ODDA Conversations

One early January morning, while the snow was still falling down in Paris, Stephanie D’heygere cleared her throat on camera. In her hand was a mug of tea to keep her company. Beyond the view presented on screen, a sunflower-shaped lamp stood tall on what seemed like a fireplace behind her. It seems that the flora and beautiful objects that ornament Stephanie will never escape her immediate periphery. This idea of beauty–one that seeps into and away from the jewelry designer–is done with ease. Second nature even. As such, it only makes sense that beauty holds no structural meaning at her namesake label, D’heygere. The designs are first conceptualized with a unique story, holding multi-functionality at the heart of each piece that exits D’heygere’s atelier door

Paramount Pictures' is set to release "Mean Girls" theatrically on January 12, 2024, from directors Arturo Perez Jr. and Samantha Jayne. The husband and wife filmmaker duo will be making their feature directorial debut with their delicious take on the hilariously classic 2004 comedy. The duo meets with ODDA ahead of the film's release to talk about their approach on adding their own spin to the story, their casting process, and how they became entangled with Tina Fey.

we explored the process that creates the world’s finest cotton. During our time there, we explored the SUPIMA Cotton Gin and the farms where the long staple fibres are birthed. In turn, we were educated on the processes of cotton production and the levels of surety placed to ensure its best classing. 

we explored the process that creates the world’s finest cotton. During our time there, we explored the SUPIMA Cotton Gin and the farms where the long staple fibres are birthed. In turn, we were educated on the processes of cotton production and the levels of surety placed to ensure its best classing. 

Kizzy Edgell is a British-based actor who made their acting debut last year in Netflix’s “Heartstopper,” the hit LGBTQ+ show based on the popular graphic novel of the same name. Ahead of the premiere of the second season on August 3, we invited Edgell to meet with us to not only celebrate the success of their show and their character Darcy, but to celebrate Pride, as Edgell identifies as non-binary. 

SAG-AFTRA members are currently on strike; as part of the strike, union actors are not promoting their film and TV projects. This interview was conducted prior to the strike.

Fin Argus is a Los Angeles based actor, musician, and performer who most recently can be seen on screen as Lucas in Season 3 of Max’s “The Other Two.” Last year, they starred in Peacock’s reimagining of “Queer As Folk'' and previously had a breakout role in the Disney+ feature film “Clouds.” They meet with ODDA to talk about celebrating Pride, his ideal type, and what’s on the horizon.

Artist Darcy Miro’s metal work has straddled the line between sculpture, jewelry, glass, fashion, and functional objects. Her pieces have earned a place in museum collections like the Museum of Art and Design and captivated collaborators like architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, who worked with Darcy on the façade of the American Folk Art Museum. She meets with ODDA to discuss her practice and what’s next for her.

LA-based writer Spencer Walker and Juno Youn of Galerie Youn have launched Mon Dieu Projects at Mohilef Studios on April 1, 2023 in Los Angeles. We spoke with three of the artists from their inaugural exhibit, Shen Wei, Ian Stone, and Nadine Faraj to learn more about them as an artist and how they’re contributing to this show.

LA-based writer Spencer Walker and Juno Youn of Galerie Youn have launched Mon Dieu Projects at Mohilef Studios on April 1, 2023 in Los Angeles. We spoke with three of the artists from their inaugural exhibit, Shen Wei, Ian Stone, and Nadine Faraj to learn more about them as an artist and how they’re contributing to this show.

American fashion’s cultural connector is back — just in time for New York Fashion Week. Mr. Tommy Hilfiger speaks with ODDA about his knack for staying ahead; his first and favorite collaborations; and how he’s pushing the core visual concepts of his brand forward today.

Actress Dree Hemingway shares with ODDA immersive tales on her personal and professional life — revealing what it’s like to become an “It Girl” for luxury brands, expressing her love for vintage cars, and unpacking how her idea of womanhood connects to her relationship with beauty.

An intimate conversation between two long-time friends. That’s how we can define this exchange between legendary Italian Sculptor, Designer, and Architect Gaetano Pesce and design Entrepreneur and Founder of Moss [Design Gallery] and Moss Bureau, Murray Moss.

10 Corso Como Seoul, a multipurpose concept store with the core idea of a living magazine that mixes a myriad of sections such as fashion, design, books, and music — as well as a beautiful garden and a restaurant cafe — has become a full sensorial experience for its customers. With the aim of speaking about the matter of the importance of printed books and the relevance they have in the Korean society, ODDA had the pleasure of chatting with Jiyoung Lee, Book Chief Buyer at 10 Corso Como Seoul, to find out more about the store focusing on the book section, which offers an incredible selection of art books and special items.

The rise of screen devices offers new opportunities to readers and writers, but printed books are still a relevant part of our culture and society. ODDA had the pleasure of talking with Romma Alyskewycz, the Head of the Magazine, Fashion, and Architecture sections at La Librairie du Palais de Tokyo in Paris, guided by Arnaud Frémaux, its manager. In a technological world, they’re boosting the cultural and poetical importance of printed art books.

Gimaguas is a Barcelona-based clothing brand founded in 2018 by twins Claudia and Sayana Durany. For ODDA, there was no better time to interview the sisters than the summer itself from the comfort of their home in Barcelona before they embark on a vacation with their family to discuss where the name originated from, how they divide their day to day, and their proudest moments of the brand thus far.

Gustaf Westman speaks about his creative process, his aspirations for his career as a designer, and hopes for the design world.

Illustrating the human experience with jewelry as her medium, the internationally renowned American jeweler Jacqueline Rabun has gained recognition amongst collectors of contemporary art and design with her wearable art pieces and miniature sculptures that convey a profound message. Rabun explains to ODDA the immersive, meditative process that allows her to create and materialize ideas, as well as her personal ambitions and feelings about the future.

Linda Simpson was at the core of the New York City Drag scene during the industry's golden era when it was still underground, prior to becoming a mainstream movement. From her own origins to her professional work, Simpson shares with ODDA her story, creative view, and the roots of the Drag world.

Tattoo artist Laure-Anne Tchen's art and aesthetics have been shaped by her Colombian heritage, fascination with manga art styles, and Paris's lifestyle and diversity. Known for creating fun and colorful tattoos, Tchen shares with ODDA the process from starting tattooing her friends in her bedroom for the first time to now being part of the cool Parisian tattooing collectives.

Known for his bulbous silhouettes and massive dresses, celebrities like Olivia Rodrigo, Karlie Kloss, and Rina Sawayama have been seen wearing his pieces. We caught up with Terrence Zhou to talk about how his cultural roots have influenced his designs, how living in Wuhan has impacted him as a designer and penning the nickname “Bad Binch Tong Tong.”

From suburban Northern England to the top of the LVMH prize, Steven Stokey-Daley’s career has risen like no one else’s. Only graduated from the University of Westminster in 2020, he took the world of fashion by storm during the pandemic.

The fantasy expert and Milan-born multidisciplinary artist Flaminia Veronesi invites us to question what is fantasy and experience wonder in all its possible ways. Using her own contemporary symbolic language, she fights patriarchy and violence to free our reality from taboos. Veronesi sits down with ODDA to talk about her whole journey, her mission of bringing back a less oppressive reality, and highlights the importance of having fun and playing all the time through art.

Set to reclaim and celebrate the meaning of being creole, Vincent Frederic-Colombo, founder of the Paris-based and Caribbean-focused brand C.R.E.O.L.E shares the story you have never been told about creole heritage, its history, its culture, and the incredible people that form this diverse and huge family. What started as a photographic exhibition led to a marvelous fashion project and probably the best event in Parisian nightlife, strengthening the union between minorities.

Michaela Bosch is a makeup artist living in New York who got into this industry in a very curious and funny way. After six years of professionally working as a makeup artist, she’s been put on the list of the 50 most innovative and inspiring young creative talents from around the world by the British Fashion Awards 2022.

Ruben Östlund is a two-time winner of the top prize, the Palme d'Or, at the Cannes Film Festival. With consecutive wins for his two latest films, “Triangle of Sadness” is widely accredited as one of the best films of the year as a yacht filled with snobby, rich elites takes off into the open seas before chaos reigns down on all vacationers and employees. Beyond a wildly successful year, Östlund collaborated with CDLP, a Swedish design house of luxury essentials, to bring together a collection celebrating his portfolio of films. He meets with ODDA to discuss the pressure of making his new movie after his first Palme d'Or win, where he drew inspiration from, and what it was like collaborating on a fashion collection.

The ethical luxury brand AMNA ALSALEM yields its own articulations of art, time, and humanity from a multidisciplinary practice, mixing a sense of freedom with a witty spirit.

Known in the fashion world as Maison ARTC, his influences come from history, culture, and traditions, which he translates into colors and prints to create imaginative designs reflecting on space and time.

Her sustainable slow-fashion, wearable-wood brand BOADḰ focuses on the experience of belonging to nature to create spirited wooden handcrafted bags centered on material individuality and uniqueness.

Her brand SIEDRÉS represents a utopian lifestyle in an imaginary Mediterranean town, for which she uses playful graphics, prints, and textures to embody a relaxed but refined lifestyle

Her contemporary luxury brand Talel Paris offers leather handbags and accessories with sharp designs with unconventional shapes, designed for modern urban life with a sustainable approach

Dani Coyle, an award winning visual and visibility artist, activist, and model, meets with with German based artist Shalva Nikvashvili to talk about a myriad of topics including how intersecting identities and backgrounds influence Shalva's work, using queerness in art, and what's to come.

New York-based fashion designer Gogo Graham speaks to ODDA about the inspirations and motivations behind the showing of her latest collection, “Speedrun.”

Based in Asheville, North Carolina, Moses Sumney produces a kind of music that is so difficult to define, and maybe we shouldn't even try, because categories are not that important. The singer, songwriter and all-round artist has opened up with ODDA to guide us through his world.

Tom O’Connor is an Australian artist, actor, and visual storyteller who currently resides in Los Angeles. Driven by his need to create and express, his art, whether that be his paintings or photography, depict his personal experiences, often recalling moments of falling in love to the thrills of attraction and connection. Most recently, O’Connor released his latest series, titled PLAYGROUND, which is a continuation of his self-documentation work and explores vulnerability, impermanence, and his own interplay of masculinity and femininity. He met with ODDA to talk about making the move to California, expressing his creativity through different mediums, and self nudity within his art.

Known for his experimental silhouettes with sharp tailoring that fuse together men’s wear and women’s wear, Dion Lee started his eponymous brand fresh out of college. At just over a decade old with massive success, there is still an element of people still discovering the brand internationally. We caught up with Lee ahead of New York Fashion Week to chat about his Fall 2022 collection, learning through mistakes, and hopes of dressing Björk one day.

Naturally hilarious, easygoing and down-to-earth are all perfect adjectives to describe the iconic Meg Ryan. Throughout her incredible — and incredibly funny — career, she has achieved a massive and global success, getting three Golden Globes nominations, acting with some of the most important actors and directors of the international panorama — such as Tom Hanks and Nora Ephron — and also dedicating herself to directing as well.

Diana Silvers has spent the last 11 years of her life establishing herself as an actress, and is currently celebrated as one of the industry’s upcoming talents. Working with hard-hitters like Olivia Wilde, Octavia Spencer, Steve Carell, and more, the actress meditates on the importance of being grateful for her opportunities while creating more on her own. She speaks with us about her career inspirations, youth’s perspective on our digital culture, and her future hopes for coming-of-age films with a distinctive female gaze.

On Friday, June 3 “Signs of Love'' premiered at the Brooklyn Film Festival. Ahead of the premiere, we sat down with stars Hopper Jack Penn, Dylan Penn, and Zoë Bleu, as well as director Clarence Fuller and producer David Michaels to talk about filming in the rocky neighborhood of Port Richmond, Philadelphia, working alongside family members, and the outpour of love that radiates both through the set and on screen.

Youngsoon Lee is a Korean artisan who has mastered the 500-year-old jiseung technique; an intricate process that means the making of each basket can take up to six months. With collections shown all around the world, she was honored as a Loewe Craft Prize Finalist in 2019. Continuing her partnership with Loewe to bring their seventh exhibition to Milan’s Salone del Mobile, we caught up with the expert paper weaver to discuss the creative process and inspiration behind “Weave, Restore, Renew,” giving new life to ancient techniques, and how one unique task from a professor sent her on a path of success.

Founded in 2016, The Cohle Gallery is a contemporary art gallery located in Paris, France. Co-founders Camile and Michael chat with ODDA about what goes into choosing artists to showcase, authenticity, and opening a second space in Menorca this June. Additionally, French artist Ador, who has an upcoming exhibition, chats about his admiration for “childishness” and whether or not he has a favorite work.
In conversation with Alberto Calabrese
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Charlene Frett

Internationally acclaimed sculptor, Rona Pondick, shares her interpretation of time, reflects on varied aspects of human nature, and explains her view on our world being an ongoing evolution with familiar twists.

In the midst of London Fashion Week, Marrknull released his AW22 digitally on February 22. Close to Chinese popular culture, the Beijing-based brand finds inspiration through home this season and integrates household items with clothing to form a new vision. Designs include metal rivets shaped as a remote control, buttons embellished on denim, a plastic wash basin is turned into an installation dress, and the iconic hanger bags are re-invented with new shapes.

The Nomadic Art Gallery opens its doors for us to meet artists Merijn Verhelst, Oliver Cain, and Amat Gueye, three incredibly talented artists that open themselves and their work for us to understand their intentions with their art, their values, and their personal stories.

Inspired by a roadtrip from Las Vegas to Palm Springs, Spanish Gen-Z creative Joan Margarit is one of the cofounders of the jewelry brand TwoJeys. Margarit speaks about his Christmas traditions, including appreciating the time catching up with his family and his "day one" friends, shredding in the mountains on his snowboard, as well as calming down a bit and reflecting on his very busy, but very successful year.

Blurring the gender line within the jewelry industry and having a deep rooted knowledge in understanding the ins and the outs of what is trending in the world of social media, Biel Juste is one of the cofounders of TwoJeys. He speaks with ODDA about his end of the year plans — including wanting to take some time for himself, designing his next 2022 collection, and taking an upcoming vacation with his family to Kenya.

Adult film star Sean Ford speaks with ODDA about sexy memories from Christmases past — “Needless to say, I’m sure I made his naughty list that night.”

Standing at the forefront of sustainable innovation in fashion and design, Dr. Amanda Parkes is leading the revolution with material science brand PANGAIA; turning the focus on changing the way clothes are made by utilising the science and researching the untouched possibilities of our waste.
In conversation with Philip Alexandre Livchitz
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Charlene Frett

William Waterworth is a London based photographer who was inspired by the work of Sally Mann during his studies and whose first body of work is  titled “’The Rolling English Road.” 

Scott Aharoni and Mustafa Kaymak discuss with us their filmmaking journey so far, as well as the creative behind their recent masterpiece “Leylak,” one of the most celebrated films based on the universal experiences of loss and grief to be made during the pandemic.
In conversation with Philip Alexandre Livchitz
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Charlene Frett

Co-founder and current Fashion Director of Vestiaire Collective, a.k.a the world’s biggest wardrobe, Sophie Hersan speaks to ODDA on how the trailblazing idea of the platform came about, the challenges it has faced and its ambitions to save the world through fashion.
In conversation with Philip Alexandre Livchitz
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Charlene Frett

Marina Testino, an artivist and sustainability advocate, speaks to us reflecting on what she saw during the fashion month, the importance of empowering women through her recent campaign, and how to make sustainability fun and engaging in order to reach as many people as possible.
In conversation with Philip Alexandre Livchitz
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Charlene Frett

Actor Omari Hardwick reflects on his career, creating indelible on-screen characters. From his role as the chainsaw-wielding Vanderohe, in the film “Army of the Dead'' and his role as Omar ‘Derwood’ Scott in “American Skin” to his unforgettable 6-year stint as James ‘Ghost’ St. Patrick, the protagonist and anti-hero in the “Power” television series.

In less than five years, designer duo, Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh have made major inroads into the fashion industry establishment. Back in 2018, their Botter menswear label got them to the finals for the LVMH Prize and a few months later they nabbed the Grand Prix du Jury at the Festival d'Hyères fashion competition. It wasn’t long after that that the pair were tapped to design women’s wear for the famed French fashion house Nina Ricci. But what is most exciting about Botter and Herrebrugh is how they are bringing a sense of social responsibility and environmental awareness to the work they do; framing their colorful, roomy, and approachable clothing within a world that is facing a global wake up call.

It has been a steep learning curve for Derek Blasberg at YouTube. But he hit the ground running. In the little over two years since the fashion insider took on the brand new role of Head of Fashion and Beauty at YouTube he has launched the YouTube Fashion vertical on the site, connected big-name luxury brands with big-name YouTube creators and he gave Naomi Campbell a global platform to be, well, Naomi Campbell. A classically trained journalist who has written for all of the top fashion publications, from Style.com and Interview to Vanity Fair and Harper’s Bazaar, Blasberg has fully embraced the new narrative of his career, where instead of recounting peoples stories he is empowering them to tell them themselves.

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

Dance is something that runs through Toke Broni Strandby’s veins. On top of being immersed in contemporary dance on stage, having worked with Candoco Dance Company, among others, the Danish dance artist is also an educator and a teacher — he graduated from The Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD) in Leeds. A man of many talents, the Dane has also explored the world of fashion through walking for shows as well as being cast for magazines in the past.

Our thoughts are very much reflective of our state of mind and their clarity attaches itself to such state. Some people are night owls, whereas others fare better in the mornings. Here, the Chinese dance artist, Kehua Li, takes us on a journey through her mind in the late hours and reflects on what implored her to study English while in Paris, how she took to the task back in China, and how her improvement in a short space of time blew people away

It’s frequently stated that the journey is far more important than the destination. In Jamal Uhlmann’s life that has certainly been the case. Prior to finding his feet as the dancer he is now, the Berlin native guides us through his time as an ice skater to how an application to ballet school changed his trajectory, which subsequently led him to discover contemporary dance, allowing him to move in a completely different way.

Jacob Jonas, the founder of the Los Angeles-based dance company, Jacob Jonas The Company, guides us through his ideas of form, movement and the dynamics between the dancer and their potential. He explores the dichotomy and tension between the dancer’s inner self and the outside world, focusing on personal growth and essence of dance, culminating in the simple, yet powerful phrase  — “Let’s let them dance.”

Barrier breakers, Miss Fame and Pat Boguslawski are not letting anyone define who they are and what they can do. Miss Fame, whose real name is Kurtis Dam-Mikkelsen, turned his time on the reality show“RuPaul’s Drag Race”into a stepping stone for an ex- pansive career that includes everything from modeling and music to television host and makeup artist, using his fame to advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community and present to the world another vision of beauty. 

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

While Pride month has come to an end, its origins and the celebration of diverse bodies, despite their sexual identity, race, ethnicity, and gender, have remained the same. After all, the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street in New York’s Greenwich Village was one of the most diverse establishments in the area. Such diversity has carried across to modern-day New York and is reflected fully in the cast of nine queer New Yorkers, filmed by two French filmmakers Julie Réali and Lesly Lynch for ODDA Magazine. The focus of the beautiful film revolves around love, self-acceptance, and freedom — themes that are as universal as they are unique to each and every one of us.

DJ, designer, creative director, illustrator, influencer, and model Patrick Mason doesn’t like being put in a box or being defined by just one thing. So when ODDA asked him to talk about what Pride month meant to him, as a gay man, he bristled for a moment. But then he took an expansive view on the topic of pride and examined all the many things he is proud of, things he has accomplished, and the accomplishments of others. Patrick looks forward to the day when Pride month is no longer needed and that the queer community can be celebrated year-round. But most of all he is just proud to be a human being, making it successfully through another day.

Ernest W. Baker, the co-founder’s Grandfather, and an early Detroit ad man, serves as a muse for the brand's identity. With a sense of nostalgia, an intention is made to reinterpret classic garments that feel as if they were taken from Ernest’s closet. 
Established in 2016 by designers Reid Baker and Inês Amorim, of the United States and Portugal, the collections blend their cultural influences between European elegance and an American rawness.

On Columbian artist Giorgio Ermes Celin Instagram bio he makes the claim that “Everything is a self-portrait.” Here, in his ODDA Memorabilia recording, Giorgio tells the listener all about the question every artist has lingering in their mind and how the process of answering that eternal question is the starting point to all creativity. And so yes, everything we do or say is a reflection of who we are. A self-portrait of the soul that manifests itself in the world every minute of every day through the life we live, the art we create, and the memories we leave behind.

Jaime Álvarez, founder and creative director of Mans Concept Menswear, recounts why he decided to design menswear, the connection between his company and his German grandfather, and the impact that sunshine and happiness has had on his designs.

The raw, flowing, and unfinished aesthetic of Per Götesson’s designs act like a sartorial expression of his deepest feelings. Named the Swedish Fashion Talent of the Year in 2018, Götesson has found a way to create garments that are both restrained and yet thought-provoking as they reflect his Swedish upbringing, commitment to sustainability, and his sense of being an outsider. Götesson collaborates heavily with his partner, Husam El Odeh, in order to bring out the precise meanings that lie within each collection. Together, they are able to balance refined craftsmanship, sustainable processes, and a newfound interaction with the consumer base.

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

Jane Hilton is a London-based photographer and a filmmaker who was one of the Sony World Photography Awards finalists through her work “Drag Queen Cowboys,” which focuses on a series of black and white portraits of performers shot in daylight without any artificial lighting. Her work documents American Culture, especially the American West, through themes that are legal but not socially acceptable. In addition, she is still involved in fashion and editorial photography where she started her career in.

Cyrill Gutsch is the visionary founder of the company Parley for the Oceans, an organization dedicated to leveraging a community of creators, innovators, and decision-makers to help raise awareness about the fragile state of the world's oceans. Gutsch is leveraging his network of big thinkers to come up with, and implement, outside the box strategies that have a singular goal, saving the seas. Ian Urbina, the Pulitzer winning investigative journalist, has spent years on the high seas reporting on the lawlessness that exists offshore. That experience resulted in the book “The Outlaw Ocean,” which was recently purchased by Netflix and Leonardo DiCaprio. Both men are drawn to the big blue as a place of beauty, danger, loneliness, and freedom. But most of all its critical role in the future of humanity on this planet.

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

“Your Body Is A Battleground” proclaimed the famous poster by Barbara Kruger in 1989. Well, that could be the tagline for lawyer and trans rights activist, Chase Strangio. He has been fighting -- body and soul -- for close to two decades to change laws and policies literally made to institutionalize discrimination and violence against trans bodies. Those very bodies that normative society likes to peep on, but do not want to truly see. Responsibility, recognition, and acknowledgment from institutions are the basis for real equality. We are not there yet, but we are starting to see it far off on the horizon.

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

Mark Hamilton Gruchy is a Hanoi-based photographer who specializes in moving images. He won the Creative Category of the Sony World Photography Awards 2021 through his work “The Moon Revisited,” which focuses on previously unprocessed NASA images of the Moon landing ingrained with contemporary references ranging from the Pop Art movement to selfie-sticks. After initially graduating with a BA in Fine Art from Portsmouth, he transgressed into photography, followed by an MA in Digital Animation in 2006.

Craig Easton, who is a Scottish photographer and the overall winner of the Sony World Photography Awards speaks about his portraiture work “Bank Top” done in collaboration with his friend, the writer, Aziz Hafiz. 

Award-winning designer Priya Ahluwalia is giving the fashion world a dynamic and vital new narrative. Her signature menswear line is both a reflection of her Nigerian and Indian heritage and presents a hopeful vision of the future, where upcycled designer clothing becomes a new cornerstone to the industry and fashion finally begins to reflect a more multicultural perspective. A future where sartorial stories are pulled from places and events that don’t usually get highlighted in traditional history books and the voices of those who have been muted until now finally find an avenue to proclaim themselves.

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

In light of troubling cultural changes across America, renowned artist and filmmaker Shirin Neshat took her camera and headed West. In the quiet desert plains of New Mexico, Neshat brings her curiosity, her empathy, and her poetic imagination. As an Iranian-born artist and immigrant, she seeks this convergence of the personal and the political; this is also a personal process of falling back in love with the country that she once cherished. “Land of Dreams” marks a new kind of collaborative project for Neshat, but in the faces of all she met there is a clear theme: Shirin Neshat came to listen.

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

Gherardo Felloni, the creative director of Roger Vivier, has put a new spring in the step of one of the world’s most famous souliers. Felloni’s positive attitude and his light-hearted approach to shoemaking is however grounded in over 20 years of designing footwear for some of the biggest luxury brands.

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

Designer Andrea Grossi unpacks his collections “Welcome to DeusLand” where he questions the costumes and traditions of our society.  He reflects on how creating his own characters helps him define his own ideal sustainable world.

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

Kristin Bedford’s new photography book“Cruise Night”takes the reader into the intimate world of the Mexican American lowrider car culture in Los Angeles, California.

In light of troubling cultural changes across America, renowned artist and filmmaker Shirin Neshat took her camera and headed West. In the quiet desert plains of New Mexico, Neshat brings her curiosity, her empathy, and her poetic imagination. As an Iranian-born artist and immigrant, she seeks this convergence of the personal and the political; this is also a personal process of falling back in love with the country that she once cherished. “Land of Dreams”marks a new kind of collaborative project for Neshat, but in the faces of all she met there is a clear theme: Shirin Neshat came to listen.

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

Yndi Ferreira Da Silva has abandoned the moniker of Dream Koala and is back, this time as herself. Previously known for ethereal and electronic pop, Yndi’s new project is an ode to her Brazilian heritage and the melodies of Bossa Nova. The French-Brazilian artist recently gave us a taste of her upcoming album in an acoustic EP, “Introdução”,and it’s unlike anything you’ve heard before. Her soft, sugary vocals poetically blend Portuguese and French, with emotive lyrics and contemporary Afro-Brazilian rhythms. Exploring strength and vulnerability, joy and sadness, Yndi’s music examines the dualities and contradictions of life. We caught up to discuss her journey to this new sound and the inspiration behind her debut album, “Noir Brésil”,releasing this Spring.

For the first time during his tenure as the creative director of Berluti designer Kris Van Assche collaborated with a living artist to bring his SS21 menswear collection to life. And it was the colorful, textural, and freeform art pieces by the highly respected American ceramic artist Brian Rochefort that caught Van Assche's eye. An avid ceramics collector, Van Assche was able to reinterpret Rochefort’s bold and layered vision into silk prints shirts, three-dimensional knitted sweaters, and rich patinated leather Berluti accessories. The result is an elevated collection where artists, artistry, and the artisanal are celebrated in perfect harmony.

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

2020 was a very good year for the 20-year-old rapper, singer, and songwriter 24kGoldn. His earworm of a song “Mood” had, by the end of the year, spent eight weeks at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 between its original version, which featured Iann Dior, and the remix that worked in vocals from Justin Bieber and J. Balvin. 24kGoldn, who is taking a leave of absence from his full ride at the University of Southern California for Business Studies, is also in the early stages of setting up a scripted tv series about his life and his debut album“El Dorado'' out end of March. All of which is to say 24kGoldn is currently living his best life.

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

Director Garrett Bradley is one of those rare conversationalists who are comfortable with silence. She pauses before answering each question, carefully considering it before responding in a thoughtful, measured fashion. This sensibility carries over into her work as a documentary filmmaker. Her first feature, “Time,” is similarly careful, shot in velvety black-and-white, and interspersed with home videos shot by subject Fox Rich during a 20-year quest to free her husband from prison. Bradley’s singular stylistic choices as a director skillfully highlight the importance of what isn’t spoken and what lies beneath the surface.

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

Long-distance soul sisters actress Andie MacDowell and acclaimed author Anne Lamott connect online for a powerful and heartfelt conversation. Where they share openly and freely about their experiences of co-dependent childhoods caring for alcoholic parents and how they have used their artistic voices to work through the pain of the past. How spirituality and a connection to nature and animals have helped them to heal and their hopes for their children and the future

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

South African artist Zandile Tshabalala reflects on the evolution of African art, the impact of strong female role models in her life, and her first solo art exhibition, titled “ Enter Paradise” which will shortly be underway at the ADA \ contemporary art gallery in Ghana.

The British-born and New York-based ceramic artist, Jesse Wine, has been on quite a roll recently, with two solo exhibitions at the SculptureCentre and Simone Subal Gallery in New York in just the past six months. Wine’s work with contorted limbs as well as abstract objects that combine color, shape, and form in unique ways intuitively show that they have been cleverly informed by the works of his predecessors in the ceramic art space, Ken Price and Peter Voulkos. While Wine’s recent artistic exploration when it comes to the expansion of scale in his work is something to keep an eye out for in the future.

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

The public has an idea of fashion people being chilly and aloof. Talk to Steven Kolb for even a few minutes and you’ll find that that isn’t so. Dapper and stylish to be sure, there is no hint of Miranda Priestly-style frostiness in his demeanor. Kolb is warm, engaging, and light. And it’s immediately clear that he cares deeply about his role in promoting not only American fashion as the CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), but also facilitating diversity in the industry, and addressing sustainability.

In conversation with Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

Blacktag is bringing the core of Black culture to the center stage. Described as a global content platform, production company, and connector between Black creators and brands, it serves to help content-focused Black innovators across the African diaspora monetize the culture they are known to originate. The startup dreams to serve as both a hub for alternative Black artists, and a social-entertainment platform for the wide audience that values various aspects of afro-diasporic culture.

Co-founders Akin Adebowale and Ousman Sahko-Sow are at the heart of the business. The two West-African-born entrepreneurs connected over their professional experiences with content-creation and a mutual understanding of the gap surrounding Black consumption within the tech world. This, coupled with the collective understanding of the economic disadvantages Black people face led to them creating the company. With Akin as the “imagination,” and Ousman as the “motivation” -- two characteristics voiced by senior producer Melissa Tropnas -- Blacktag’s team holds a sense of intention, self-regard, and high-level execution clearly seen in their film, “Black Art is Black Money”. The visual brings cultural generators Miski, Jalaiah Harmon, Sage Elsesser, and more together to portray the conversations Black friend groups have with one another surrounding cultural appropriation’s effect on Black artistry and Black legacy.

In our conversation, we speak with Akin, Ousman, and Melissa about the team’s collaboration styles, the everlasting richness of alternative Black artists, and more.

In conversation with Nneka Anozie

Conversation curated by Jessica Michault

Special Thanks to Mode World

Original Music by Valerio Parrotta 

Edited by Dominic Celemen

Harvey Mason Jr. has had a pretty wild ride as Interim CEO and President of the Recording Academy. He was tapped for the top post just days before the Grammys took place in January 2020. He then spent the rest of the year helping musicians make it through the pandemic via the Academy’s MusiCares initiative, responded to the social justice movement by launching the Black Music Collective project, and more recently he made the tough call to push back the 2021 Grammys show to March 14th, in reaction to the COVID-19 conditions in California. Music is Mason’s life’s blood and he is on a mission with the non-profit Recording Academy to uplevel the industry as it faces the new normal.

In conversation with  Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

Designer Danielle Hirsch is expanding the concept behind her bridal brand Danielle Frankel with her fall 2021 collection. She is dipping her toe into the world of ready-to-wear. Albeit it’s a ready-to-wear that is clearly earmarked for event dressing, be that a wedding, a future gala or red carpet moment.

In conversation with  Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

Visual storyteller Alexandre de Betak, who has produced some of the most unforgettable fashion shows, exhibitions and events of the past 30 years weighs in on the transformation of the industry into a fully digital narrative this season. He also examines, a year after he debuted his company’s “10 Commandments” of sustainability, how the business has fared so far and where he thinks fashion will be heading in the future.

In conversation with  Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

Actor, musician, and ever stylish Darrell Britt-Gibson is no stranger to a set. Starring in series like “Barry”, “Shameless”, and “The Wire”, Britt-Gibson is known to support many stories and visions on their way to becoming hit television shows. Though he loves and treats all roles equally, the star is allowing a higher-leveled sense of alignment to come to his current and future work as he plots to make his own mark on the industry. His most recent artistic undertaking is playing Black Panther co-founder (and current Illinois congressman) Bobby Rush in Judas and the Black Messiah. It’s a role that means a lot to the actor, and one he hopes will hit home with its audience too.

In conversation with  Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

Ninamounah Langestraat, the creative director and designer behind the Ninamounah brand talks about melding clashing and contrasting design ideas into new shapes that are extremely masucline, extremely feminine and everything in between. Her goal is to turn fashion into a powerful tool that can be wielded beyond its traditional disciplinary field.

Jewelry designer Gaia Repossi talks about how she is trying to connect with people in a positive way digitally this season. Doing it in a way that is respectful, with intelligence and sensitivity to the times we are currently living through. Acknowledging the impact that our isolation has had on our collective psyche and how this past year has been a time of reflection for an industry that has always been focused on the next.

Tom Bateman is quickly establishing himself as one of Britain’s leading actors. Having learned his craft on the stage, his work in film and television have led him across a variety of genres and collaborations. Case in point, his latest role in the just released Netflix’s series “Behind Her Eyes.” A psychological thriller that keeps you guessing right up until the end. Other scene stealing turns include his role as Bouc in the film “Death on the Nile”and Trevor ‘Viking’ Calcote in “Cold Pursuit”. Here Bateman discusses his dream Shakespearean roles, his love of Westerns and the responsibilities of an actor on set.

In conversation with  Jessica Michault
Original Music by Valerio Parrotta
Edited by Dominic Celemen

Designer Antonio Vattev discusses his inspiration for his latest FW21 collection. A lineup that is a mix of 70s rock music, futurism, and joy.