Fashion Spread RAHAYU SARASWATI for Interview iCreate

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Text: AURELIA NUGROHO

Art Direction & Styling: MOCH. REZA RIZKY

Photograped: LAKI GUSHARY

Make Up & Hair do: BILLY KRISNA

Ast. Photography: HANSEL MARIO

Ast. Stylist: ALFIERA ULFA

All wardrobe by ADITYA DWI CAHYA

Shoes by PEDRO

Un-published picture:

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Spiros Halaris' illustrations

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[T-shirt Design for Youreyeslie and Topshop]
He is a newcomer to the fascinating world of fashion illustration and already has names like Topshop and Dolce & Gabbana listed as his clients as well as a placement with Alexander McQueen. Spiros Halaris, born and raised in Greece, is now doing his magic in London using collages, hand drawn as well as digital elements. With his name featured in numerous online and print media, he's got us all hooked for what the future holds, with his signature.

Here's Spiros Halaris through a brief Q&A for the Rox readers:
[Inspired by Lea T and the S/S 11 collection of Prada]
For how long have you been working as an illustrator and what makes fashion illustration so special to you?
I have been working as a illustrator and graphic designer for the past three years. Fashion Illustration won my heart at some point a couple of years ago. I guess it is my combined love for fashion and art that makes it so special to me.
[for Jil Sander s/s 2011]
How was it working for a brand like Alexander McQueen?
Intense! I had the opportunity to work on the forthcoming collection and it was a beautiful and extremely hardworking experience. It was a huge eye opener of how it is to work for a big fashion house. But foremost it was one of the most inspirational and creative places I've ever worked at.

[for Ziad Ghanem, featured on Feb. 2010 show invite]
What are the challenges in creating a fashion illustration?
The challenges vary depending on the project mostly. A general challenge would be to make your image communicate with a broader audience or to satisfy the client's vision. More specifically for fashion illustration, the challenges usually involve the interpretation of the clothes and models. Whatever they are, it's important to overcome these challenges, to free your mind, and only then can you create a striking image.
[London Fashion Week a/w 2011, for Company Magazine]
What's hot in fashion illustration right now?
Good question! When it comes to illustration I believe it's the artists themselves that set what is hot and what is not. So hot would be anything that is creative and unique enough to stand out from the crowd of imagery around us. For me personally, hot right now would be: Maria Carla Boscono, Lea T, Takashi Murakami and the creative direction of Prada for S/S 11.

Where shall we look out for your name next?
Look out on my website for some big collaborations later on this year. I also have an idea for an exciting project that I want to do - it has to do with a collection of accessories - but it's in its infancy at the moment.

View more of Spiros Halaris work at www.spiroshalaris.com

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Patricia Munster's Fashion & Art - interview

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Patricia Munster's relationship to both fashion and photography is special and her work reflects that, whether her subject is on the catwalk, backstage or on stage. Now she's got a blog of her own: IsFashionArt. Comes from Holland, lives in Athens and is currently one of the dearest behind-the-scenes faces in town. Meet Patricia, in her own words and shots:
"Photography is a hobby since I was a little child. During highschool I developed my own photos already. I worked at a clothing store at Saturdays and school holidays to support this hobby. At 22 I graduated from fashion management and worked in the fashion industry as merchandise manager, enjoying my hobby photography. Three years ago I decided to make my hobby, my profession".
Why do you feel that something as commercial nowadays as fashion, is art?
Art is an expression of creativity to generate aesthetic pleasure, in any kind of form. So fashion can be. But who are the real artists in the fashion world is an interesting quest.
As a fashion photographer, how did the fashion blogging boom influence your work?
There are many blogs that inspire me to take better photos. But also opportunities to expose my work world wide.
Why have you started a blog of your own?
I love to photograph and share my photos. But also to do something more than just photographing, to be able to comment. I am still in the beginning and exploring the possibilities of my blog.
Special moments captured by your lens?
I loved to photograph Jean Paul Gaultier, Diane von Furstenberg, George Michael and Beyoncé when they were in Athens. A special moment for my 'Dutch' lens was photographing Pieter van Hoogenband and Inge de Bruijn, two Dutch swimmers, winning each of them a golden medal in Athens during the Olympics. But most special moments captured by my lens are with friends.
How's the fashion photography profession in Greece vs other countries you've worked in?
In every country there are opportunities and challenges. Only in Greece the price you get for publishing your photo in a magazine is very low. Not to mention assignments... I do not like the attitude of some people here that think they can get photos for free and it doesn't cost you anything! And I hate when they copy my photos without even mentioning it!
Favorite Greek designer shows?
To select my favorite Greek designer show is difficult. So many shows I have captured and each one is unique in its own way. I enjoyed photographing the fashion weeks at Zappeio in the center of Athens, it had a more sophisticated ambiance than at Ethniki Asfalistiki or at Technopolis.
But the lighting is most important for me when capturing a show so the piece of art gets written well by my camera!

Give a warm welcome and check out what Patricia has been up to lately, here:
http://isfashionart.blogspot.com/
Browse Patricia's work archives, here:
http://www.patricia-styleandimage.gr/

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Swap NOT Shop - no logo (Q&A)

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Why no labels? Don't they add something to the id of the garment?
Sure they do! Don't get us wrong here: we do support concepts and ideas that lie beneath labels, and we are well - aware that the quality of designer clothes is worth-the-price. However, we have spotted that for some people a label is an end in itself: they tend to buy a labelled piece for the ...label and not for the piece itself. They tend to give more importance to what is written on the garment than whether they actually do like it.

We also came up with the No Logo-ed edition because we want to give space to new & upcoming designers and creations. We want to provide them with equal opportunities. After all, Swap not Shop! parties are a non-currency exchange act. Its thus crucial to pick your piece because it stood out of the crowd ...for you. What's unique about Sns is that clothes are all over the place without carrying any currency connotation.

We want you to see something -if not yourself- in the piece you picked. After all, it is you who picked it from the pile, your eye that was caught, you thought it were unique and therefore loved it. A non-stereotypical love-at-first-sight kind of thing :)
What has changed from the first SNS party and what is the ideal goal you'd like to reach?
The first SNS party just ...happened. It was a goal-free summer initiative that took place in a terrace amongst more or less 30 people. It has now become a small -we dare to say- anti-consumerist act. During recession times, it might as well seem like a need. But we didn't plan the 600 people approximate attendance. And we definitely did not plan the recession.

So, yeah, there is no certain "goal", in the "reaching a level" meaning. If we could wish of something, that would be SnS parties to set themselves free. We do not feel they belong to us, in the same way that we do not believe in ownership in the first place. SnS parties belong to their clothes, to the people who love them and to feel-good afternoons in the city. We wish they continue to exist and happen, do their own thing you know. Anyone can embrace, we don't have to "be" there. Swapping and sharing is a way of living.
Some people say there's no point in taking the time to swap or give away since large chains sell new clothes so cheap today. What would you say to this?
In fact, this is exactly where we see the point: due to the tremendous amount of high end very cheap clothes people indulge to out-of-control purchases, which leads to the loss of creativity and diy potential. Not to mention that the recourses needed for their huge production is massively non-ethical. We still shop from large chains ourselves sometimes, but we've reached that point where we think twice the "do I really need this?" question.

We also came to realise that only when a piece is either very expensive or completely cost-free, we do actually chose it. If buying a tee equals to buying a cup of coffee, you don't really think about the purchase now do you? You add it in your closet and end up wearing it a few times, if not only once.

Which is exactly the reason why it all started: we have long been after a way to give a new life to all these pieces of clothing that have somehow ended in our closet. SnS parties are not only about getting more clothes - they are about giving away those you love still no more wear. Last but not least, Sns parties are not swapping per se, they're good fun!
What's the greatest lesson you've learned from organizing SNS parties so far?
The circulation of love. We know this might sound cheesy - if not a cliche, but if you think about it, what else do we need? Love can replace anything. We saw in practice that no matter how bad the mood in the city has been and how suspicious people were, they do embrace positive vibes and react to them beyond expectation. People share the love! And we can actually see it: it comes back as a smile, a diy-ed head band, your beloved tee fitted perfectly on another body...
*This Sunday, swapping will also take place in Thessaloniki:
More info at Life in Athens and Clemmie & Melroy and of course Swishing.gr

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The Island - Costumes II

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The costumes of the series 'The Island' are as emotionally charged as the story itself. That's because most of them are real vintage items, existing way before the story was told. Part of what makes this new series a masterpiece, is the effort put to gather these precious bits of history that should later on be placed at a costume museum, no doubt.

All credit for the very special work goes to:
Costumes Supervisor Maria Kontodima
Costumes Designer Xanthi Kontou
Assistant Costumes Designer Marli Aleiferi
Dressers Foteini Papastefanou & Christina Tsoutsouligka Here's the huge storage space the costumes were kept at, at Elounda's school yard. An impossible giant closet, square metres of fashion history. Costume design team's work doesn't stop at getting the goods in one space. Past time series require special handling, like adding the marks of time, getting those gems realistically dirty to match the scenes' conditions yet keeping them in perfect shape for the actors. A movie is not just what you see, but also what you see if you look closer.
Costumes Designer Xanthi Kontou and Assistant Costumes Designer Marli Aleiferi were kind enough to talk about this truly unique and of international standards project:

How many costumes travelled to Crete, how much preparation was needed and how many people participated in the process?

Xanthi Kondou: We shipped 2.000 outfits which took eight months of extensive research to put together. Overall, the various stages from Costume Design to Dressing, was carried out by a team of five. All costumes were created based on tradition archives and some were selected from private collectors’ original garments.
What is special about these costumes and where should the audience focus throughout the series?

Xanthi Kondou: We aimed to achieve balance and harmony between the colours of the environment, Spinalonga and those of the clothes. We paid special attention to the conservatism of the era, something obvious in the clothes of women. We also worked our best to recreate regional style with elements of the traditional Cretan men’s attire (boots, pants, etc.)

There are many semiological details helping the viewers follow the plot, for example, the crosses around the little girls’ necks (Anna & Maria) is what links them later on to their adult years.
To what extent is costume important in such a big production and why?

Marli Aleiferi: It is vital to project the mood and overall atmosphere. You only have seconds to make the audience familiarize with the main characters and the image must communicate the role clearly and accurately in order to achieve a quick engagement.

Semiology is also crucial in order to have the viewer hooked, subconsciously getting the clues we aim to get across. The costume design department reads every line of the script just like the actors and works closely with the director for perfect close ups and powerful frames.
What is a good and what a tough moment for the costumes team during filming?

Marli Aleiferi: A tough moment is when you have to shoot a scene involving numerous extras, that have to fit the theme perfectly and at the same time have a visually balanced and realistic result. None is meant to stand out, other than the protagonists. Getting an immaculate result in limited time is challenging. So is making sure there are no goofs, i.e. if the actor wears a ring on the left finger in a scene, it has to be on the same spot during the next ones too.

A good moment is each and every time a scene is successfully complete. Thankfully we’ve had plenty and you’ll get to watch them all.
Congrats to everyone for the wonderful job, for bringing all these items to light and all 150-something characters to life through clothes. A strong reminder that attire is a big part of our herritage and should not be neglected. Next Monday, watch 'The Island', see the pictures, but read the costumes.

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Laternative is

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Fashion bloggers are fashion perfect.
Oh really?
Latenative boys- Stavros Dioskouridis & Panagiotis Menegos - wanted to see for themselves. Don't know if we managed to persuade them there's no such thing as fashion perfect, but we had a perfect two hours trying to. I've had a question (or six) for them too:1. What makes laternative so different?
We are going to answer the same way our programme’s guests usually do (directors, bands, writers, artists of every nature). “We wouldn’t want to put a label on what we do”…but, if you insist, we are a muzine that deals with everything people of our age do. Music, movies, sex, football, internet, politics, technology, tv series, city life, etc. Obviously one can listen to it whether they are 13 or 73… or even a blogger…

2. How come you decided to have a show about fashion blogging?
We have some fashion blogging friends, there’s a lot of buzz about it lately and of course we want in and we always like the idea of being locked in a studio with three girls and a sound engineer.

3. Do you dress according to the music you listen to?
We believe in the ‘I speak through my clothes’ concept, music and its mythology is a very important part of our lives, so yes we are influenced by that. Both consciously and subconsciously. It’s just that in the post-modern mixer, you can be the Fred Perry indie boy one day and then wear adidas originals and sport street attitude the next. And don’t get me started on vintage. So its great to get across the message you mean to, it’s just that we can’t be bothered to dedicate too much time to it…

4. Music blogs existed long before fashion blogs. Were they welcomed? Would you say they influenced the Greek music scene in any way?
What do you mean by “welcomed”? If you are referring to the record labels, as far as Greece is concerned, their civil servants are most likely ignoring them. Of course they are influential because they are additional channels of information, specialized in most cases and without the restrains of print press. On the other hand, anonymity always feeds complexes and unmet passions…

5. What’s the role of blogs according to you? Why you read the ones you do and how did yours come up?
We made ours because we needed something to support our radio show online. But we are not frequent writers which makes us bad bloggers. We read and appreciate many blogs and overall it’s like we said in the previous question. More unfiltered information, new writing styles, often inconceivable passion for research and of course loads of bitching by people who do not have the guts to sign with their name or do not have the opportunity to say what they’ve got to say in traditional media. Perfect!

6. Which songs would you choose to play if my post was a radio show?
OF MONTREAL – Suffer For Fashion/ DIMITRI FROM PARIS – A Very Stylish Girl/ PET SHOP BOYS – Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money)/ FRANZ FERDINAND – No You Girls/ BLACK KIDS – I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You/ ROXETTE – The Look

Listen to Laternative Mon-Fri,
between 22:00-00:00, on Skai 100.3

Laternative blog

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Yorgos Yerardos on being a photographer

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You'd think that a 'fashion blogger' loves to have her picture taken. Well, not me.
(photo: Yorgos Yerardos)
Unless it's for my camera's timer, I feel uncomfortable. I was under a lot of stress when going to do the shoot for this interview. Meeting photographer Yorgos Yerardos at his studio was pure joy though. In high spirits, very friendly and patient, he made the whole experience fun like it should be.

That's most likely a result of his 18-year experience, with subjects from model Vicky Kayia to convict Rohamis, Lakis Lazopoulos to Gilbert and George, Kostantinos Rigos as well as many actors, athletes, and politicians. What blew my mind though, is his underwater photography, which he sees as a hobby. Enjoy the images as he goes on answering my questions:
How did you first get involved with photography?
It all started in my early teens, during a power black-out and whilst reading a book on photography in candlelight. You could say that the lack of light was what led me to photography.
Which is the hardest and which your favourite part in this job?
The hardest part is to find the much needed inspiration in the every day business routine . My favourite part is always having to deal with something different.
What makes an editorial successful in the eyes of a photographer?
For a photographer, the successful editorial is the one that in the end reflects his personal aesthetics' perception and style.
What is the funniest/strangest task you had to pull through?
A funny incident I recall is shooting a fashion editorial in London’s Hyde Park, without the permission of the park’s management. We were supposed to hand in the images by evening and there was no time to apply for one. Having no other choice, we shot very fast at one part of the park till the guards realised and escorted us to one of the exits and then we would go back in from a different entrance and repeat the process till the shoot was a wrap!
Which advice would you give to someone who has difficulties posing? How do you ‘save’ such a shoot?
Very often the subject finds it hard and ‘freezes’. At that point it is important that I break the ice in order to get the images I want. A joke, a short pause for a chat and exchanging roles are tricks that always succeed in making the other person relax and be himself.

(and a spontaneous one:
How on earth did you make 'Nemo' relax and look straight into the camera?!
[laughs] Well when it comes to fish, it's you who has to be relaxed and very patient.)

Yorgos Yerardos' impressive portfolio is here, including portraits, still life, food & interiors, people you know and some you'd like to meet.

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Tell A Story - Euangelia

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Fashion weeks' news caught up with me and my TaS reports had to be interrupted. Designers' work though doesn't stop once an exhibition is over. Here's what Euangelia is up to:
Apart from her being so imposing in her full bum dresses, she always incorporates great details in her designs whether that's a tight knot, a puffy sleeve or an unusual slash-cut. She always has my attention, but this time I had to ask:

Do you follow fashion trends at all?
Not at all. My work is timeless and for those who feel like wearing something different to the uniform shapes suggested each season. Special doesn't always mean 'special occassion', although I have many orders of this nature too.
What's with the big bum?
I love Renaissance figures, voluptuous and rounded. Clothing in that era was an obvious extention of the personality and today these shapes can be considered as classics. Obviously, I feel comfortable wearing a big bum and contrary to any worries that it makes a naturally big bum look even bigger, it actually camouflages it. However, this effect is achieved by an added tutu-like skirt which comes seperately. They can be worn like any other regular dress without it.
In these beautiful shapes you could be making some seriously avant-garde wedding dresses. Have you considered it?
Well somebody has! I have some orders at the moment and I tell you, these brides are going to be too cool.
What's new with you otherwise?
I am soon moving to a bigger atelier with fellow designers Ioli & Mirella. We are staying in the area of Psurri though, we all like it there.
Euangelia's dresses are unique. No, seriously, each piece is made only once and the proud owner is the sole owner. Too good? It's true. And the prices are even better!

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