Jigglypuff. I know her. What would 

Anna Wintour say about the show and 

what HOMO Tee would she wear? 

BOTH: She’s not invited. 

THE SHADE. What music would play 

at the show? Top 3 tracks, go. Or if you 

could have one person perform live for 

the show, who would it be? 

Karl: WJSN - Save me, Save You 

Lovelyz - Joyland 

Kim Petras- I don’t want it at all 

Orestes: Jodie Harsh would do a mean DJ 

set #icon . I can’t DJ myself cause I’d be 

backstage. 

If you could dress one band in all the 

world in HOMO tees who would it be and 

why? 

Karl: 80’s Wham! They tick our all HOMO 

boxes. 

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CRYONICS2020 

Photographer & Concept Creator Fouad Tadros @fouad_ 

Visual Director Nour Mady @nourmady 

Assistant Photographer Raja Nehme @rajanehme 

Make-Up Artist Sharbel Hasbany @sharbelhasbany 

Fashion Stylist Jeff Aoun @jeff.aoun 

Hair Stylist Ivan Kuz @ivan_kuz 

Models Vladislavka from Velvet Management @vladislavka_15 

@velvetmanagement 

& Alex Al Ahmar @alexalahmar @dalaeido @depotventebeirut 

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Gloves - MANOKHI 

Top - DALAEIDO “Recycled Silk” Summoning Summer19 

Corset - Hand-Made by Depot-Vente Beirut 

Skirt - DALAEIDO “Recycled Silk” Summoning Summer19 

Pants - DALAEIDO “Recycled Silk” Summoning Summer19 

Heels - Dolce Gabbana 

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Shirt - Dala Eido Minimus (Chantier Insolite Revisited 2020 Collection) 

Pants - Loewe 

Necklace - Dior 

Earrings - Marina Fossati 

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Mask - PROVIDEX OXYGEN MASK 

Jacket - Sandro Paris 

Pants - Vintage Hein Gericke 

Heels - Dolce Gabbana 

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Coat - DALAEIDO Maximus (Chantier Insolite Revisited 2020 Collection) 

Belt - Asos Design 

Tights - Calzedonia 

Man’s Wardrobe 

Shirt - DALAEIDO Mephistopheles shirt 

Coat - Multiples 

Woman’s Wardrobe 

Dress - DALAEIDO Insolite Collection 


Heels - Dolce and Gabbana 


Necklace - JessicaK 

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Brassiere - FELINE hand-made by Nawal.A 

Dress - Courege 

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Entire Look DALAEIDO (Chantier Insolite Revisited 2020 Collection) 

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Scarf - Collusion 

Coat - Multiples 

Necklace - Kript Cable Lock 

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Coat - DALAEIDO Maximus (Chantier Insolite Revisited 2020 Collection) 



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Thebe Magugu photos by Kristin-Lee Moolman set against against the backdrop of the Ipopeng township in the mining town of Kimberley 

@thebem 

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New Age: 

Generation 

Africa 

Text by Anna Barr @annoula_b 

agugu 

Two of the biggest names in 

fashion at the moment Virgil 

Abloh and Edward Enninful 

were both born to Ghanaian 

immigrant parents on other 

sides of the pond. It is also 

the diaspora that has been 

raising a light on the continent 

and many young independent 

designers opting 

to work with African tailors 

and local artisans on the 

continent than factories in 

China. But more importantly 

during these confusing days, 

Covid-19 is seeing a turning 

point in the fashion industry 

that could potentially change 

our consumption culture. 

Fashion likes to pride itself 

on reinvention, but when 

was the last time we could 

honestly say we have seen 

that? 

In the North, we have been 

suffering from Generation 

Burnout partially in due to 

the cult of productivity. We 

are stressed, full of climate 

anxiety as the planet is on a 

breaking point and we just 

can’t meditate that away. In 

the end, we have suffered 

from being time poor. In order 

to survive, future trends 

will change according to consumer 

needs and businesses 

need to prioritize quality over 

quantity, but most of all the glorification of busyness will need to come 

to an end and we will see the birth of a new age where designers will 

encourage us slowing down. The newfound energy in Africa is also at the 

forefront of the slow fashion movement. While this sounds revolutionary, 

the most famous African designer, Azzedine Alaia, showed us that you 

can write your own rules and still be successful. 

Tunisia and Morocco have a forgotten history made up of collaborations, 

craftsmanship, manufacturers for many luxury French brands. Today, 

Esmod Tunisia is the leading Fashion school of North Africa and in Morocco 

we have seen Dior invite guests to its cruise show in Marrakech 

while designers Amine Bendriouich and Charaf Tajer of hype brand 

Casablanca put the country in a new epicentre of culture crossroads 

alongside many African diaspora creatives. 

Tajer, who had previously consulted to Supreme and Off-White, draws 

upon inspiration from his Moroccan roots that has seen rappers like 

Skepta and Gunna decked out in his clothes, but by manufacturing in 

Morocco he has also given new found confidence that could see the future 

of manufacturing heading south. Earlier this year he was shortlisted 

for the prestigious LVMH Prize and stated “My wish is for CASABLANCA 

to join the legacy of French luxury brands and to signal a new wave of 

classic brands.’ 

LVMH has been keeping a close eye on Africa in recent years as Nigeria 

and Angola are also some of the leading consumers of luxury on the planet. 

What we also see is a generation returning home from studying abroad 

to work and cutting down on overhead costs. Last year two African designers 

in the LVMH Prize final, Nigerian Kenneth Ize and Thebe Magugu, 

have made their Paris Fashion Week debut, but can LVMH also validate 

Africans to buy designs from Africans? 

With the African Union having launched the operational phase of the Africa 

Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), it will be the world’s largest free 

trade area by number of countries once it’s up and running, making exporting 

more interesting. Additionally, imports of used clothing from the 

US have also been curbed which prevented the continent from building its 

own industry in the past when it was flooded with cheap crap. The more 

relevant question should be: Does Africa need to be reliant on overseas? 

37

Thebe Magugu photos by Kristin-Lee Moolman set against against the backdrop of the Ipopeng township in the mining town of Kimberley 

@thebem 

38

Nigeria has the biggest economy in terms 

of nominal GDP on the continent and OG 

Supermodel Naomi Campbell has been 

a big supporter of Lagos’s Arise Fashion 

Week. She extended her support of Nigerian 

talent walking the Kenneth Ize show 

in Paris. The young designer focuses on 

reinterpreting Nigerian craftsmanship. 

With a community of weavers, textile 

makers and artisans across the country, 

he is producing luxury pieces that doesn’t 

steer away from nurturing existing cultures 

and bring the aesthetic to the future 

forefront. To be accepted on the official 

Paris Fashion Week Calendar is already a 

validation of quality. 

The continent is having a resource boom, 

there is no doubt that the in-equality gap 

has grown, but with a generation connected 

online, we are witnessing a creative 

boom as well. Coincidence or not, 

Africa has the fastest growing population 

under 30. Each African country will follow 

its own growth path, but as a continent, 

it is looking as a think tank of cool. The 

feminist movement might not be making 

as much noise, but it exists, and Africa 

will gain 10% to its GDP if women enter 

the workforce at the same rate as men according 

to the Economist. 

Vogue Italia “Who’s On Next Dubai” 2015 

winner Sindiso Khumalo focuses not only 

on sustainable clothing with an emphasis 

on African history but also is inspired by 

her activist mother. This motivated her to 

bring values of social equality and female 

empowerment into her brand and into 

her Cape Town atelier where she takes 

the time to also train women in her signature 

textile prints and embroidery with 

fair and equal pay. Africa and women 

empowerment is part of the brand DNA 

as each pieces tells a story about it from 

history. 

Kenneth Ize FW20 Adwoa Aboah photos by Shoji Fuji 

@kennethize 

agugu 

By controlling the whole supply chain and 

manufacturing, like many independent 

designers, she is putting the critical issues 

of distribution infrastructure in her own 

hands. If materials are supplied reliably, 

then technically there are no problems to 

make this system work except for delivery. 

Will African fashion get the structure that 

it needs? E-commerce is growing not just 

with more brands to buy online but future 

consumers. Having this new market also 

means that many designers are taking the 

time to gain creditability through sustainability 

in the emerging market where luxury 

is a consumer that consumes wisely 

whether its custom-made, eco-friendly, 

upcycled, rent or swap. 

Kenneth Ize FW20 Naomi Campell photos by Shoji Fuji 

@kennethize 

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Casablanca SS20 shot on film by Remi Ferrante Hartman 

@casablancabrand 

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The difference between the 

photography, music and overall 

creative boom vs fashion, is 

that it relies on a supply chain 

which hasn’t been integrated 

properly into the global 

fashion system which is now 

showing its cracks. Generation 

Africa’s revolution will 

definitely need to be digital. 

Exposure that social media 

has been given not only creates 

an online platform to sell, 

but due to the small quantities, 

slow fashion offers something 

authentic and a connection 

to a designer has never 

played a stronger role. In this 

David and Goliath world, the 

social media fashion giants 

and influencers have turned 

social media into a catalyst for 

loneliness. 

South African designer Thebe 

Magugu, who creates visions 

of empowered, African 

femininity, is the first African 

designer to be awarded the 

LVMH Prize, he also belongs 

to the “Born Free” Generation 

which came of age following 

the fall of the apartheid system 

in ’94. Like the fall of the 

Iron Curtain or Berlin Wall, 

there is a cultural landscape 

driven by this new generation 

that needs to connect. 

With his yearbook style zine 

Faculty Press made up of 

with editors Lelo Meslani and 

Amy Zama, and art directors 

Abi and Claire Meekel, they 

spotlight South African talent 

from musicians Fela Gucci 

and Desire Marea of Faka, activist 

Lady Skolliet to photographer 

Travys Owen. Magugu 

describes it as a “zine dedicated 

to capturing key moments, 

ideas, and thoughts from the 

emerging voices that engage 

with and move our cultural 

landscape forward.” 

Welcome to the new age of 

Generation Africa. 

Sindiso Khumalo Collection 7 courtesy of the designer 

@sindisokhumalo 

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DIVE IN: 6 Iceland Airwaves artists 

share their must-have albums of all-time 

Interview & pictures by Alex Howard @alxmvh 

In Reykjavík, the first week of November is synonymous with Iceland Airwaves. The music festival takes over the 

windy city for four nights and days. Unlikely storefronts are transformed into stages, and venues brim with festivalgoers: 

from KEX Hostel to the Art Museum, Gamla Bíó to Fríkirkjan. The lineup is always a hearty mix of local talent 

and foreign acts who have yet to play the island. The combination results in a unique, often magical experience. There 

is always another act around the corner to be discovered. 

Last year, we caught up Icelandic headliners and up-and-coming international artists to ask them each the same 

question. Inspired by the icy shores, we wondered which album these six Airwaves performers would bring to a deserted 

island. That is: if you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

Check out all of these must-have albums on our Spotify playlist here 

GDRN 

Rumours by Fleetwood Mac: “It’s my all-time favourite album! 

I started listening to it in 2014 and haven’t stopped since.” 

@eyfjord 

Hatari 

STUMM433: “We pick recent Mute Records’ compilation 

STUM433, featuring many of our favourite artists – an album with 

great variety and interpretations on a piece that changed our 

understanding of music.” 

@hatari_official 

Kælan Mikla 

Up the Bracket by The Libertines: “I’ve listened to it repeatedly for the last 12 years and 

it still makes me jump around and I never want to skip a song.” - Laufey Soffía 

Heligoland by Massive Attack: “It’s a modern musical masterpiece that fits no genre 

in general and has such a variety of atmosphere and feelings that fits all moods. Each 

time I listen to it, I hear elements I haven’t heard before. I will stay impressed and in 

love forever.” - Sólveig Matthildur 

Doolittle by Pixies: “It’s definitely one of my all-time favourite albums. I can listen to it 

over and over again and never get tired of it, every song is a banger!” - Maggý Rósa 

@kaelanmikla 

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Shame 

@shame 

Remain In Light by Talking Heads: “Only this year have I properly 

explored the band’s music, and I know it’s something that will stick 

with me for the rest of my life. Even in modern times, the sounds 

on the album sound futuristic, and the lyrics and melodies 

completely unique. A truly inspiring piece of work.” – Charlie Steen 

Slanted and Enchanted by Pavement: “I haven’t got bored of it 

yet, so hopefully it would stand the test of time on the desert 

island.” - Charlie Forbes 

Women by Women: “Purely for the fact it has the song ‘Shaking 

Hand’ on it, I could listen to that track forever. That or God 

Bless Tiny Tim.” - Josh Finerty 

In Rainbows by Radiohead - Sean Coyle-Smith 

Ghosts of the Great Highway by Sun Kil Moon: “There’s like 3 versions 

of each song so you’d never get bored.” – Eddie Green 

Madame Gandhi 

The Best of the Black President by Fela Kuti: “Each 14-minute long 

political afrobeat song elevates my mood and motivates my spirit.” 

@madamegandhi 

W.H. Lung 

Grace by Jeff Buckley + Getz/Gilberto by João Gilberto and Stan 

Getz + In Rainbows by Radiohead: “To be played at the same 

time.” - Joseph. E, Tom. S, Tom. P, Mercer Main, Mulligan, Olson 

@whlung 

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“Love garlic, onion 

Gorillaz and Grime 

Eugenio Andrade Schulz 

Interview by Amanda M. Jansson 

@littlesuicidecandy 

Fall in love with Eugenio Andrade Schulz and his 70s-80s inspired sinister photographic universe! The 22 year 

old Mexican artist mostly works with fashion labels, fashion weeks, magazines, and musicians. Using his images to 

interpret his surroundings, he poses questions regarding social, religious, and sexual issues. 

44

s, Fleetwood Mac, 

s.“ 

45

46

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Your photography is really cinematic. The atmosphere 

you create is incredible. Would you say cinema has 

influenced your perspective? 

A lot of things are reflected in my photography, 

cinema influences my everyday life, professionally and 

personally. So, yes, movies are always changing my 

perspective. 

What other influences do you have? 

I think it´s important to stay open to options, not just 

professionally but personally, people around me, music, 

activities, daily routines, etc. Music is always influencing 

the way I act, so many things happening all the time, 

people writing, singing, dancing, creating. 

What would be your favorite decade to live and work in? 

I feel that my work has a strong 70’s influence, tones, 

graphics, fashion, organic shapes, but personally I love 

80’s aesthetics, geometrical shapes, strong contrasts with 

a bit more risky colors. 

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Do you prefer fashion or portraits and why? 

I love both concepts, fashion photography and portrait 

documentation. Nowadays, I think that fashion is taking 

a more human direction, model representation, concepts, 

so I wouldn’t consider fashion photography without 

conceptual portraits facing it. 

You shoot a lot of film. How did that come about and 

what advantages does it give you? 

I shoot on film and digital, mostly digital now because I’m 

a bit disorganized so film can get a bit chaotic, negatives 

everywhere. I do love film because it can be more 

spontaneous and unique, texture, colors, process, but my 

digitals get somehow analogue by physical manipulation 

of the images. Both have different results, depending on 

what your needs are. 

If you were to shoot a movie what would it be like? 

I’m obsessed with stop motion movies, all the manual 

work around it, small characters and mock-ups. I’d love 

to do something like that or something like Carrie, a pop 

culture hit. 

Instagram @eugenioaschulz 

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51

ON THE CONVEYOR BELT WITH 

“That’s just who I am. That’s just 

me. So, I wouldn’t say it was 

planned out in any type of way. 

It’s just how I feel. This is how I go 

about pretty much my daily life.” 

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MATTIEL Interview 

by Aysha Hussain @ayshashanta 

Photos by Kelia Anne MacCluskey, Press 

With Mattiel Brown at the forefront, Mattiel comes complete with a band alongside Jonah Swilley, Travis 

Murphy and Jordan Manley. Good old fashioned retro rock ‘n’ roll chic endorsed by the likes of Jack 

White, Mattiel oozes substance in the raucous nature of the tracks, layered with an understated velvet-rich 

tone from the vocals. These blend to evoke an old-world storytelling that combines itself with what seems 

to have become a trademark Mattiel cheekiness. Second album Satis Factory continues Mattiel’s journey 

and take on a self-progression beyond repetition and fully realising your potential without settling. 

Outside of the music, Mattiel’s background in visuals come to play in the form of art direction and stylistic 

endeavours both in music videos and photo shoots. It is also refreshing that as the world dives into the 

throes of ‘woke’ culture and the derivatives that come with gender constructs, that this is just the way 

Mattiel feels in expressing herself. An authenticity to be and feel who you are, and a reminder that we all 

should reach for this as the norm. 

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KALTBLUT shot the breeze in pre-COVID-19 times (Dec 2019) 

with Mattiel Brown and Jonah Swilley from the band when 

borders were open for music, and the future was a different 

arena. Simpler times. 

How did you get into music and form Mattiel? 

Mattiel: I met Jonah [Swilley] and Randy [Michael] in 2014. I hadn’t 

really written anything before that and I had always wanted to get into 

music but I’ve never really either had the right resources or thought I 

could actually do it. It’s really all about meeting the right people. 

What has been your biggest challenges creating and working 

together? 

Mattiel: For me, in this industry, it’s like lending service into 

my gut feeling. Or doubting them or letting other people in 

the industry or at labels do so. It makes me doubt myself. I 

think that’s very challenging for me. Everybody has a sense 

of self-doubt and it’s just about learning how to squash it. 

Jonah: We work with other people, other creative people 

firing on all sides and ideas. It is getting over the trust 

of the group working with a crew, settling creative 

differences and meeting in the middle. 

Your last album Satis Factory is a great title and a 

cover. What’s the story behind that? 

Mattiel: The title originated from the song 

Millionaire [on the album]. As I put together the 

packaging of the album cover, I thought of the 

factory concept and split into two words. 

For me, it is repetition of the continuation 

of work and keeping the ball rolling, not 

getting too comfortable. A battle against 

becoming too satisfied. But that’s what 

I found in common with most other 

artists, that you can’t really stop. You 

can’t really finish and say this is good 

enough. It’s a constant manufacturing 

of work. I think that’s a good thing. 

54

What inspires you in your song writing, 

whether content or form? 

Jonah: Musically, for me, it is. But found 

these inspire a whole song, and if I can hear 

something in a new way, it helps me kind of 

create a landscape by composition. It’s up to 

you to make that. 

Mattiel: When we write a song, Jonah 

is writing the music primarily and I am 

interpreting that emotionally. Whether I 

want to put something on it to juxtapose the 

actual sound with what I’m speaking about 

or singing about, I want something to match 

up with the sound. I mean, that’s what is 

inspired. The vibe of what we are doing. 

Once it reaches that point, I have sources 

of inspiration that range from people and 

music to other writers. 

And what do you listen to? 

Mattiel: The music that I listen to is 

maybe other people wouldn’t expect 

me to. I don’t know if that really 

directly influences the music 

that we’re making right now, 

but music like 

European jazz, Pakistani 

pop from the 60s. But 

of course, we’re not 

making that. 

Jonah: I don’t really 

listen to a lot of 

music anymore I 

don’t think. I had 

kind of strayed 

away from that. 

I’ve got my 

band and 

my friends 

that do that 

around me. 

How did going on tour with Jack White come about? 

Mattiel: We had a record out in America on Burger [Records] and 

they sent this record to Third Man [Records] and Jack’s nephew wrote 

about it on his blog. They then invited us to play at the record store 

in 2017 and a few months later we were on tour [with Jack White] for 

some US states. It was wonderful! 

In your music videos, like have a really playful element to it. Do you 

guys have much creative input to these? 

Mattiel: Every person that has made the video with me, I’ve worked 

with before. I was at a design agency for a while, so that’s where I met 

them. We had already worked in a studio for years prior to making 

those videos. I take on the role as a co-director and set design and 

I choose all the styling outfits. I’m art director, basically and I really 

enjoy doing that. I’d love to do that for other artists when I have time. 

Mattiel, in your style there’s a lot of gender fluidity, the blending of 

masculinity and femininity. Was this a deliberate choice? 

Mattiel: That’s just who I am. That’s just me. So, I wouldn’t say it was 

planned out in any type of way. It’s just how I feel. This is how I go 

about pretty much my daily life. 

Are there any collaborations in the pipeline or any sort of dream 

collaborations maybe you’d want to do? 

Jonah: There’s a couple of things on the table that we’re trying to 

figure out. It being the holiday, it’s a bit of a dormant period. But yeah, 

for next year [2020] I would have collaborations on. Cool and fun stuff. 

What can we look forward to from Mattiel in the future? 

Mattiel: I’d like to have a piece of holiday work in the making. I think 

that’ll be a fun thing to do. Also, it looks like a lot of touring. To be 

sure, in January, February, March, April, the US etc. I can’t wait for it. 

What are you most looking forward to when touring and being on 

the road? 

Mattiel: That’s a hard question because being on tour is not a creative 

act. It’s very much a lot of work. But the best times I have on tour are 

being close with the people I play music with and forming memories 

that way, having a good time and meeting new people. I also generally 

have a little bit of a soft side for Europe personally. 

Jonah: If we can get to into Japan and Australia that would be pretty 

cool. I like being in Europe and the UK, it’s also a blast. We’re pretty 

used to playing there. 

Instagram @mattielbrown 

mattiel.com 

55

Always Yours 

Beret - Ainara Antxia 

Pants - Eñaut 

Blazer - Scotch & Soda 

Blazer - Llamazares y de Delgado 

Photography Victor Supertramp @victorsupertramp 

Photography Assistant Jennifer de los Mozos @jennmozos 

and Héctor Ges @hectorges 

Stylist Xènia Gabarri @eugene.ripa 

Stylist Assistant Erika Acosta @whoevererikais 

Make-Up Anna González @makeuplikexnnx 

Hair Ruben Mongés @hairbyrubmongs 

Set Design Anna Gustems @agustems.official 

Models Adrià @adriaaolveraa Marc @sooldado_13 Beza @kaydybrown 

From Blare Management @blaremanagement 

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Pants - Fred Perry 

Socks - Burlington 

Shoes - Andrea Chenier 


Top - Twinset 


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Top - Twinset


Pants - Fred Perry 



Beret - Ainara Antxia 



Top - Twinset 


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Dress - Angel Marco 

Top - Angel Marco


Top - Angel Marco 




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Top - Eñaut 

Necklace - To Garal 

Pants - Ainara Antxia 

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Dress - Llamazares y de Delgado 



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Coat - Eñaut 

Pants - Llamazares y de Delgado 

Head piece - To Garal 




Suspenders - Scotch & Soda



Coat - Eñaut 


Head piece - To Garal 




Suspenders - Scotch & Soda 

Suspenders - Scotch & Soda 

Ear piece - To Garal 

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Shirt - Ainara Antxia

Jumpsuit - Eñaut 

Shirt - Ainara Antxia 

Pants - Angel Marco 


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Between us by Daria 

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PietrykaText by Marta Dziedziniewicz 

@dzydzolina 

Between Us is the latest artistic 

project by Daria Pietryka, 

born in 1983, a Wroclaw-based 

painter, architect, interior 

and exhibition set designer. 

The subject of the show is human 

relations - a broad, multilayered 

and dynamic issue. 

Humans as social beings are 

entangled in a network of micro 

and macro relationships - 

with themselves, with others, 

with the surrounding world. 

The relation itself is treated 

as a process, because our relationships 

are dynamic, they 

change, evolve, require work, 

sacrifice and attention. Neglected 

they get complicated 

or simply end. Pietryka carefully 

observes herself in the 

world, collects experiences, 

notes observations, questions 

and problems, and examines 

the emotions accompanying 

them. From that very moment 

images begin to appear in her 

head. It all starts with an experience, 

an observation and 

a feeling. Then it’s the time 

for reflection and sketches. 

Finishing paintings takes a 

lot of time and work, the artist 

changes them many times, 

applies subsequent layers of 

paint, interferes with the canvas 

with thread, sand, colour, 

builds a multilayer structure. 

Thus, another protagonist of 

the exhibition is painting itself, 

both in the context of skill 

and craft, but also as a form of 

complex narration. 

Daria designs interiors and 

architecture professionally. 

According to her, art is an inseparable 

element of architecture 

and design. She has been 

painting since she can remember 

and considers painting to 

be her first real passion. 

Between Us (Spring), 140x100cm, oil on canvas 

For Daria, painting is a kind of 

meditation, a journey inside 

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“I am fascinated by ambiguities. 

I strive for my paintings to be multilayered, 

both in a metaphorical and 

a formal sense. I think this is the 

key to the balance between form 

and substance that I am looking for. 

The stories found in my works are 

drawn from reality – from everyday 

situations, people, or nature. 

When painting, I translate them into 

metaphors, which I dress in colors, 

shapes, textures, shadows and 

half-shadows. I think art should be 

thought-provoking, so I am glad 

when the viewer interprets images 

in their own language. Then, what is 

personal to me becomes universal, 

through painting, and my work takes 

on layers and new meanings. It 

becomes alive.” 

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Daria Pietryka

Wrestling, 90x90cm, oil on canvas 

US, diptych 80x80cm + 55×80 , oil on canvas, 2019 

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Together, 100x140cm, oil on canvas, 2020 

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herself and another person. She paints 

what she cannot convey in words. Things 

that inspire her are life, experiences, places, 

traveling, books, and everyday life, 

which she does not consider dull or monotonous. 

Painting is her way of dealing 

with emotions and working out the world 

around her. It is closely connected to her 

thought process. In one of her interviews 

she stated that she would have to stop 

thinking in order to stop painting. 

In the series Between Us , Daria returns to 

the observation of herself and others and 

expands these thoughts by exploring the 

subject of our relations. Between Us is not 

an autobiographical exhibition, but it naturally 

draws on everyday life, which presents 

us with a great variety of themes: being a 

person in the world, in a community, in the 

family, in motherhood, in relationships, in 

friendships and with oneself, and finally - 

being a woman in the aforementioned universe. 

There is also a subtle thread of our 

relationship with nature - we are part of the 

natural world and we need to connect with 

it, but entangled in modernity we often forget 

about it. In her paintings, Daria takes on 

these subjects and the emotions associated 

with them and celebrates the process, both 

in the context of human experience in the 

world and of her painting craft. 

She portraits love stories of a couple, which 

strike the viewer with sober look and maturity. 

The artist gives up idealized visions in favour of an honest celebration 

of love as an art of choice, compromise, working on oneself and with one 

another, accepting flaws or limitations of one’s own and of others. Each 

love relationship is governed by its own rhythm, we attract and disgust 

each other, we set and push the boundaries, sometimes we live with each 

other and sometimes next to each other, waves of passion come and go. In 

such a dynamic scenery you have to be an alert observer and a participant 

at the same time. 

Losing oneself in relations and regaining oneself is a theme present in the 

paintings dealing with motherhood, in which Pietryka persistently avoids 

glorification. Her madonnas lose their heads, bodies and their own identity 

for the sake of the higher purpose that is new life, new person. This very 

painful aspect of women’s sacrifice, which is not talked about or considered 

the natural turn of things, resounds loudly here. 

The vessel of these micro and macro stories, experiences and emotions is 

the body. The body is what we have and what is familiar and close to us, it 

is our daily companion and personal territory, although the female body 

often becomes a battlefield for entire communities. For Pietryka, the bodies 

of her paintings’ subjects become the territory of research of painterly 

solutions. The skin that used to be pale, stone-like and matte in her earlier 

works, now takes on life and colour. Vague faces emphasize the universality 

of characters and experiences present in the paintings. 

Ambiguity plays an important role in the Between Us project, which is 

the fruit of insightful observations and deliberations, as well as painting 

experiments. Pietryka does not care about issuing opinions or commenting 

on reality in a specific way. She treats her paintings more as an invitation 

for the viewer to interpret freely and individually, as a feast for the 

imagination; thus her works are constructed with the aim of catching our 

attention. The elements of this strategy are the composition which arouses 

tension and anxiety, the applied colors and their contrasts, a multidimensional 

structure of the painting where one can see the paint work and 

numerous interferences in the canvas, elements of collage. 

Instagram @dariapietryka_atelier 

daria-pietryka.com 

74 

Between Us (Red), 80x160cm, oil on canvas, 2018

I dissapear 90x80cm + assamblage 60x80cm , oil on canvas / own technique, 2020 

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Romanian 

masters 

Photography by 

Jennifer Pircalabescu 

jenezep.com 

@jenezep 

Model is Victoria Avram 

signed at Attitude Models 

@victoria.avram 

Make-Up by Mihaela Cherciu 

mihaelacherciu.com 

@mihaelacherciu 

Hair by Sebastian Sarghie 

jupiterproduction.ro 

@sebastian.sarghie 

Styling by Balsamo Francesca 

@balsamofrancesca 

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Sweater - Sabina Pop 

Headpiece - Vergine Santa Frida 

Gloves - Vergine Santa Frida 

Dress - Vintage 

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Blazer - Comme des Garcons 

Gloves - Ioana Ciolacu 

Headpiece - Vergine Santa Frida 

Earrings - The italian vintage shop 

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Dress - Vladimir Sirbu 

Hat - Jacquemus 



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Dress - Lanvin 



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Body - Ioana Ciolacu 

Scarf - Versace 

Blazer- Vintage 

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Coat - Vladimir Sirbu 

Sweater & Gloves - Ana Capsali 

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LATIFICATION by Babak Haghi 

@babak.haghi.artworks 

Dancer:Latif @latification 

Turkey, Istanbul, 2019 

“I’m Babak Haghi from Iran.I have been researching and photographing about queer artists 

in Iran and Turkey around 4 years. Latif is a queer dancer who lives in Istanbul. I met 

him in Istanbul and did photography with him in Serkan Dance House. We designed styles 

together and he danced.” 

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20 QUEST 

MEET FASH 

ANNA BARR 

Interview by Marcel Schlutt @marcel_schlutt 

It’s my pleasure to introduce you to style icon Anna 

Barr. She is a fashion editor at Fucking Young! and 

PAIRS project. One of the most important voices when 

it comes to supporting young designers. I had a talk 

with Anna about her career in the fashion world. And 

how does the Coronavirus lockdown impact her work 

as an editor. 

Did you always want to work in media? If not, 

what was your dream job when you were younger? 

I never really thought about media growing up because I always had the idea that I had to 

be in New York to work in media. I also had a friend’s uncle put the idea in my head that I 

could grow up to be an air hostess because I was blonde and had long legs. So, my dream 

job was to be a trolly dolly and then as I got older, I thought screw it, any job that allows me 

to travel will do! 

What was the most valuable lesson you learned from the worst job you ever had, and 

what was that job? 

I’ve had so many jobs in many different fields, but the worst ironically have always been in 

fashion. I’m not going to lie, the atmosphere can be very toxic depending on the team, and 

90

I haven’t experienced this anywhere else. The worst job has been where 

there were power struggles amongst team members, but it has taught me 

a lot about democracy and choosing the people I work with wisely, even if 

that means saying no to some projects that have big names and creative 

geniuses. The most valuable lesson I have learned, is that unless there is 

money involved, I won’t do something if I am not going to learn something 

new, because you can’t put a price tag on that. I’m so hungry to learn 

everything, I will do rigging and lighting because its new to me! 

What do you consider to be your first “big break” in your career? 

I suffered a bit from dyslexia and I was “creative” so my portfolio was 

always full of imagery not text. My first big break for me was when I 

was working in forecasting and they trusted me to write B2B forecasting 

analysis because I didn’t think I could write before. However, career wise, 

but the characters of other people too. I’m so motivated by love and understanding 

love that its somewhat of an obsession. I read “Even Cowgirls 

Get The Blues” by Tom Robbins in high school and that was the book that 

made me want to travel and meet people, adventures in the lowest and 

highest places, but it was “Dune” by Frank Herbert that really made me 

want to learn and help me learn how to learn. 

What are the most common mistakes for Fashion Editors and how 

can we solve them? 

I think every Editor is different, but a mistake that many of us have is just 

meeting people who brag and name drop and its up to us to be confident 

enough to say if we don’t like it or not. Of course its hard when advertising 

is involved and you have to put your taste on the line. I think the best 

way to solve them is having to say no. 

IONS 

What is your greatest strength in your role as an Editor? 

Every editor is different, I think in my case, my strength is that I have 

been in the same city for many years and have built a reputation and 

network. Many people want fast results, but Paris doesn’t work that way! 

What is your greatest challenge? 

Paris also doesn’t have the money like New York and London, even if it 

is the fashion capital. I consult a lot outside of fashion and my biggest 

challenge is having people give a chance on me. 

ION EDITOR 

it was probably interning at Hermès RTW in the late 90s. I was still a kid 

and I didn’t know at the time the influential people I was with (Martin and 

Véronique) because there were only three of us interns and everyone was 

so nice. It set my standards early on, not just in fashion, but in everything 

in life. Veronique asked me what I wanted to do (and that could have been 

a proposal for me to say I want to work with you), but I was honest and 

said I wanted to travel, and she told me I would never regret it and after 

I graduated I moved to Japan for three years. It may have been career 

suicide, but I don’t regret it one bit! 

What’s the first thing you do in the morning to get your workday 

started? 

Every morning I read about ten different newspapers from very different 

perspectives. I can’t begin the day or digest anything in my own line of 

work without knowing what the world is going through at the moment. 

What do you get most distracted by at work? 

Probably by all the things that aren’t related to fashion that I’m fascinated 

with because I can see the correlation. 

What two or three books would you say have had the biggest impact 

on who you are today? 

I first read Milan Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being during 

identify with a different one. It has helped me not only understand myself 

What’s your go-to method for winding down after a long day? 

I won’t lie, its probably watching The Daily Show. 

What is the one skill you wished you’d learned before becoming 

an Editor? 

There is so much as an editor that you don’t learn at university or college. 

I actually wish, like many designers, that I learned how to put together a 

business plan and do accounting, because there are some shitty designers 

and “creatives” that get far in the industry just because they are good 

with numbers and writing shit down. 

How would you describe your job in five words? 

Creative, free, honest, aspirational, hard 

How do you work during the Coronavirus times? How does the 

lockdown impact your work? 

I also lecture on fashion forecasting at several universities in Paris and 

consult, so most of my lectures have been cancelled for this year along 

with some creative projects I was producing for some French music festivals. 

In regards to my online work, with Pairs Project we struggle as we 

don’t have access to develop our 35mm film at the moment, with Fucking 

Young!, it’s a struggle to cover fashion while not knowing the future. We 

are all conscious of consumerism, the effect on the environment and now 

on people’s wallets as we enter recession. It’s up to not just us, but the 

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whole community to rethink the role of fashion and it’s 

supply chain as a whole. 

What is your part at Fucking Young! and and are 

you more into mens or womenswear? 

I’m the Global Content Editor at Fucking Young, so really 

whether its music or cinema, I have to think how 

it affects us in fashion. I’ve been more into menswear 

as long as I can remember. As a woman, menswear has 

always been more fluid. For years, I felt that womenswear 

designers always had you pegged as either the 

housewife or whore, it never represented what women 

actually are and wear. Womens is also unnecessarily 

too fast paced with trivial trends and relies a lot on “it 

girls” and influencers, which I can’t stand as most of 

those people already come from money and a planet 

that I don’t live on. I think things are finally changing 

though. Women are getting sick of the privileged shoving 

things down our throats. 

Let’s talk about PAIRS project.. What is Pairs 

project and what does it stand for? 

A couple of years ago I was very depressed in the industry 

and I read an article from Lars von Trier talking 

about his own depression. I remembered when he introduced 

Dogme’95 to challenge filmmakers through 

their strict rules and only through following the rules 

you can find the real story teller. I felt that fashion was 

obsessed with names from photographers, stylists to 

brands, so I wanted to approach fashion photography 

like Dogme ’95 and rewrite the rules. We chose 35mm 

photography so that way the photographers would 

have to capture the story on only one roll of film and 

not edit the photos whatsoever. We called it Dogme 

’16. 

already used to working with divas, having everything gone wrong, coming up with solutions, 

and working crazy hours! However, what really changed for me is seeing how babies are 

not born equal at all. It’s a myth saying we are, everyone comes from different economic 

and social backgrounds. Becoming a mother has really given me a perspective on the have 

and have nots. Additionally, I don’t know if my child will live to be thirty, that’s how serious 

climate change and politics are. So every little thing that fashion and social media puts out 

there, I now see through a different perspective. I won’t even write or cover anything Kanye 

West related for example. I think it’s dangerous and toxic not only when he speaks of his 

support for Trump but when he spoke against abortion without being fully educated on the 

topic. The list can go on and on. I am seeing so many dangers at the moment that sometimes 

I think I am going insane, but then I speak with some of my Gen-Z colleagues and they see it 

and know what I’m talking about and it gives me hope. 

What is the biggest challenge for you as a mother working in the fashion world? 

After becoming a mom, I discovered how many other moms there are in the industry and we 

don’t have more challenges than any other industry except that its hard to be competitive 

and have crazy hours when you have other priorities, but I don’t see it as a challenge, it just 

forced me to be more selective. 

Any wise words you wanna share? 

The industry is completely saturated, but what we need are people with solutions. We have 

major challenges ahead like climate change and we need good people to fight these battles. 

@annoula_b 

www.pairsproject.com 

www.fuckingyoung.es 

Why did you decided to work with analog photography 

only? 

I was frustrated when working in digital that the 

photographers couldn’t see the big picture and were 

would easily take 50-100 photos on one look, when 

I felt a good photographer could shoot it on less than 

one roll of film. Photographers to this day still think 

we are crazy asking for everything on one roll unedited, 

but what do they think that everyone did twenty 

years ago? Really, we aren’t doing anything revolutionary, 

we are just cutting out the bullshit. 

What are your future plans with Pairs Project? 

It’s a Project and it’s ongoing. We are doing more and 

more with musicians because we have found over 

the years that musicians come from a more authentic 

place. We need more brands to support our vision 

if we are to continue as an annual print zine, but I 

started creating zines when I was teenager, so I’m not 

afraid to explore different shapes, sizes and papers. I 

would love to do a full photocopied issue, preferably 

with someone’s spreadsheets on the back to up-cycle! 

How does being a young mother have changed 

your point of view on social media and fashion? 

First of all, I want to stay that motherhood didn’t shock 

me like many people I know outside of fashion. I was 

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A Tale Of Two 

Cities: An Interview 

With Kraków 

Loves Adana 

Interview by Nicola Phillips @nicphilf 

All photos by Sebastian Pielles @piellesshots 

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After catching eyes across a crowded nightclub dancefloor Deniz Çiçek 

and Robert Heitmann finally plucked up the courage to speak to each 

other. Turns out their killer taste in music wasn’t the only thing they had 

in common, as the pair were quick to combine Deniz’s songwriting and 

vocals with Robert’s piano and guitar skills. It wasn’t long before they began 

producing guitar-driven electronic ballads with a dreamy melancholic edge 

under the monika Kraków Loves Adana. Fast-forward 14 years and the 

band have since joined the Italians Do It Better family – Johnny Jewel and 

Mike Simonetti’s notorious Italo-disco label formed in 2006. Infused with 

pulsating synthesizers and sparkling guitars their latest track is a homage 

to the bygone days of their youth, and those important lessons they learned 

along the way. What better time to catch up with the duo on what’s coming 

up next with Jewel and the gang. 

How did Kraków Loves 

Adana get started? 

Deniz: We met in 2006 

in our hometown in a 

nightclub. Rob and I had 

been eyeing each other for 

months and then finally we 

both had the courage to talk 

to each other. It’s not the 

typical kind of discotheque 

where you would go, but 

those were the kinds of 

clubs in our hometown; 

where you would go to 

explore bands and music 

or see touring bands come 

to town. So that’s how we 

met. We were both in other 

bands and decided to try 

things out with just the two 

of us. 

Were you studying music 

at this time as well? 

Rob: Deniz played the 

guitar for years but besides 

that no, not really, no 

musical education just an 

interest in music to form a 

band since a teenager, stuff 

like that. And um, yeah, just 

exploring things. 

Deniz: It definitely shaped 

our identity. Our taste in 

music and going to concerts 

and stuff like that. Listening 

to a lot of independent rock, 

a lot of the lesser-known 

bands from the UK or US. 

What was it like growing 

up in your hometown? 

Deniz: Bielefeld was a 

great town growing up in 

because you’ve got all these 

bands coming into town 

and playing. I mean, now 

everything has definitely 

changed a lot. A lot of clubs 

have closed. But, otherwise, when I was a 

teenager it was great. We always used to 

go out on the weekends sometimes even 

on a school night, but that was the thing 

you would do back then when there was no 

social media. 

Rob: Yeah, and Iike getting the free music 

magazines, watching who’s coming to town 

and then seeing, okay, can I go? Combined 

with going to record stores, listening to 

music... 

Deniz: Also checking out what the artists 

would wear and how they cut their hair 

and stuff like that. Definitely had a huge 

influence on us and our approach of how 

we do things now. 

Rob: You really often found yourself 

discovering things without being able to 

look up the band because there was no 

social media. It was like, okay, I’m going 

to the concert and I see what happens. 

Something that’s maybe not so possible 

today. 

What made you head over and settle in 

Hamburg? 

Deniz: Our first label was in Hamburg and 

we always went there to record stuff in 

the studio so that’s when we took the first 

serious steps of being a band and making 

a record and putting it out. Rob was also 

working at a record label there. 

How did you find working with your first 

label? 

Rob: I mean the first experiences were 

a bit mixed. I wouldn’t say it was really a 

label back then. It was maybe like people 

who wanted to start a label and we were 

there like one of the first bands and it was 

all developing so, at some point we knew 

that we were developing in a different 

direction and wanted to take things into 

our own hands for some time. That was 

when we decided to put out two records on 

our own, number three and number four 

[laughs]. But yeah, it was really a studying 

experience, To see how things are, how 

they work or how they might work. 

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“I want to make 

people dream 

and dive into a 

different world and 

for a second at least, 

lose all this anxiety and 

fear in the world that 

we live in right now” 

Now you’re with Italians Do It Better, does it 

feel weird that you’re kind of working with 

other people again and letting them take 

charge? Or is it more like a 50/50 thing? 

Rob: It’s really a relief! [laughs] It’s a total 

game-changer because they are all so creative 

people themselves and artists and everything 

is really nice. 

Are you working with other artists on the 

label? 

Deniz: It’s just with Johnny [Jewel] and his 

wife Megan, who’s also in the band Desire. 

Those are the two main people there. 

How did you guys get in touch? Must be cool 

to be the first German band on their label! 

Rob: For us, we knew their art and music for 

years so we felt connected to them very early 

on, but just last year we reached out to them. 

We were at a place where we thought, okay, 

what’s next? Should we do another release on 

our own? Because we always figured it would 

be nice to have someone else in the creative 

process. I remember the first talks with me 

and Deniz where we were like... 

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Deniz: “Who could we ask?” [laughs]. 

Rob: You know, someone that wants to be in the process and also someone that we 

fully trust. And I think it was Deniz who was like, “I think Johnny Jewell would be nice”. 

But we also like, “Yeah right, he’s Johnny Jewel!” 

Deniz: Yeh like, how could we reach out to him, you know? 

Rob: Some months later, Deniz was working on new songs and she found an interview 

with Megan, where she was talking about the process on Italians Do It Better and that 

she’s president of the label and she oversees all the business and there were some 

really nice thoughts. Things she said, how she’s doing it and like having Johnny in all 

the creative art process and helping him run the business and we thought maybe we 

should try and reach out. That’s when we sent them the demos and Megan said she 

really loved it and felt strongly about everything Deniz does and how she does it. And 

we took it from there. 

I never knew Megan and Johnny were such a power couple! 

Rob: Yeah. Megan is doing a lot of the business because there’s so much creative work 

that Johnny deals with. It’s so different from other record labels because it’s really 

quite a connection they have and how they do it. 

Has this signing affected the creative process of your new work? Does it take place 

mostly in Hamburg or in the US? 

Deniz: It’s kind of actually in between. I write all the main ideas for the songs at home 

and send Johnny the demos and then he’s doing his magic and I’m doing my magic. It’s 

a creative exchange. 

Rob: We send the stuff over as soon as there’s a structure in like a demo mode and 

often there are times where he’s already organised photographers and art direction 

ideas. Then the conversation starts with Johnny and Megan, like how they feel about 

it, how they like it and what they want to do with it. And then it grows. So it’s operated 

from Hamburg to LA via the internet for now. 

That’s a pretty cool connection! So musically, you’ve definitely changed direction 

from your earlier work. What shifted for you? 

Deniz: I just, I never wanted to make the same record twice. So I came to this certain 

point where I just thought, there is not much more that I can explore with the tunes 

that I already have and with the skills I already have since I come from a classical 

guitar playing background. And since I’ve always been a huge fan of Italians Do It 

Better and Chromatics but also a lot of 80’s music, it was kind of the next logical step 

to take to just dive into it and try things out with more synthesizers. 

Is there anything else that you’re experimenting with your upcoming work? 

Deniz: I think the next album is definitely much more whole. It’s like a fully formed 

“baby” in comparison to the records I did before because it was the first time where I 

really took a lot of time and tried out different approaches in the songwriting process 

with the themes that I explore. So I think it will be very interesting to see where this 

goes. It’s definitely much darker, but also it still has this melancholic dream-pop vibe 

that our music always had. 

I also read about how the single “American Boy” from your last album was a 

response to Trump’s America, what will your upcoming work be centred around? 

Deniz: I think it’s very difficult to write a political song that is subtle but still relatable 

for people that listen to it. So with “American boy”, I had this urge to write about it and 

put it in the song, but otherwise, I want to make people dream and dive into a different 

world and for a second at least, lose all this anxiety and fear in the world that we live 

in right now. So it’s definitely a different approach and less personal actually. I don’t 

write about things at the moment that I experience because I’m actually quite happy, 

but I think it’s actually the best place to be as an artist and then try to put everything 

else into the music. Like the darkness and the sadness and also the happiness. 

This definitely shows through in your videos, especially with “Follow The Voice” 

Rob: Well, “Follow The Voice” Deniz and I both directed it. It was really the first time 

where we had a list, a direction of every scene. We came really prepared and took 

our time to develop the idea and to really have the song be perfectly married to the 

visuals. And the best idea about the video came really by almost by accident. We had 

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the idea of pendulum and hypnosis with like, being 

“led by the voice”. As soon as you have something like 

this, like the one sentence or like the one idea that 

perfectly speaks to the song, we already knew, okay, 

this is going to be it. Then the other ideas followed 

and we already knew how we wanted it to look in our 

heads. We just called our friend who was a director 

of photography who we know very well, went into the 

studio and shot everything in one place over about 

two dates and then sent it to Johnny! He was very, 

very impressed. 

Something we learned from Johnny, not directly, just 

seeing how he is releasing things and what he says 

is like, it’s a nice thing to let the work and the songs 

breathe for a while and we don’t have to feel like we 

need to release something every month or have the 

typical release cycles. 

Ah, like the legendary “Dear Tommy” album of 

Johnny’s? 

Deniz: I think he’s just taking his time. Whenever 

it feels ready, you will release it. The problem with 

people is that, as an artist, as soon as you talk about a 

new record, people feel like they have a right to hear 

it. It’s just not that simple. 

Well, all good things come to those who wait! 

On a recent Instagram post, Deniz shares: “I 

want to share with you MIDNIGHT MEMORIES 

- A Collection Of Demo Recordings, consisting 

of two yet unreleased songs that didn’t make 

it on our upcoming album and also the very 

first demo version of YOUNG AGAIN. This early 

version of the song transports all the desperation 

and sadness that I still feel today when I read the 

news. We live in such difficult and strange times 

right now and having more time than usual to 

reflect on life in general and what I created over 

the last couple of years, I wanted to give you some 

more music that I wrote in the past. I am not a 

person that reaches out to people, in private I’m 

actually a pretty cautious and introverted person 

but when I write or perform music I feel like I can 

let that go. To me making music means to create 

my own small universe, my safe space, even in 

times of suffering and uncertainty. It is one of 

the few things in life that gives me hope and the 

strength to go on. So with this, I want to give you a 

few minutes of distraction and maybe some hope 

to stay positive about the future. ♥ xo, Deniz” 

MIDNIGHT MEMORIES - 

A Collection Of Demo Recordings 

krakowlovesadana.bandcamp.com/ 

Instagram @krakowlovesadana 

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Drawing Berlin with 

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Xuehka 

Interview by Nicolas Simoneau 

@nicolas_simoneau 

Xueh Magrini Troll, aka Xuehka belongs to 

the third generation of female artists in her 

family. Her mother and her grandmother 

are both painters and sculptors, so art was 

always really natural to Xuehka. Following 

the women of her family, she thoughts 

she had to study fine art, where she felt 

quite misunderstood and not really free. 

Xuehka later found in Illustration the 

perfect creative form for her. She loves to 

communicate and express really clear ideas 

with what she does, and in Illustration 

Xuehka found the space to do so. 

How would you describe your work in your 

own words? 

Raw, fun, free. 

What medium/tools do you feel most 

comfortable with when creating your work? 

I am really old school regarding my tools. I 

always have a sketchbook with me, where 

I allow myself the freedom to do whatever 

I feel like. My sketchbooks are like toilet 

walls, where I can go from deep existential 

thoughts, to the silliest joke or observation... 

from there I see what I would like to continue 

working on. I love ink pens and markers, 

and sometimes I combine that with digital 

coloring. 

Are your illustrations inspired by personal 

experiences or of friends/scenarios you 

know of? 

I get mostly inspired by my own life, but of 

course also from stories I hear, situations I 

see. Since the beginning of my illustrations, 

my own life and experiences have been 

the biggest source of inspiration. I feel 

like I can really speak about what I have 

experienced first hand. Lately I am noticing 

how this connection between my art and 

my life is becoming stronger, or how one is 

flowing more and more into the other. For 

example, the fact that I am always looking 

for moments to draw makes me live my life 

more aware. More aware of the beauty, the 

horror, the nonsense, the fun, the absurdity, 

the craziness, 

I also really enjoy doing collaborations and 

commissions, in which I can either combine 

my brain with other creative brains, or, for 

example while working for newspapers, try 

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to find images to express certain political position 

or commentary about relevant subjects, like 

feminism, economics or racism … I find that really 

challenging and creatively super exciting. 

You’re based in Berlin now, but grew up in 

Bogota. How do both cities influence your work? 

I feel really lucky to have had the chance to live and 

grow up in such different cultures. I came to Berlin 

when I was 18 years old, and the cultural shock 

was really strong… I didn’t speak any german, and 

I didn’t understand anything else either: social 

interactions, bureaucracy, the weather … but now, 

being a bit older I feel like I can keep the best of 

my two worlds, and that reflects in my work too. I 

will never stop being surprised by this city, even 

though I can now call myself a Berliner, inside of 

me there will always be the tourist-me, amazed 

by the wonders and horrors this city has to offer. 

So I think I became an insider, with an outsider 

gaze, which gives a certain freshness to my work. 

Berlin has influenced my work, by allowing me 

the freedom of fully expressing myself. Also, my 

emotionality and my love and obsession with color 

comes definitely from my Colombian roots. 

What’s your favourite thing about Berlin? 

I believe Berlin is unique for its freedom, I think 

this is what attracts so many people from all around 

the world to come here and have the freedom to be 

who they really are. I cherish that a lot, and every 

time I go to other places I am reminded of that. 

It is still difficult almost everywhere else in the 

world to be “different”, to be a “weirdo”. Nobody is a 

weirdo in Berlin, and to know this gives me a lot of 

happiness and makes me love this city. 

What message do you want to share with your art? 

I use the voice that I found in my art to talk freely 

about all what I think is important. I talk about a 

lot of different things that might seem to others 

more or less relevant. But at the end of the day I 

think my main message is freedom. I really believe 

in the freedom of expression, and I hope this 

comes through and inspires people to express 

themselves , however they feel like doing it! 

Have you found any other work/artists to be 

really inspiring currently? 

I am listening a lot to Aldous Harding, I love her 

music and I am completely in love with her stage 

persona. I consider Flavita Banana, a Spanish 

cartoonist, to be right now a really smart, fun 

and pertinent voice, she is really inspiring to me. 

Otherwise, I really love the hole revolution wave 

happening in Latin America, specially the women 

movements related to this and the visual culture 

that is pouring out of this interesting moment 

of awakening: political posters, illustrations, 

esthetics, protest hymns, like for instance las Tesis 

from Chile and their viral chant “ Violador en tu 

Camino”. I think it is a really exciting, empowering 

and inspiring historical moment. 

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“I believe Berlin is 

unique for its 

freedom, I think 

this is what 

attracts so many 

people from all 

around the world 

to come here 

and have the 

freedom to be who 

they really are..“ 

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What is your ultimate goal? 

My grandma is 84 and is still doing her 

ceramics. I also really hope to be doing 

art forever, and to find new ways of 

applying my creativity. I am really open 

to collaborations and to incursionate 

in new fields. I think life in general, 

and therefore art, makes more sense 

when you are sharing it with people 

you love and admire. I would love to 

do murals again, stage design sounds 

super attractive to me, textile printing, 

to work with furniture, fashion, makeup 

maybe...? And of course, like every 

creative person struggling with daily life, 

I really hope to find the way of staying 

true to myself and to my art while getting 

out of it the financial income to live a 

decent life. 

How do you spend your days now with the quarantine? 

I think all of us artist / designers / creators of some sort know how to 

get busy at home and are used to be spending days without going out, 

finishing projects and deadlines, anyway I think there is a different 

mental challenge in this whole situation. I try to make yoga or dance 

everyday, this makes me feel active and calms me at the same time. I 

am using this time to wear my favorite outfits, I think I would go crazy 

if I would just wear my pyjamas all the time... Looking good helps me 

feel good. I had a problem with video calls, but I am rediscovering 

them, this has a whole different value for all of us right now...the magic 

of the internet! I am talking regularly with my family and friends all 

over the world. I am lucky to share my place with my partner, we 

are enjoying this weird time together. The only thing that is really 

challenging right now, is the lack of sunlight in our place, but I try to 

go for a walk regularly. And of course I am drawing everyday, art will 

always save us! 

How is this situation is affecting you, and your work? 

In a weird way I feel more useful then ever in this crisis, I understand 

Instagram @xuehka 

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with a different light how creative people 

are so important for all of us, to bring 

colours in our life, to entertain, to give 

hope,to make us laugh, to bring different 

perspectives. I have been feeling really 

reflective about my life in general this 

days , I feel this is an opportunity to 

stop and observe; to fully understand 

what are our priorities, as individuals 

and as societies. This isolating situation 

confirms for me how meaningful are 

the relationships in my life. I am a really 

“huggy” person, and I really miss hugging 

my friends. Art is keeping me sane, but 

this is nothing new, art is helping me deal 

with the world since always, so this is just 

a confirmation of its power. My economic 

situation has always been uncertain and 

unstable, like for a lot of other artists and 

creative people, so that aspect hasn’t really changed much. Anyway 

this time feels different, is a global uncertainty, which of course makes 

me worry sometimes. Luckily I live in Germany, I will apply for some 

financial help. I worry about my family in Colombia, over there is going 

to be a different story... 

What do you wish for the future? 

I wish that this experience will help us make the change that the whole 

world is obviously needing. I really hope we come out of this with 

a deeper collective consciousness, slowing down the crazy rhythm 

we were all in, being nicer to each other and to our planet . I believe 

priorities are being really clear right now, and I hope this will make 

us value them more, in every aspect of life. I hope we will make the 

right use of our privileges and vote different, looking for more human 

politicians, thinking about the well-being of a larger amount of people. 

I really wish we come out of this as a stronger, more human than ever, 

emphatic huge group of fellow human beings. On a more personal 

level, I really hope we will be able to enjoy a beautiful summer all 

together. 

Instagram @xuehka 

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Photography by Risha Kir @rishakir_inspo Model is Aslan by @lookmodels.ru Styling by Elena Laskovaya @laskovayastyle 

, H&M, 21DOT12 and Kuteikocouture by Dmitriy Kuteyko 

Brands are Dresslab, Because, Juvelarto 

M o n 

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Hair and make-up by Natalia Guryeva @guryeva_natalia.br 

Risha Kir is a portrait & beauty photographer based in Moscow, Russia. Risha started 

her career working in big international creative agencies developing communication 

& visual brand strategies. After receiving fashion education in Milan and New York, 

Risha naturally felt transition to fashion photography and launched her photography 

studio in Moscow to create timeless and emotive imagery. 

A m o u r 

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27 - 29 

NOVEMBER 

2020 

OPEN 

CALL 

FOR 

ENTRIES 

FASHIONCLASH.NL 

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