RETROclassic inf luence. contemporary style.

Issue Eight

Alexander McQueenSavage Beauty: Fashion’s coming home

Editor’s Letter

Alexander McQueen was a geniuson many levels. His designs had a

complexity and intricacy that gave theinanimate a living, breathtaking reality. A tough east Londonupbringing meant he didn’t need tof ind the ‘common touch’, he just hadan innate ability to reach beyond thefashionista to the people on the street.The popularity of the Savage Beautyexhibition ref lects this. This month wespoke to Selena Marie Norris, one ofthe ‘common people’ inspired byMcQueen, who launched a petition totake the exhibition worldwide. Wethink McQueen would have liked that.We also discuss the legacy of anotherdesign legend Christian Dior, who likeMcQueen designed for real women;we speak to ventriloquist CarlaRhodes and her politically incorrectsidekick Cecil Sinclaire; and we enterthe mysterious world of narrativephotographer Matt Henry.Oh, and look out for singer/songwriterLana Del Rey, whose ‘Hollywooddoom’ style has had the Retro off iceall of a swoon. Enjoy.

Cover image from the book AlexanderMcQueen: Savage Beauty, by AndrewBolton, with contributions by SusannahFrankel and Tim Blanks; photography bySølve Sundsbø.Available from:www.store.metmuseum.org

Bruce Hudsoneditor@theretrocollective.com

Street Style

Contents

The Top FiveInspiredCarla Rhodes

Christian DiorMatt HenryAlexander McQueen25hours Hotels

Cutting a dash in the UK’s retro capital

What’s been rocking the Retro off ice this month?

The ventriloquist proves she’s no dummy

Design master who created the New Look

Photo stories of an American idyll

One fan’s quest for a tour of beauty

An incredible stay — eight days a week

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page 16

page 26

page 36

page 44

page 52

page 64

page 78

Our pick of the best retro-inf luenced products

STREETCAMEOS

This issue we headed to the UK'ssunny south to see the retro-influenced styles Brighton'srocking this summer

Words: Danielle ColyerImages: Nadine Burzler

Names: Liz Bishop and Alex ThirlwellOccupation: Liz is the Director of BrightonFashion Week, Alex is a model.Tell us about your threads!Liz: We’ve just got back from Kampala inUganda and it’s brilliant for charity shops – somy skir t and shoes are both from there. Myvest is from a charity shop here in Brighton,and my bag is from a vintage market. My hatcame from a lady in Lewes who makes theatrecostumes – she had loads of great hats.Alex: I picked up my entire outf it in Kampala,it was great for shopping.

Names: Paul Hayes and Veronica TrickettOccupations: Paul is a programmer andVeronica is an off ice managerTell us about your threads!Paul: My cravat is one of two I own, and Iplan to own more! It’s from Snoopers Attic.My waistcoat is from a North Laineboutique, my trousers are Beyond Retro,my shir t is from somewhere on the high

street and my shoes are from Shabitat [arecycled clothing and furniture centre inBrighton]. My coat is from Stanford Tailor –and no, it’s not hot, it’s made from wool!Veronica: My clothes are all from the highstreet – except my sunglasses, they’re fromBeyond Retro. My dress was fromPeacocks, and my boots, jacket andnecklace are both from New Look.

Name: Jan CooperOccupation: Jewellery designerTell us about your threads!

Gosh, these things? Well I must be quick,I’m on my break! My entire outf it –dress, cardigan, the lot – is from a

vintage shop in Steyning.

Names: Lana McDonagh and Danny McGurnOccupation: MusiciansTell us about your threads! Lana: My shor ts are from Beyond Retro, myshoes are from the Sunday market here inBrighton, my bag is from Snoopers Attic, agreat Brighton vintage shop, and my shir t isfrom Oxfam in Oxford.Danny: My jacket is Levi’s, my t-shir t is fromAmerican Apparel, my jeans are UrbanOutf itters, and my shoes are from Off ice. Oh,and we’ve just been to the vintage streetmarket and I bought this medal.

Lana Del Rey is a singer/songwriter with style,substance and sass all wrapped up in one helluvaexciting package. Dubbed the ‘Gangster Nancy Sinatra’her boots are def initely walking to the top of the char ts.Already an acclaimed songwriter, she also produces herown videos, which por tray a warped perception of theAmerican Dream with dark images of inebriatedsocialites, obsessive coverage of celebrities, soft-focusPolaroid images of the 50s and 60s cut together withchildren’s car toons. No question the gal is multifacetedand without doubt the closest Retro’s seen to a femaleversion of Nick Cave. A limited edition 7" vinyl of her f irstsingle Video Games will be available early October, withthe f irst 100 copies being hand-signed by Lana. Also lookout for her UK debut appearance at Madame Jojo’s onOctober 5th.

Lana Del Rey

www.lanadelrey.com

the Top 5

the Top 5

Bang on the androgynous trend withoutbordering on the weird, Kooples is a

sexy French brand using cool couples tostyle their clothes. This season’s collection isan almighty mix-up of the 30s and 80s withDada, reversed sheepskins, f lannel linings,velvet and leather trimmings, and three-

piece suits all prominent. Anything goes atKooples from ‘f ly-boy greasers straddlingscooters to nighthawk neo gentleman inthree-piece tweeds’ and this combination ofParisian chic with Anglo style is a ringingendorsement of entente cordiale.

The Kooples

www.thekooples.co.uk

From Henderson & Redfearn, craftsmen of f ine, handmadekitchens and cabinets for 25 years, comes a nostalgic offspring.The Retro Kitchen Company was launched in April withaccessories supplied by Pedlars, and colour palettes and tiles byFired Ear th. Offering a fresh and funky feel with a retro twist,these bespoke handcrafted kitchen cabinets will set your kitchenapar t from the mainstream.

the Top 5

www.theretrokitchenco.co.uk

The Retro Kitchen Company

the Top 5

Former-Sopranos writer and Boardwalk Empire’screator, Terence Winter, thought with a pilotcosting $20M the show’s cost would proveunsustainable. This included casting Steve Buscemi inthe title role, reserving the director’s chair for MartinScorsese and constructing a stunning, prohibition-era Atlantic City set in Brooklyn. Despite criticsbeing reserved in their opening reviews, BoardwalkEmpire is now being rated up with The Wire as oneof the greatest US series – with the show recentlyreceiving 18 Emmy nominations.

Also leading in the style trends with its woollenlarge checked suits and iridescent ties held in placeby collar pins, means Boardwalk’s dandyish style willreplace the skinny ties and tailored suits of Mad Menas this season’s look. Keep an eye out for Series Twowhich star ts in late September.

Boardwalk Empire

the Top 5

Knightsbridge opticians Graham Cutlerand Tony Gross have 40 years of

experience under their belts and arepioneers of cool yet practical glasses.Although their mantra is that glasses can,and should be, worn by everyone and thebrand has been described by theIndependent as: “they don’t have a logo,

aren’t ostentatious but utterly glam’they’ve still attracted a celebrity followingincluding Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas,Anna Paquin and Tinie Tempah. Theirspring/summer 2011 collection TheMermaid and the Off icer is inspired by thesensuous sea siren and we’ve def initelybeen lured by their seductive charms.

Cutler & Gross: The Mermaid & The Off icer Collection

Pop Art Tar t, producer of quirky iconicpor traits, has extended their range toinclude individually signed andnumbered gift cards. With their gallerysections divided into Rock Tar ts, PopTar ts, Movie Tar ts and Camp Tar tsthere’s more than just a hint ofquirkiness. For us the standout fromthe collection is Twiggy but you canalso create a bespoke por trait of aloved one, friend or if you fancy youcan even send off one of yourself.

InspiredWe’ve scoured the stores, and the net,for the best retro-inf luenced products tohave recently hit the market

Pop Art Tartwww.poparttart.com

Jake Phipps announced himself on the design scene in1999 when he launched Isis, the world’s thinnest foldingchair with renowned manufacturers Gebrüder ThonetVienna. He subsequently set up his own design studiocreating one-off pieces which can be up-scaled forlarge production runs, establishing an enviable client

list in the process (including Philippe Starck,Tommy Hilf iger, and Colefax and Fowler).His latest creation the Jeeves andWooster pendant light comes in twovariations, the wool-felt bowler andtop hat with both styled with anenergy saving G9 bulb, reinforced by

anodised aluminium lining in a gold f inish.Brilliantly caddish, our cap is truly dothed.

Jeeves & Wooster Pendant Light, £POAwww.jakephipps.com

These ostentatiously stylish Frous Frouslampshades will add a dash of Parisianburlesque to the most staid of rooms orhallways. Designed by cutting-edge printdesigner Alexander Henry, the one-offblack and white f loral cotton prints createan abstract patchwork pattern withmatching silk braids and exquisite whitepheasant feather trim.

Frous Frous Lampshadet, £245www.notonthehighstreet.com

Described as ‘an over-sized bird’s nest’ theNestrest offers a suspended sanctuarythat’ll make your garden’s featheredfriends squawk with jealousy. Crafted outof tough Dedon f ibre these resolute

resting places means you’re unlikely toswallow dive into the pool, and onceyou’re inside you’re unable to see out, sobrilliant for meditation and relaxation orcatching up on the Sunday papers.

Dedon Nestrest, £POAwww.dedon.de

Insp

ired

Insp

ired

Philips has launched the FidelioSoundSphere which enablesstreaming directly from the iPhonevia Apple’s AirPlay technology.This plug and play technologymeans you can put your iPhoneinto the dock for power and thenlisten to anything from your musiccollection. There’s also a freeFidelio app which enables a suite of

features for your speakers includingplayback controls, worldwide internet,even a unique weather aler t system.

Philips Fidelio Soundsphere, £699www.johnlewis.com

It seems running Vintage atSouthbank and their own designcompany isn’t enough to keep theHemingways busy. The dynamic duohave just collaborated with Crownpaints on a range of 30 vintagepaints inspired by music, fashion, f ilm,ar t and design ref lecting iconicthemes and trends in popular culturefrom the 40s to 80s. With coloursincluding Chelsea Girl, Bell Bottomsand Free Love these paints will makeyour walls resonate with cool.

Crown Vintage Paint, £22.99www.crown-paint.co.uk

This design-led gift company star ted in 2005with the Pretty Useful Tool range and hassubsequently developed licensed ranges for alarge number of illustrious brands includingPenguin, Beano, Marmite and Scrabble. Thesef lasks are from of the British Motor Heritagerange which includes MG key rings, a Minipasspor t cover and an MG washbag – perfectif you’re glamping, camping or just need aquick roadside break.

Wild & Wolf Mini Cooper Flask, £16.95www.johnlewis.com

Erickson Beamon has been producing vintage-inspired jewellery collectionssince 1983. Karen and Eric Erickson and Vicki Beamon, who launched thebrand produce beautifully original pieces that originally captured the boho-chic look of the 90s and include Sarah Jessica Parker and Gwyneth Paltrowamong their fans. This wonderful gunmetal-plated Swarovski crystal maskwill guarantee you a standout entrance at the most mysterious ofmasquerade balls.

Mistress Swarovski crystal masquerade mask, £1,530www.net-a-porter.com

Miu Miu, the sister label toPrada launched by MiucciaPrada back in 1993 has areputation for sophisticated,eclectic collections. This leathersatchel combines sar torialelegance with enough space tosquirrel away more than justthe essentials. Perfect for whenyou’re playing away from home.

Miu Miu Leather Satchel, £995www.net-a-porter.com

Insp

ired

Socialite and movie maker Charles Finch, whosegrandfather in the 20s invented the puffa jacket before arecord-breaking ascent up Everest, has dipped his owntoe into the rag trade. In February he launched the Chucsbrand (named after his school boy nickname) andteamed up with acclaimed designer Giles Deacon to craftthis beautifully patterned, 60s-inspired bikini. From whatRetro’s seen, just like Finch’s grandfather, Chucs looks tobe climbing to the summit.

Giles Bikini Top, £175www.chucsdiveshop.com

It’s hard to believe two-time Swarvoskiaward-winner Alexander Wang is only27 considering his impact on the designworld. Since opening his f lagship storeclose to his Manhattan studio in Marchhe’s also picked up GQ’s Designer ofthe Year and the CFDA’s AccessoryDesigner of the Year. These owlishshoulder bags continue to showcase hiscutting-edge designs, and are not onlya hoot but they’re stylish to boot.

Alexander Wang Devere shoulder bag, £715www.net-a-porter.com

CRASHTEST

DUMMYKeith Richards is hanging from a chandelier in your NewYork apartment, you’ve drunk so much you’re seeing theLoch Ness Monster, and your best friend is a doll.Welcome to the world of rock’n’roll ventriloquism. Danielle Colyer exchanges a few lines with Carla Rhodesand her politically incorrect stage partner, Cecil Sinclaire

Photography by Leslie Van SteltenStyling and Art Direction by Jet OliviaMake-up by Daniel K.To view more of Leslie's work go to:www.leslievanstelten.com

How did you and Cecil meet? Carla: I'd been living in New York City'sEast Village for a few years struggling asan ‘ar tist’. Walking home one day I founda discarded, dusty steamer trunk on thecorner. Something inside me told me toopen it, while the other par t of me totallydisregarded my fear of the bedbugepidemic. When I opened it up, there hewas: Cecil Sinclaire! Right away he beganto tell me tales of performing in vaudevilleand music hall shows and how he couldtake me to the heights he’d achieved somany years ago. I told him I wanted tomake it to the ‘big time’. He told me theonly thing that was going to make it bigwas my waist line. The rest is history.Cecil: My story is quite different. I waslocked away for years, due to having anaffair with an overage and overweightchorus girl, sleeping peacefully. A f loozieopened my trunk and disturbed mygolden slumber! Now I'm in a strange landwith a sidekick that looks like ShirleyTemple on heroin! The kicker is... I gaveher bedbugs and I'm responsible for thecurrent worldwide bedbug epidemic.

What attracted you to ventriloquism?Carla: At the tender age of nine, I saw ShariLewis and Lamb Chop on television. I wasstrangely attracted to them both and decidedthat I wanted to be a ventriloquist!Cecil:What's a ventriloquist? I'd hate to sharethe bill with one of those – please tell me Carlaisn't a... you know what... I'd rather performwith a mime!

What would you both be doing if youweren’t doing this?Carla: I'd most likely be a rock star or a hairmodel.Cecil: I'd be living a much better life with aclassier lady who doesn't resemble an overfedpoodle! I'd be touring the vaudeville circuit andmaking the transition from silents to talkies! I'dbe in the big time, making the silver screen begfor forgiveness!

Morecambe and WiseSTOLE MY ENTIRE ACTTHEY�OWE�ME

a bag of sweetsand an apology

Who or what is your act most inf luencedby?Carla: Shari Lewis, many rock’n’roll legends – to name a few, Mick and Keef, David Bowie– and the Marx Brothers.Cecil: The Inch Worm Inchers, GeorgeFormby, Titus and His Trained Mule... I alsoused to work with Joan Rivers in the 1920s...she's a classy broad!

What tunes do you and Cecil put on toget ready for a night out?Carla: I usually listen to whatever Cecil tellsme to listen to, for fear of retaliation.Cecil: This week I can't stop cranking up myVictrola into the wee hours and listening to ‘l'llBe With You In Apple Blossom Time’ and ‘Yes!We Have No Bananas’. They're both theperfect ditties for spring excitements.

Do you sleep in the same bed likeMorecambe and Wise, or have a strictlyprofessional relationship?Cecil: First off, Morecambe and Wise stolemy entire act. They owe me a bag of sticky,stripey sweets and a handwritten apology.Carla wishes I'd sleep in her bed! I've got myown room complete with a steam radiator,crystal radio and an invisible forcef ield thatkeeps hussies out of my room past thewitching hour!Carla: I concur.

You and Cecil are a stylish pair. Who areyour favourite designers, and how wouldyou describe your look?Carla: I love New York City f lea markets,

junk stores and vintage shops. I've got a goodeye for f inding stuff... I'm a bit like a magpie;I'm attracted to shiny objects, especiallyiridescent, violent fabrics from the 1970s.Cecil:When Eleanor Roosevelt was a weelass, we cour ted and had a wondrous time.She bought me a suit that I've never f iguredout how to take off. I only ever change mybowtie... I'm such gentleman!

What do you and Cecil have on yourrider?Cecil:We refuse to tread the boards unlessthere's a bowl of saltwater taff ies, oversizedsticks of Blackpool rock and a restrainingorder to keep Carla ten feet away from meat all times.Carla: I always request an extra large can ofaerosol hairspray and a bag of chutzpah.

You recently performed at the GlasgowComedy Festival, what was that like?Carla: It was beyond fun! So much fun that ittook me about a month to recover.Cecil: It took me a month to recover fromf lying coach and sharing a tiny hotel roomwith Carla.

Did you have any trouble understandingthe Scottish accent while you were there?Carla: Cecil and I drank so much on the f irstnight, that we saw the Loch Ness Monster!She stuck around and she became ourtranslator.Cecil: Sadly I think Carla saw herself in themirror without face paint. She thought shewas speaking with the Loch Ness Monster!

Which celebrity would you and Cecil mostlike to perform for and why?Carla: Cecil has informed me that I mustalways say: I want to perform for him at alltimes and in all areas. But honestly, I'd like tobuild a time machine and perform for GrouchoMarx, technology is getting so good... it couldhappen!

A couple of years ago you had KeithRichards and Mick Jagger hide out in yourapartment – tell us a story of rock’n’rollexcess.Carla: Mick and Keef were taking a breakfrom touring, needed a place to rest and getback to their roots. They decided to crash atmy pad in the East Village. It was fun at f irst,but then a bit annoying and beyonddebauched. You can have a sneak peak bychecking out Positively 5th Street – a shor t andsweet video of our adventures.

You played in NYC on your birthday!What was the best gift you received?Cecil: A genuine shoeshine from the f inestbroad in New York City!

Carla: A giant cake shaped like my pet dove,Pearl Friday. It was f illed with marshmallowsand peace and love!

What’s been the best show you’ve playedto date and why?Carla: That's a hard choice! I really enjoyperforming my monthly rock'n'rollventriloquism show ‘The Continuing Story OfCarla Rhodes’. You can't beat mashing upventriloquism, comedy and a live rock'n'rollband. There's really nothing like it.Cecil: And for good reason too! My best gig?My tap dancin' f lea agent, Tappy Fleaberg,booked me on B.F. Keith's Vaudeville Circuit in1922, and I celebrated with a mighty hurrah! Ishowed The Cherry Sisters who’s the boss!They were so terrible I threw vegetables toshow my disgust!

Tell us a joke.Cecil: Since Carla is a woman and womenaren't funny, I'll gladly grab the reins and tell ajoke. What do you tell a woman with twoblack eyes? Nothing... you've already told hertwice! I do say, I'm quite humorous!

WWW.CARLARHODES.COMfor more go to:

Photo: Hanna Toresson

For the past ten years, Villa Les Rhumbs, in Granville, Normandy,where Christian Dior grew up, has been dedicated to presentingthe designer’s collections. The latest exhibition ‘Dior, le Bal desArtistes’ features the sources of art and culture that haveinspired the creativity of the House of Dior since 1947. Thisintimate exhibition, which allows visitors to take in Dior’scouture within his childhood home and gardens, has been metwith critical acclaim. Lara Kavanagh examines why ChristianDior’s legacy resonates with designers and the public alike.

openingtheDior

Dior

Image courtesy of Musée Christian Dior

An item in my eBay account’s ‘didn’t win’list has been a thorn in my side for

several weeks now. The thumbnail of abright red 60’s Dior shift, nestled smuglybetween other less-noteworthy escapees,has served as a gutting reminder of aTuesday lunchtime bidding war that left me,pathetic as it sounds, a little hear tbroken.Yes, there are more important things in life,and there’s no guarantee the blasted thingwould even have f it, but my desire to ownthis piece of Dior history was bizarrelyoverwhelming. It was the designs of a rather unassuming-looking Frenchman from Normandy whodominated post-war fashions in the 40s and50s, cleverly expanding his couturecollections to suit the lives of women acrossthe globe, and developing various moreaffordable lines so as to appeal to differentaudiences. Christian Dior’s skill as a designer,businessman, tactician and marketer of tastelaid the foundations of the international Diorempire that has retained a cer tain cachetthroughout its iterations under the verydifferent schools of Yves Saint-Laurent, MarcBohan, Gianfranco Ferré and John Galliano.The 2011 Dior haute couture collectionshowed an undeniable harking back to theearly years of the fashion house’s 64-yearhistory, with Galliano citing ‘colour, materialand volume’ as some of its main themes. Theinf luence of 1947’s New Look and thecollections that followed was apparent;vividly modernised by Galliano with theoccasional oriental twist. A bad time indeed,with all eyes on the fashion world, for the

The Little BelowThe Knee Club was furious at Dior’s

lowered skirt lengths

Image courtesy of Musée Christian Dior

designer’s anti-Semitic episode to occur. Thefuture of Dior’s leadership is still undecided,but it seems impossible that a nauseatingbout of drunken ranting will be able to tarnishthe heritage of the Christian Dior brand forlong. In 1947 Christian Dior launched his fashionhouse with the Corolle line, renamed by anAmerican journalist as the ‘New Look’, notnecessarily as an entirely new aesthetic in thehistory of fashion, but a fresh star t after theutility wear that had dominated out ofnecessity during World War II. The Corolleline featured a mix of the traditional and themodern, borrowing something of a Victorianinf luence in its nipped-in V shape, yet playingto an aspirational modern look, very muchgeared to dressing for an occasion. Theemphasis was f irmly on luxury, with astructured silhouette and a high-quality f inish,resulting in designs that were utterly elegant,if not wholly practical for the average womangoing about her daily business. The ultra-feminine contours of the Corolle line requireda return to corsetry – a far cry from theuncorseted minimalism previously touted byChanel, who, amongst others, wascontemptuous of a return to the restrictedfemale body.Unsurprisingly, there was some feministresistance to the New Look; the Little Belowthe Knee Club gave a voice to a large bodyof American women furious at Dior’sproposed lowered skir t lengths, after thefreedom (both symbolic and in terms ofmovement) of a hemline that stopped just

Image courtesy of Musée Christian Dior

below the knee. Many people living in recently occupied Francereacted against the new aesthetic for its display of prof ligacy afterthe trauma and deprivations of war time living. Then there was theissue of the expense, a key factor in couture for inspiring desire, butwhich here was interpreted as a re-cementing of a class distinctionthat some thought had been eroded during the collective f ight.Many others, however, saw the New Look as a joyful return toluxury and a celebration of the female form, as well as a much-needed rejuvenating factor for the failing Paris couture industry.Despite its detractors, the New Look had a huge inf luence on thefashion world, with many delighted to see such a depar ture fromwhat had come before, making Christian Dior a celebrity couturier.Such was the impact of Dior’s new silhouettes that Hollywoodstudio executives were horrif ied to f ind that their recent f ilms,made just months previously, were suddenly very obviously out ofstyle. From any perspective, Christian Dior’s clothes were incrediblybeautiful, and the recurring hourglass look was one that persistedacross the industry, from top to bottom, for many years to come.

Hollywood washorrified to findtheir latest

films were out of style

Image courtesy of Musée Christian Dior

ghost on the canvasMatt Henry is a pioneering narrative photographer whocaptures pictorial stories of 50s to 70s Americana. BruceHudson shoots the breeze about his love of Twin Peaks, theCuban missile crisis and building gallows in public places.

The studio of Matt Henry is padlocked shutand a ‘closed’ sign hangs limply on the

door. Grimed-up windows obscure the view in.A huge fawn-coloured dog, guarding the door,lies with its back arched against the side glass.A man seated behind a small desk with a lonecomputer senses I’m at the door and looks up.After studying me he decides it’s safe to unlockthe door. “The landlord insists on security”, he

says as we shake hands. It later transpiresMatt has just moved into the studio and is stillf inding his feet. He decides a coffee down the road, in moreaccommodating surroundings, is appropriate.We walk to a grand but completely emptyRegency-styled café. An elderly man asks if wewant a coffee in a manner that implies hedoesn’t usually have customers, and the

atmosphere turns distinctly Lynchian. Whenthe coffee arrives it’s a damn f ine cup of coffee. Originally from North Wales, Matt went toNottingham University where he studiedpolitical theory. After getting involved in theuniversity magazine, and because “my Mumwas a photographer so I was used to playingaround in dark rooms”, he won the Guardian’sStudent Photographer of the Year. Despite the

maternal encouragement, and he admits thiswas the f irst time that he thought he “mightbe alright at photography”, his career pathtook off in a parallel direction. Matt completeda post-graduate degree in journalism atCardiff and soon found himself writing aboutphotography for most of the industry’s leadingmagazines including Digital Photographer and Digital SLR.

When Matt returned to the other side of thecamera, facing the world of fashionphotography he didn’t enjoy it. “It’s a funnyworld” he says. “I’ve always been interested instory telling. Most people choose to watchf iction as an ar t form but people rarely dothat in photography. In fashion it is limitedbecause it has to be about a beautiful womanor beautiful clothes. There’s a million stories in

the world and most of them don’t involvebeautiful women.”It was for these reasons that Matt began tocraft his own form. “I’ve always been intoliterature and f ilm so why not extend thenarrative format into photography? I’m not,however, trying to recreate a single cinematic still.” Matt worked on a series of images with

narratives focusing on 50s to 70s Americana.Originally inspired by the American televisionshows he watched as a child, whichmetamorphosed into “a fantasy land, a visualplace that sat in my mind. I guess if I hadgrown up watching Chinese television it mighthave been different,” he says with a chuckle. Matt’s studies of Cold War and the rise and fallof communism as par t of his politics degree

have distinctly impacted his work, wheremotifs of everyday life sit alongside f lashes ofdystopia; a heavily glazed version of mom’sapple pie. Matt’s vision of the American Dream is where“people were looking for something new: anew world, a new chapter and newopportunities. These people thought they couldchange the world. I mean they thought LSD

would change consciousness and save theworld. How cool is that! That for me isfascinating, how great to be around in thisperiod of time.”David Lynch is the cultural icon whose workencapsulates this period best for Matt. Inpar ticular, Lynch’s Twin Peaks has informedand inf luenced his photographic expression.“I’m a country boy and I’m not really interested

in life in the city. Twin Peaks was about simple,rural America, yet at the same time it’s not aconservative idea of the land. A sense of thesimple life but not in a Utopian way.Traditionally rural communities are supposed tohave more of a sense of community while citiesare supposed to be more out there, but ifyou’re in a rural community, that’s where thecrazies are. They don’t have the same social

mores; people are very conscious of what weare doing and saying in the city, in the countrythere aren’t the same restrictions.” It’s one thing admiring images from the Statesand another trying to create your own tableauin the UK. Not surprisingly there arepracticality and authenticity issues, and Mattadmits to spending a considerable amount oftime combing eBay for props. Most come from

America, like the motorcycle helmet (Page 58),an original from the California Highway Patrolwhich cost £500. In the quest for authenticity,he even recreates motel rooms, modeling eachaccording to the shoot. “I’ll buy wallpaper fromthe States and I’ll wallpaper. Actually mywallpapering is getting quite good…but beinghonest thank God for Photoshop (he laughs).My f latmates have been through hell because

our front room was constantly changing.” And we both laugh at the image of hisf latmates arriving home from the pub to f indtheir lounge transformed into the bedroom ofa roadside motel.Auctions and markets also are happy huntinggrounds for Matt. “I’ve got all the StephenShore and Mitch Epstein books which are acatalogue of American life and I’ll go to timber

merchants and buy American redwood.”The photographic narratives can be a year inthe planning and when it comes to the shootsMatt likes to have a storyboard to work to,even though he admits his drawings are aterrible and it’s more a series of stickmen.“Sometimes you get it bang on, other timesyou have to be f lexible. You need a vision butsometimes you get something completely

random. I’m also careful to make sure I get theright eras.”Matt does most of the styling and even thehair and make-up, and is not averse tocreating a little bit of his own drama while outon location. “I did one shoot where I had agallows with a noose hanging down. I shotthat in a country park without telling thecouncil. I legged it in, constructed this thing and

there are families having picnics going ‘whatthe hell?’”Despite grand sets and his meticulousattention to minutiae, Matt maintains humblemeasures of personal success: to never turn tocommercial work and, fundamentally, to berecognised as an ar tist. “I want to exhibit. I have a million stories in myhead” he says. When I ask for some examples,

to see more of matt henry’s work visit

www.matthenryphoto.com

he immediately reels off “the day Elvis died; theCuban missile crisis and Reds under the bed”without a second thought. And as if to conf irmhis conf licting love affair with the AmericanDream he says “I’m not really about makingmoney, I think there is something to be said forstruggling. I would prefer to die having had aninf luence on somebody rather than be a rich

man any day of the week.”As we f inish our coffees and try to f ind theelderly barrister who has again disappeared, Irealise this café-owner, like Matt Henry, is notconcerned with making money, but withproviding the f inest offering possible. And thenext time I come here I will be def initelyordering a piece of cherry pie.

For McQueen andAfter a phenomenal run at New York’s Metropolitan Museum ofAr t, Alexander McQueen’s Savage Beauty exhibition might be readyto cross the pond. Thanks to the backing of some major players inthe fashion industry, the exhibit looks set to sail to London. Retrogoes on the campaign trail with Selena Marie Norris, who star tedthe petition for the exhibition to tour worldwide

For McQueen andCountry

Images cour tesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Ar t

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beautywas the eighth most-visited exhibition inMet history in terms of total numbers.Why do you think the show resonatedwith the public?There was a combination of factors that ledto the success of the exhibition. For one,there has been a rise in the general public’sinterest of the ar ts. Also AlexanderMcQueen became a household nameworld-wide when Catherine Middletonstepped out of her car wearing the nowiconic wedding dress designed by SarahBur ton. So the timing of the McQueenexhibition was just right and the public wasvery receptive, however, it was the beautyof his work not just the timing that madethe exhibition a success.

How did the exhibition impact on youpersonally?It was sor t of bittersweet. I was excited tosee that one of my favourite designerswould be honoured in such a grand way,and yet I was saddened by the dichotomy ofevents that brought the life of McQueen toan end, and the exhibition to conception.

You describe McQueen's designs as thework of a 'genius'. Why does he standout from his contemporaries and whatwill his legacy be?Anyone who knows McQueen's work willtell you he never did anything by half. Hisextreme dedication and passion wereevident in his designs. Passion outweighsGod-given talents, but those who haveboth, will be unstoppable. What made

McQueen's work unstoppable was hiscomplete irreverence for the rules that havebeen set in place for fashion. He had an eye forbeauty that surpassed the boundaries ofcommercialism and embraced innovation andinventiveness. The story of his rise to fame is avery inspiring one. In many ways, this exhibitionwill be his legacy, which is why my team and Iare so determined to see it travel.

What are your own personal favoritepieces from his collections?There are so many! If I had to choose, I wouldsay my favourites are the intricately carvedwooden legs worn by double amputee model,

Aimee Mullins. My second favourite would bethe red cape Emma Watson wore for Harper'sBazaar, The Magic of Fashion. It’s beyondbeautiful – it appears to f loat on air.

People remember where they were whenKennedy was shot and Elvis died. DidMcQueen's death have a similar impacton you?I was in college, working on my seniorcollection when I found out about it. I cried. Itwas hear tbreaking because he was one of thedesigners I had looked up to for a very longtime, as far back as I can remember. Hisbir thday is the day before mine. I had hopedone day to have met him, and worked

alongside him. His death was an immense lossfor the industry. Whenever somebody takestheir own life it is a tragedy for the wholeworld.

You work as a freelance image consultantand designer. How do McQueen's designsinf luence your work?McQueen embraced the macabre and hiswork often appeared to have grown out ofthe realm of a dream. His designs were builtfrom the fabric of fantasy and he was uniquelytalented at transforming even nightmarishqualities into breathtaking visions of beauty. Itis this sor t of other-worldly vision to which I

feel a connection, and given the right avenue,would love to explore.

How was the idea for a petition hatchedand has it been well received?The petition is titled “Please Make AlexanderMcQueen’s Savage Beauty a TravelingExhibition” and we aim to do just that.Although I was the one who constructed it,the idea was brought to my attention by mypetition co-leader, Darryl Warren, freelancewriter and author of Fashion Observed, asocio-fashion blog. A Savage Beauty discussionboard on Linkedin.com ‘Mudpie- Fashion,Trends, and Culture’ group was the impetus forour cause. The group, which comprises of over

Our target is 661,509 signatures, thesame as the amount of visitors to

the exhibition

10,000 industry professionals, expressed aninterest in the exhibit and has been asuppor ter of the petition from the beginning.I simply saw a need, listened to the collectivevoice, and made it happen. I am working hardto see our goal become a reality, though it hastruly been a collaborative force, and I shouldnot receive credit alone.

Have you received any support from theMet, McQueen, or any high prof ile

industry f igures?

The Met has been very gracious andresponded promptly to our emails. We havegained some wonderful suppor t from theindustry, specif ically from Fiona Jenvey, CEO ofthe fashion forecasting company Mudpie Ltd.Also, following the release of our change.orgpetition, Melanie Rickey of Grazia Magazinekindly star ted a campaign on her blog to bringthe McQueen exhibit home to London.

Have you received any celebrityendorsements?At this point we are only in the initial stages ofgetting the word out about the petition.McQueen had many high prof ile friends, so it'sonly a matter of time.

Are you surprised by the amount ofcoverage you have received?Honestly, I am surprised we have not receivedmore coverage.

Is there a level of support (signatures) youneed to receive for the show to be taken worldwide?

We have not been told that a specif ic numberof signatures would insure our goal comes tofruition. At this time we have set our target tobe 661,509, exactly the amount of signatures,as there were visitors, to the New Yorkexhibition.

If successful, where do you envisage theexhibition showing and would you like tohave a role?I would love to see the exhibition travel theUSA, then worldwide, and f inally bring theMcQueen exhibit home to London. Howeverthe order of locations is not as impor tant asthe logistics of making it happen. I would loveto see my team and I take par t in theimplementation of these ideas.

What do you think McQueen would thinkof the petition?Can a young designer from the Midwest USA,of all places, possibly unite the entire fashionindustry towards a single cause? As McQueenonce said, "It's a new era in fashion - there areno rules."

To sign the Petition:www.change.org/petitions/please-make-alexander-mcqueens-savage-beauty-a-traveling-exhibition

For further information about the petitioncontact: Selenamarienorris@gmail.com

McQueensurpassed theboundaries ofcommercialism

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25hours Hotel No 1, Hamburg

It’s one thing to say your hotels appeal to those whofavour personalised experiences over cookie-cutterblandness. But few hoteliers can back it up like themischievous masterminds behind the German-based 25hours hotels. The four visionariescommission artists and film-set designers to createinteriors that are inspired not by hotel convention,but by literature and pop culture.

25hour Party People

The quar tet behind these high glam, value-for-money proper ties takes pride in being

“ostentatious, sexy, cheeky, and never deadearnest.” This attitude goes a long way toexplain why 25hours provides rehearsal spacesfor local bands and offers libraries dedicated tovintage vinyl albums rather than books.The CEO of the group, Christoph Hoffmann,explains how it all came to pass: “ArdiGoldman and I met through a mutual friend ata dinner par ty. Ardi was introduced to me asthe most creative man in real estate – thedolphin in a pool full of sharks. Ardi then

introduced me to Professor Stephan Gerhard,who is regarded in Germany as a highlycompetent consultant in the f ield of hotel andtravel trade. Gerhard would be the one tostructure the nascent 25hours Hotel Company.And Kai Hollmann is known to be the best-dressed, most sophisticated, creative, andindependent hotelier in Hamburg and beyond,so naturally we were destined to meet him.”The men f inally came together in Copenhagento suppor t the creation of Fox Hotel forVolkswagen, and over a dinner they discovereda mutual passion for what Hoffmann calls “a

new level of individuality in the hotel and traveltrade.” As he explains “this megatrend ofaffordable style was so powerful that we feltwe should catch and ride the wave ofoppor tunity together.”Taking as a preliminary template the f irst25hours project – 25hours Hotel No. 1,created by Kai Hollmann in Hamburg – theychanneled their distinctive characters andindividual strengths into the enterprise, and in2005 a new company was born.Ardi Goldman is their resident instigator,honing in on everything from real estatedevelopment to the f inestdetails of decor. StephanGerhard keeps his sharpSwabian eye on the numbersand is the group’s economicconscience. Kai Hollmannserves as the originator of the 25hours conceptand, as the founders of 25hours would have it,grand seigneur of Hamburg’s hospitalityindustry. And Christoph Hoffmann claims thetitle of unwitting captain of this cunning crew.Eloquent, wry, and quick to laugh, thechestnut-brown-eyed, 45-year-old Hoffmann isalso quick to emphasise that the inspirationand success of each 25hours hotel rest on theshoulders of every person involved, from thearchitects to the staff. There are currentlythree proper ties in Hamburg and Frankfur t,with more on the way in Hamburg’sHafenCity, Zurich, and Vienna.“Our humanistic philosophy inspires our team,which is both brave and empowered to makedecisions,” Hoffmann says. “Each member feels

his or her impact as a vital par t of the whole.We joke that I am the great Dictator overthose who don’t give a damn [about mycommand] and simply do what they believe isright. By having this – let’s call it f ire – each ofus feels responsible for and passionate aboutwhat we are doing.”Hoffmann developed his passion for hotelsduring his formative years when he visited thegrand hotels of Manhattan and Switzerland.Guests, he believes, should be offered anexpansive, well-considered experience. Andthese grand old institutions inspired him to

bring back – or reinvent – nottheir pomp, but their pizzazz.“A hotel can simply be afunctional building to sleep in or aplace of discovery, people andsecrets,” he says. “In the odd

hotels, the walls can tell the stories of whathappened there. 25hours, not being a deluxegrand hotel, represents these emotions in alaid back way.”The company is fueled by the four founders’common passion for experimentation andfreedom, as well as the radical belief that formfollows emotion rather than function. For ArdiGoldman, the company’s creative force, thisbelief is a driving force. “We try not to answerquestions but to create them,” says Goldman.“They are ideas that can grow in a person’smind. We aim to give people the possibility tothink in a big way, or to think in a small way,but always to think. What is impor tant is howyou create and tell a story. We like to tell stories.”

Each floor tells the tale of a single

decade inAmerican history

25hours Hotel No 1, HamburgGoldman 25hours Hotel, Frankfurt

25hours Hotel No 1, Hamburg

Take, for example, 25hours Frankfur t tailored byLevi’s, situated next to the Levi Strauss’s Germanheadquar ters. A playful nod to Americanpopular culture and Levi’s place within it, eachf loor tells the tale of a single decade in Americanhistory – from the 30s through to the 80s –complete with its own sound track and periodfurnishings in shades of Levi’s blue.Or consider the groups f irst expanded project,Goldman 25hours. Set in the repurposedHenninger Hof of Frankfur t’s Ostend district, theproper ty was inspired by the Oriental Bangkok,a hotel famous for hosting literary greats such asSomerset Maugham, Graham Greene, JosephConrad, and Noel Coward. Goldman explains,“For twenty years I wanted to visit the OrientalBangkok because of the legend that surrounds it.When I f inally arrived, I closed my eyes andthought of the history, the age, the guests, thebooks that were written, the stories. I felt thelegend. For my f irst hotel, Goldman 25hours Iwanted a hotel with a lot of stories, and I didn’twant to wait a hundred years!”And so Goldman invited his friends andcolleagues to contribute those stories. Theresults inspired him to create 49 suites spreadover seven f loors. “The hotel is like a ChristmasAdvent calendar; each door opens to reveal adifferent story inside.” The suite named “WhenWill Rome See You Again?” is based on thestarry-eyed love that Goldman’s assistantenter tained for Charlton Heston as a young girl.The room is papered in letters to the actor.Another room explores the story of a friendwho was overworked, f led the city to spend halfa year traveling with a sheepherder, anddiscovered that time is the ultimate thing ofvalue. The suite, by interior designers DelphineBuhro and Michael Dreher is entitled ‘Time is the

Imagination, fantasyand perhaps just atouch of madnessreign supreme

25hours Hotel, Vienna

Thief’, tells of her revelation and is decoratedwith sheep.Recent projects have seen the opening of a25hotel set in Hamburg’s HafenCity andanother opening in Vienna in two phasesover the spring of 2011 and the autumn of2012. The Hamburg hotel is inspired by themaritime history of the site with 25 personalchronicles collected by author Markus Stoll,gathered in a “ship logbook” that is found ineach of the 170 rooms. Photographs from thecollection of Nikolaus Gelpke, founder of theacclaimed sea-themed magazine mare, gracethe gallery’s walls. Film-set designer ConniKotte, known for her ‘rooms with character’,scoured f lea markets for the vintage furnitureand naval accessories to complement the re-imagined sea chests that grace each roomand serve as a desk and a minibar. The bedsare designed as sleeping ber ths, the bookshelves are built in classic rope-ladder-style,and the rooms’ bespoke wallpaper isillustrated with adaptations of seafarer tattooar t. The hotel is also inspired by nor thernGerman novelist Joachim Ringelnatz’s 1920classic Kuttel Daddeldu, a funny and ironiccollection of verse about an anarchic sailor

living within the harbour’s underbelly. Theground-f loor lobby, restaurant, mare kiosk,Two Wheels Good bicycle shop, and barrecreate a rough world reminiscent ofRingelnatz’s harbour.The other much-anticipated project 25hoursHotel Wein is located in the hear t of Vienna’sar tistic 7th District, and here tooimagination, fantasy and perhaps just a touchof madness reign supreme. The design isinspired by the golden age of the circus, whichpeaked at the beginning of the 20th centuryand was a mainstay in Vienna. The hotelincorporates with mesmerising effect,memorabilia from the city’s three permanentcircus buildings, as well as treasures from theEmpress of Austria’s own circus.Every hotel in 25hours springs from a healthyamount of chance, luck, and gut instinct.Christoph Hoffman sums it up nicely: “Thereare ideas in life that are just solid. When youhave such an idea and you honour it and riseto the occasion by matching it with the rightingredients, you don’t have to worry toomuch about the realisation. You just have togo for it.” www.designhotels.com

Ardi Goldman, ChristophHoffmann, Stephan Gerhardand Kai Hollmann

This article is fromthe Design Hotels,Made by Originalsbook, whichfeatures 33 storiesfrom the creators ofsome of the group’sfinest hotels. Thebook is available tobuy from www.designhotels.com/shop

25hours Hotel by Levi’s, Frankfurt

Songs that changed The Doors captured the feelings of a disaffected youth in America with acomplex intensity and a maverick lead singer. Retro (with a little helpfrom our friends at www.classicpopicons.com) looks behind the recordingof their breakthrough hit Light My Fire

Light My Fire was The Doors’breakthrough hit in America. Theirprevious single Break On Through hadfailed to reach the Billboard Hot 100, butLight My Fire captured the imagination ofthe youth of America. The song, whichtook inspiration from John Coltrane’sversion of My Favorite Things, wasn’tobvious single material in its original form,thanks largely to the lengthy instrumentalbreak which ran for more than sevenminutes. To secure more airplay, the songwas edited down, removing much of thebreak that highlights the chemistrybetween guitarist (Robbie Krieger),keyboardist (Ray Manzarek) and drummer(John Densmore), although the edit retainsthe song’s key elements with Manzarek’spar ticularly memorable keyboard work,including the distinctive intro. Manzarek spoke to Collider.com last yearabout the composition of Light My Fire: “After I came up with that organ par t –

and that was the last thing left to do – wewere at the beach house in Venice and Itold John, Robbie and Jim ‘Hey, go out tothe beach and let me think about this for asecond. You guys just go.’ And they walkedout to the beach and I went (humsmelody) and it just sor t of fell into place asthe introduction. I said to the guys ‘C’monback in. I got it.’ And putting all of thattogether: Robby’s brilliant creation, A minorto F sharp minor, Light My Fire, the solosection, that opening passage, that openingintroduction, Jim’s second verse, John’sdrumming, all of that coming together intothis creation. See how good it is forbrethren to dwell together in harmony, inoneness?”The Doors famously upset Ed Sullivan whenthey went back on their decision to amendthe line ‘Girl, we couldn’t get much higher’when performing the song on his show. EdSullivan’s sponsors had asked for thechange because it was believed the lyric

the social landscape

Songs that changed the social landscape

referred to drug taking. Unsurprisingly,the band was not invited back.However, contrary to popular beliefMorrison didn’t sing the offending line inthe exaggerated fashion as wassuggested when the scene wasreconstructed for the Oliver Stonemovie in 1991.Light My Fire reached Number 1 on theBillboard Hot 100 on July 23, 1969 and

remained there for three weeks. Thesong was also a Number 1 hit in Ireland,but peaked at 49 in the UK. In 1991, inthe wake of the movie The Doors, itwas reissued as a single in the UK andreached a more impressive No 7. Theband’s debut album, The Doors,reached No. 2 on the Billboard albumchar t and would go on to become amulti-platinum selling album.

José Feliciano’s 1968 cover was hugely successful and would become a bigger inf luence on somesubsequent cover versions than the Doors original. The organ, that made The Doors’ version somemorable, is eliminated from Feliciano’s cover. Instead, the emphasis is on Latin rhythms andf lamenco guitar lines, which takes the song into easy listening territory. Feliciano’s cover won hima Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 1969.

Cover VersionsJosé Feliciano

Stevie WonderStevie Wonder recorded a soulful, heavily orchestrated cover of Light My Fire for his 1969 albumMy Cherie Amour, which included a trademark harmonica solo. The Feliciano arrangement ofthe song inf luenced Wonder’s cover, par ticularly during the chorus.

Light My Fire is available on the album The Doors.

www.classicpopicons.com

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