The Store; a carefully curated blend of retail, dining, broadcasting and creative space is making its way to London from its first space at Soho House Berlin – and to no lesser building than 180 The Strand, the forboding brutalist structure which stands in close proximity to Somerset House and The West End. To coincide with its opening, the space will play host to a new exhibition titled ‘The Infinite Mix’ in collaboration with The Hayward Gallery and music and arts enterprise The Vinyl Factory, showcasing audiovisual work from the likes of Martin Creed and Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster. ‘The Infinite Mix’ will explore the relationship between art and sound, combining thought-provoking documentary, entertaining theatrics and immersive composition.

Ahead of the opening on September 9, we talked to Alex Eagle, creative director of The Store about the upcoming installation and what we can expect.

The Store currently occupies the ground floor of Soho House in Berlin: what motivated you to start The Store and why did you choose that space in Berlin?

The ground floor and basement space in the Soho House Berlin building had incredible ceiling height and light and it wasn’t being used. We took the opportunity to bring something that reflected the creativity and vibrancy of the city to this space – the whole world comes through the Berlin Soho House at some point and therefore it was the perfect place for us to launch The Store. For us, Berlin was the ideal city to begin to incubate our concept because it’s so fluid – driven by creativity with no boundaries between how you live and work.

Now you’re coming to 180 Strand for The Infinite Mix. What attracted you to the project and how did your approach differ for this project?

We are very excited to be hosting a collaboration between The Hayward and The Vinyl Factory for the launch of The Store at our incredible new space in central London. We’ve long been inspired by Ralph Rugoff’s incredible curatorial skills and ideas and of course The Vinyl Factory is known for premiering immersive audio visual experiences by artists such as Ragnar Kjartansson, Carsten Nicolai and Richard Mosse in large scale off-site spaces such as Brewer Street Car Park, so the pair were perfect partners to create this unique experience within The Store. The artworks in The Infinite Mix in every way showcase the fusion of art, music, style and creativity that is the very DNA of The Store.

What can we expect from The Store at 180 The Strand?

The Store at 180 The Strand is the launch of our network of studio spaces in the building called The Store Studios. The Store Studios will also have its hangout and work spaces, books, magazines records to enjoy and The Store Kitchen. All of these elements have their own unique contribution and at this stage this combination of creativity, the kitchen, a social space and places to find inspiration are what drives The Store at 180. Alongside this social space, we’ll offer a handful of curated items inspired by the exhibition – including books, records, t-shirts and some special collaborations to come – working with some great designers and presenting their work in a new way, as an installation and experience.

Pick a few of your favourite pieces from the upcoming ‘The Infinite Mix’ pop-up and tell us why?

We have some unique collaborations underway, all of which reflect the concept behind ‘The Infinite Mix’ – including these top 3 pieces:

A hardback book co-published with The Hayward
T-shirts created in collaboration with Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Stan Douglas, Cameron Jamie, Jeremy Deller
Vinyl editions by The Vinyl Factory with Cameron Jamie (music by Sonic Youth), Stan Douglas (music by Jason Moran) and Jeremy Deller

Whose work are you most excited about hearing/seeing at ‘The Infinite Mix’?

The exhibition as a whole is going to be a pretty incredible experience, with such a variety of artworks on display, but some of the pieces I’m most looking forward to include:

The premiere of Jeremy Deller and Cecilia Bengolea’s first collaboration – they’ve been working with a Japanese dancehall artist in Kingston, Jamaica over the summer and the piece sounds really exciting!
I’m looking forward to seeing Rachel Rose’s film ‘Everything and More’ which samples vocals from Arethra Franklin with hypnotic imagery shot in a NASA astronaut test centre among other spots!
French artist Dominique Gonzales-Foerster’s holographic work is really haunting – she’s presenting a ghostly hologram of opera legend Maria Callas which floats in mid-air.
Cyprien Gaillard’ s piece ‘N ightlife’ will be projected in 3D into the underground car park of 180 The Strand – it’s a perfect example of a work that combines mesmerising imagery, soulful music and a politically charged concept – I can’t wait to see it all in the space itself!

‘The Infinite Mix’ is interesting as it combines not only art and music but also retail and dining in a way that’s very sophisticated and seamless. Do you see this as the future of temporary installations and art events?

I do see this as the future for the use of space, whether it is for work, retail, leisure, dining or inspiration it all merges in to one experience or event. The fact the experience might change in a space for whatever its use is definitely the future.
The Store is not a conventional retail or pop up space. The new future of retail in our opinion is about broadcast and community. You communicate whatever you want to talk about whether it’s fashion or music or culture by inviting people in to experience and hang out or by directly broadcasting to them via all the channels now available. The main aim of The Store is to hang out in it and come and see what’s going on or to provide a platform for people to broadcast from. The first phase of Berlin was to create a place to come and hang out and see what’s going on and the second phase will be the creation of studios to broadcast, communicate and work from.

I love your previous work in both Berlin and the Alex Eagle stores with some really classic British brands usually renowned for their menswear. What drew you to old-world makers like New & Lingwood and Swaine, Adeney and Brigg?

We’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with some fantastic brands over the years – all stemming from the fact that we value craft in contemporary design, and try to bring a new perspective on traditional brands. We’re passionate about the longevity and tradition of these brands, which only exists because of the skill, quality and craft behind them. The items are beautiful, not throwaway. I believe in well made products made to last – from the food to the artwork, furniture – whether they’re past classics of future classics – we have a really exciting future working with artists such as ceramicist Luke Edward Hall, or Romy Northover. New & Lingwood – classic tailors who are known for creating the Eton uniform have collaborated with us on some great unisex luxury items that have a timeless quality. Swaine Adeney and Brigg have been inspiring to work with – creating some beautifully made luggage which can be an everyday item, a design object for the house and something to keep for a lifetime.

The aesthetic of The Store is unique and precise. Talk to us about your main influences for that and how you decided on that distinctive look?

Conventional retail and gallery spaces sometimes seem to be too narrow in what they offer compared to how we live our lives these days. By limiting the offer in a space, you can run the risk of limiting opportunities for communal experiences and an exchange of ideas between creatives, designers, artists and chefs. This is something we wanted to change – to create a unique experience for visitors.
180 The Strand is a unique and special place in London overlooking the Thames, just moments from Somerset House. I’m inspired to create this space in one of London’s most exciting new cultural hubs. The raw industrial look of the space has been a really exciting challenge to bring something new and fresh to – we’re looking forward to it developing in the future with more collaborations.

Martin Creed

Cyprien Gaillard

Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster 

www.theinfinitemix.com

The post The Store × The Infinite Mix appeared first on Wonderland.

Over 25 billion tracks have been sold during iTunes’ lifetime. That works out at roughly 7 million tunes downloaded each and every day. Forgetting about Spotify streams, YouTube plays and Soundcloud mixes, this year alone we’ll have got through about 2.5 billion songs. To save you the 42 billion hours you’d need to listen to all that music we’ve shortlisted our favourite tracks of 2015 from Kelela to Kendrick Lamar, in no particular order. Enjoy.

Drake – “Hotline Bling”

The music video that spawned a thousand memes. Forget Anonymous, all it takes is a 5 minute clip of Champagne Papi dancing through a James Turrell–inspired technicolor and the internet goes into meltdown. It couldn’t not be on our list.

Grimes – “Realiti”

For something that was ‘never meant to be heard by anyone’, Realiti is undoubtedly our favourite from Boucher’s long-awaited third album, Art Angels. A visual memoir to her time spent touring through Asia, Realiti swallows elements of bass, trance and EDM, regurgitating them as a cohesive modern-day pop anthem.

Kelela – “Rewind”

With a voice as delicate as it is compelling, Kelela’s Rewind proved Hallucinogen the perfect follow up to her critically acclaimed Cut 4 Me. Warm, rich and deeply emotive the singer drafted in help from Kingdom and Nugget to completely reimagine old 90s R&B influences. Be sure to keep an eye out for her debut LP.

Jamie xx – “I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)” ft. Young Thug & Popcaan

Pairing steel drums, loose jungle beats and percussive breaks with the vocals of Atlanta rapper Young Thug and Kingston dancehall artist Popcaan, Jamie xx has unequivocally reaffirmed himself as the UK’s best electronic artist. And as for The xx? In Colour has ‘definitely informed’ their next album, so there’s even more to look forward to.

Lady Leshurr – “Queen’s Speech Ep.4″

Never before has oral hygeine been so important. With an absurdly brilliant chorus which turned the track into a viral sensation (clocking up over 13 million views), Lady Leshurr is one of the UK’s hottest MCs right now. And, with support from Tinie Tempah, Gyptian, Skepta and Azealia Banks amongst others, one listen to her seamless flow and razor sharp wit makes it easy to see why.

Björk – “Stonemilker”

Pioneering an immersive virtual reality experience which has since set a precedent for everyone from the Foals to U2, Bjork explores our universal need for emotional clarity in Stonemilker. A lush, stormy ballad, the Icelandic artist digs deep and dark to produce a track that is both epic and personal in equal measure.

Little Simz – “Wings”

After finally dropping her much anticipated debut A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons, Little Simz has had an incredible year. The quick witted North London rapper stole the show on Later… with Jools Holland, has played sell out shows across the country and followed Mercury nominated Wolf Alice to win DICE’s coveted Live Award. With the backing of Snoop Dogg, André 3000, Mos Def and Skepta amongst others the throne is most definitely hers for the taking.

Shamir –“Call It Off”

Armed with his trademark cowbell and a voice that teiters between tenor and falsetto, it’s no surprise that XL Records snapped up Sin City native, Shamir Bailey, within months of the release of his infectious Northtown EP. Since then his unique brand of irreverent hip-pop has defined him as one of the stand out artists of 2015.

Nao – “Apple Cherry”

Nao’s sensual, off-kilter funk marked her out as an early success with the release of her debut EP, So Good, in 2014. Since then she’s collaborated with everyone from emerging electronic prodigy Mura Masa to house icons Disclosure and released a killer follow up with her February 15 EP. Hers is a name you won’t get chance to forget.

FKA Twigs – “Figure 8″

Making it on this list for the second year running, Twigs followed her critically acclaimed LP1 (which saw her nominated for a Mercury and the BBC’s Sound of 2014) with M3LL155X, a 5 track EP named after her personal female energy. Invoking the ballroom culture of New York’s early vogue scene, Figure 8 is inspired by infinite, fluid hand movements that frame a dancer’s face as they move. Making music that’s charged with a unique, dark sexual energy, Twigs continues to reassert herself as one of the UK’s most accomplished artists in every sense of the word.

Abra – “Roses”

A one-woman polymath, Awful Records’ Abra is fiercely independent when it comes to her music. She makes her own beats, writes her own lyrics, and sings her own vocals, preferring murky 80’s sounding synths and drums to the typical beats and breaks prevalent in much of today’s  rap. Broody and serene, she’s definitely worth keeping a close eye on.

Liss – “Try”

Hailing from the coastal town of Aarhus in Northern Denmark, Liss have a big year ahead of them in 2016. Despite having only released a handful of tracks, they’re already seeing support from Zane Lowe, Pharrell and Scott Vener amongst others, have got Rodaidh McDonald working with them on production (he also looked after The xx, King Krule, Sampha et al) and are scooping profiles in NME and Dummy amongst others. One listen to their atypical brand of Nordic soul-pop and you’ll understand why.

Neon Indian – “Slumlord”

One of the early pioneers of the late naughties chill-wave movement, Neon Indian and frontman Alan Palomo took a hiatus in 2013 after the singer’s laptop, containing several years worth of demos, was stolen. Thankfully this year they’ve made a welcome comeback, first with upbeat, balearic beauty, Annie, and shortly afterwards with Slumlord, a warped, synth-heavy reverie. Let’s hope they’re here to stay this time.

Four Tet – “Morning Side”

Given that traditional classical Indian ragas are often named after times of day, it’s fitting that Kieran Hebden borrowed the voice of Bollywood singer Lata Mangeshkar for the first 20 minute side of his two track album, Morning/Evening. A moving, cinematic masterpiece, Hebden seamlessly blends electronic blips and percussive hi-hats with thick, mute tones on this absolute beauty of a track.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “Can’t Keep Checking My Phone”

Infectiously catchy, New Zealand’s Ruban Neilson combines elements of funk, disco and psychedelic rock on his latest album, Multi-Love, so called after a rather disastrous foray into polyamory. Released in early April, Can’t Keep Checking My Phone has been on repeat in bars and boutiques across the world ever since.

Skrillex and Diplo – “Where Are Ü Now” with Justin Bieber

Rife with ‘expensive sounding sounds’, it’s no wonder Where Are Ü Now made it on to the list. Can’t you hear them? All those pricey beats, beeps and clicks. It’s overwhelming. Like a truffle for your ears. All jokes aside, it’s actually, really good.

Kendrick Lamar – “King Kunta”

Hailing from Compton, California, hip-hop’s reigning king Kendrick Lamar has had a pretty good year. His third album, To Pimp A Butterfly (which saw him collaborate with Snoop Dogg, Bilal, Thundercat and George Clinton amongst others) sold over 325,000 copies in its first week, charted on the Billboard 200 and picked him up two Grammys. So yea, not a bad 2015.

Lxury – “Square 1″

Opening with an eerie loop that recalls a supernatural Hitchcokian horror, Square 1 sees Lxury team up with the otherworldly Deptford Goth to produce a track that oozes, leftfield, sun-kissed electronica. For his first vocal track, it’s damn good.

Tinashe – “Players”

Anticipation for Tinashe’s long-awaited follow up to her debut album Aquarius is reaching fever-pitch. Having worked with Young Thug on Party Favours, and Chris Brown on Player, her forthcoming sophomore record boasts collaborations from Dev Hynes, Max Martin and Boi-1da amongst others. Get ready for a sizable dose of impeccable dance tinged R&B.

Thundercat – “Them Changes”

Spending the first half of the millennium as the go-to bassist for everyone from Erykah Badu to Flying Lotus, Stephen Bruner’s solo project continues to go from strength to strength. Woozy, wonky tracks that effortlessly straddle funk and jazz, Bruner’s third album, The Beyond / Where The Giants Roam, explores darker themes than Apocalypse without losing any of its brilliance. Recorded in the wake of close friend and collaborator Austin Peralta’s death, this is introspective bass at its best.

BONUS: Adele – “Hello”

ICYMI, Adele smashed album sales, ticket sales and YouTube records with the release of her comeback single, Hello. She, like Anna Wintour, also uses a flip phone, so there’s that too.

WORDS: Thomas Curry

The post Wonderland’s 20 Best Tracks of 2015 appeared first on Wonderland.

Understanding London-based duo Solomon Grey requires ditching the traditional definition of a band. The duo, aka Joe Wilson and Tom Kingston, can’t be pigeonholed into a singular genre or category. Instead, by creating gorgeous soundscapes across multiple genres they showcase their incredible talent as writers, producers and composers, minus the labels.

The cinematic shimmer to their music is no accident; the pair created the score of BBC / HBO’s ‘The Casual Vacancy’ and the tracks on the EP are all collaborations that stemmed from working on it. With each track included for release following popular demand from the viewing public, and collaborations with Mahaut Mondino and Essa, it’s clear Solomon Grey are becoming one of the UK’s most essential artists.

With their latest EP ‘Selected Features’ released today, the pair premiere the video for ‘Twillight’ with Wonderland, and, in the process, leave us all to reflect on the damaging complexities of addiction. Immerse yourself in the deep, swirling atmosphere and climactic crashing synths above.

To celebrate the release of the ‘Selected Features’ EP, Solomon Grey will play a live headline show at The Waiting Rooms on September 15^th. Tickets are available here: https://tickets.songkick.com/events/24607379.

The post PREMIERE: Solomon Grey – “Twilight (Night Mix)” feat. Imogen Rose appeared first on Wonderland.

White knitted top by CHRISTIAN DIOR, cotton mix flared trousers and white leather clogs by COACH and gold ring necklace by H SAMUEL 

White lace embroidered shirt with ruffle collar by CHANEL 

Black cotton short sleeve shirt, black cotton skirt, black leather and tweed bag all by PRADA and black leather cat  print boots by CLAIRE BARROW

Black halter neck bikini top by TOPSHOP and printed silk trousers by CLAIRE BARROW 

Cream wool jumper, metallic leather skirt and white leather and wood clogs all by COACH

Black and natural knitted lurex top, black high waisted leather shorts and brown crepe de chine scarf with black polka dots all by SAINT LAURENT by HEDI SLIMANE and black leather cat print boots by CLAIRE BARROW

Purple leather peplum sleeve dress by ALEXANDER MCQUEEN and black leather cat print boots by CLAIRE BARROW

Pink and white candy stripe suit by GILES

Black and white silk mix dress with drawings by ASHLEY WILLIAMS

Purple floral taffeta coat, black and red and grey tweed crop top and cream jacquard skirt all by MIU MIU 

Photographer: Ash Kingston

Fashion Editor: Danielle Emerson

Make Up: Danielle Kahlani at The Book Agency

Hair: Nicole Kahlani at The Book Agency

Casting: Issey Brunner

Model: Cheyenne at Viva London

Special thanks to Silvia at Viva London.

The post Paradise Found appeared first on Wonderland.

Click here if you dare. Fall down an internet black hole back into the millennium where you couldn’t get online without a discordant dial tone and you couldn’t click on a webpage without being surrounded by pop-ups. Jasmine Febbraro’s update is somewhat cooler and certainly darker than the sparkling GIF ads you used to get for cartoon clickers and moving aquarium screensavers. The Kingston University grad’s site is an extension of her collection, which is plastered in pornographic titles and after you reluctantly remove the safe guard of your pop-up blocker, your screen will be flooded with all sorts, from images to messages, to films. We won’t spoil the surprise but if you haven’t opened it all ready, you might not want to take a look while you’re at work.

Intrigued and impressed, we pinned down Jasmine to ask her about her choice of words, her entrancing website and find out more about the hacker ethic, which she defines as “an intimacy with the machine, a philosophy of sharing, openness and decentralisation.”

What were your main inspirations for your collection?

After reading an article written about a technology revolution taking place in the comfort of peoples own homes, I decided to focus on pyjamas and loungewear lending to a unisex design style, but used internet ‘hackers’ as my main source of inspiration, as I considered these the extreme technology users. I took inspiration from 90s tech movies, hacker scandals, and information written about the way hackers work and what they believe in.

Why did you decide to use porn titles as a print?

Through my research it became obvious that technology and the beliefs of hackers revolve around sharing information. I was interested in commenting on what is really shared on the Internet. I felt the Porn Hub’s imagery was perfect, as to some it’s instantly recognisable, as well as the website being a place for sexual liberation, but at the same time creates damaging stereotypes for all genders. Regardless of all of that, you can see by what’s printed; “Beautiful 10 INCH Cock HOT BAD BOY, 205,745 views, 86% Likes”, that people do watch it and like it.

Do think porn has been normalised or did you involve it because you find it shocking?

I think in our generation where everything is so accessible online, everything is in a way normalised, but I think more than ever we have a public and private self. A part of us that is shared proudly, but another part that is kept slightly hidden away because it is strange, embarrassing or inappropriate. I think in a way I enjoy bringing these slightly obscure themes to the forefront. Literally wearing a two piece covered in risque text that you only notice and get to read when up close and personal.

What has the reaction been like?

The reaction has been positive, I think people like the humour in admittance that they recognise the print. But the more I think about the collection I feel the aim was never to please, but in a way just document what real people share, like and are interested in. The fact that it is so often perceived as shocking, whilst being so popular, suggests a huge part of popular culture is rarely touched upon, almost a taboo.

Who do you imagine will wear the collection and where?

I hope both men and women will wear this collection. It would also be exciting to see different ages wearing it. Whether it’s a business woman chilling in her house, or someone trying to make a statement at a party. However, I would love to see musicians like FKA Twigs and Grimes’ wearing the designs, as I feel they always make bold fashion choices and do not fit the mould of what a girl should look like. Especially Grimes describing herself as genderless, and embracing natural body hair. My collection includes a pair of hand-felted trousers inspired by hairy legs and pubic hair — a stereotypically unsexy thing to share on webcam.

What were you listening to while you were making the collection?

I listened to Gorillaz – “Plastic Beach” continuously:

As well as this mix by Jamie xx and John Talabot:

https://soundcloud.com/timsweeney/jamiexxandjohntalabot1

Both are very experimental, long and electronic. As well as “Giorgia by Moroder” by Daft Punk every time I had creative block!

Where did the idea behind your website come from? How difficult was it to design?

The website was designed by a graphic designer called Nick Reilly. I explained I wanted a website that was to be inspired by hackers and virus’ with a voyeuristic feel, being less like a website, but interactive and almost difficult to use, an experience rather than the average fashion website. We also spoke a little about the Revenge Porn stories that were appearing in the news. After that the project was all his!

What is the hacker ethic?

A set of beliefs encouraging openness and sharing of information. All designs allow the wearer to share their body, either through open, deep v-necks, or suggestive zip detailing. The trousers can be split in half and re-joined with another design through the central zip; encouraging the wearer to edit the design or expose themselves. My main aim was to make the wearer have ultimate creative control, encouraging them to create disruptive and mismatching combinations, or the removal of parts completely.

Who are your favourite designers?

My favourite designer of all time is Martin Margiela, mostly because of the way he used to destroy and re-appropriate old clothes, whilst using ordinary people as models. As well as ACNE — every collection is totally new, modern and slightly odd, with a concept shared across both the mens and womens’ collections. I think both Margiela and ACNE constantly challenged notions of fashion, gender and style.

Fashion Design and Creative Direction: Jasmine Febbraro

Photography: Ursula Underhill

Graphic Design: Armaan Khan

Website Design: Nick Reilly

Models: Rowan J Stevens and Rachel Cockerell

Words: Lily Walker

The post One to Watch: Jasmine Febbraro appeared first on Wonderland.

Founded in 1991, we’ve been looking to Graduate Fashion Week to gauge the talent of tomorrow for a long time. A well respected event, over 30,000 people attend every June to see the best of our emerging talent from fashion design courses up and down the UK. With over 1000 students showing designs and 22 catwalk shows, there’s a lot to take in. Here, we’ve made the task a little easier for you with a preview from some names to watch next month.

Northumbria University: Victoria Vincent Barwood

What are you most looking forward to about GFW?

It’s a true celebration of British Fashion – the ultimate showcase for creative students. The atmosphere, the ideas, the styling, the audience – they all add up to an unforgettable experience.

Why do you want to be a fashion designer?

I feel totally alive when I design. It’s the only way I can fully express myself.

What’s your fashion ambition?

To work with one of the all-time greats of experimental, innovative fashion: Comme des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake. They are visionaries who have been a constant source of inspiration to me.

Manchester School of Art: Laura Precious

What are you most looking forward to about GFW?

I have been looking forward to GFW for some time, and I am excited for the opportunity to make connections with industry professionals and likeminded creatives who are interested in my work.

Why do you want to be a fashion designer?

I have always had the need to create, and fashion provides the most natural outlet for me. I enjoy developing a theme and then seeing how it can be translated into garments, and combining the creative and technical elements.

What’s your fashion ambition?

My ambition within the fashion industry is to become a lead knit designer for a menswear label.

Winchester School of Art: Eloise Lancaster

What are you most looking forward to about GFW?

Having been a visitor to GFW last year I am thrilled to now have the opportunity to use this platform to showcase my work to the industry.

Why do you want to be a fashion designer?

I am inspired by how fashion reflects changes/developments in society. I want to influence the way people dress to create a unique identify for our era.

What’s your fashion ambition? 

My aim is initially to work for a contemporary mens fashion brand to expand my knowledge and skills. With future aspirations of becoming a head designer of a major fashion house.

University of Central Lancashire: Deborah Beardmore

What are you most looking forward to about GFW?

A chance to present my final collection and see a response on a huge scale due to the wide audience GFW attracts.

Why do you want to be a fashion designer?

You can be truly creative and innovative in the denim and street sectors and this is where I feel I can express my skills as a designer and challenge perceptions through new silhouette creations, fabric manipulations and treatments and inventive details and trims within my collections.

What’s your fashion ambition?

To become a valued member of a creative team that helps to refresh and re-energise a brand/company and deliver new opportunities to develop in a dynamic and creative style.

Northumbria University: Annie Mckie

What are you most looking forward to about GFW?

I am really looking forward to Graduate Fashion Week as it is a chance to build opportunities. The anticipation of what might come as a result of the event is so exciting! I am also looking forward to the sense of achievement I can share with my course when we see all our hard work come together.

Why do you want to be a fashion designer?

I was drawn to fashion because everybody wears clothes and everybody has some form of opinion on it. It is part of our everyday lives and it is used as a way of self expression. I believe in good, strong design with a no frills approach which translates well into menswear.

What’s your fashion ambition? 

My fashion ambition is to continue to design garments that are relevant and purposeful. I hope to continue to develop my own strong, personal style of design which I can then take through to brands that I admire.

Kingston University: Josh Read

What are you most looking forward to about Graduate Fashion Week?

I’m looking forward to the buzz of Graduate Fashion Week – it’s incredibly exciting to have an opportunity to showcase my work to some of the biggest names in the business. I’m excited by the things that it could lead to. It’s going to be a privilege to have that platform to show everyone what I’ve been working on for the past three years.

Why do you want to be a fashion designer?

I’ve always been interested in fashion. My mum has pictures of me as a very young child, drawing clothes on to pictures of people. I studied both art and fashion but have always felt a particularly strong pull to fashion. I love the fact people seem to wear their own personalities and I want to be part of shaping that. I’m attracted to the freedom it offers – you can do an awful lot in the world of fashion and there are no boundaries.

What’s your fashion ambition?

In my second year, I was lucky enough to work as an intern for leading US label Brooks Brothers in New York – the experience really taught me the way the fashion world works and I fell in love with the city. I’d love to establish myself as a designer there.

The post Ones To Watch: GFW 15 appeared first on Wonderland.

Shirt and skirt by LOUIS VUITTON, Hat from a vintage selection at ROKIT

Dress and necklace by SAINT LAURENT BY HEDI SLIMANE, Boots by LOUIS VUITTON, Hat from a vintage selection at ROKIT

Top and trousers by RIVER ISLAND, Hat from a vintage selection at ROKIT, Necklace by SAINT LAURENT BY HEDI SLIMANE

Coat, top and skirt by MIU MIU, Boots by LOUIS VUITTON

Coat by COACH, Bra by LA PERLA, Hat from a vintage selection at ROKIT, Necklace by SAINT LAURENT BY HEDI SLIMANE

Top and bra by ASHLEY WILLIAMS, skirt by BELSTAFF, Hat from a vintage selection at ROKIT, Necklace by SAINT LAURENT BY HEDI SLIMANE

Bra, trousers and top by LOUIS VUITTON, Hat from a vintage selection at ROKIT, Necklace by SAINT LAURENT BY HEDI SLIMANE

Bikini top by MISSONI, Skirt by MIU MIU, Necklace by SAINT LAURENT BY HEDI SLIMANE

Top by RIVER ISLAND, Trousers by CHANEL, Boots by MASION MARTIN MARGIELA, Hat from a vintage selection at ROKIT, Necklace by SAINT LAURENT BY HEDI SLIMANE

Photographer: Ash Kingston

Fashion Editor: Danielle Emerson

Make Up Artist: Nami at The Book Agency using BUMBLE AND BUMBLE

Fashion Assistants: Issey Brunner and Jo Harris

Casting: Nic Burns at Star & Co

Model: Moya at Supa Model Management

The post Moya appeared first on Wonderland.

There’s a romanticism about Relics. They wear polo necks, reference Almodovar and find a certain poetry in the dedication displayed by their drummer, Barney Gilks. “His arm fell out of his socket at a rehearsal right before our first show a couple of years ago,” says frontman James Manning with a furrowed brow.  “Because he was drumming so vigorously.” They all chime in frenzied anecdotes about the experience as bassist Alex Glover builds to the crescendo. In the midst of the madness he received a text from a friend telling him that Lou Reed was dead. “It was all too much,” he cries, basking in the melodrama.

The four-piece’s first incarnation was formed six years ago when Manning and Glover fostered a friendship in the sweaty east London indie gig-clubs of the late noughties. They were part of a scene whose hub was The Dice Club, out of which many creative partnerships were born. They found their sound jamming together in a studio space above a strip club in Kingston – but it wasn’t until four years later that the pair decided to take things up a notch and recruit Gilks and guitarist Theo Alexander to the crew.

Together they make a bassy racket that displays an undoubted 90s influence.  But, Manning explains, “We’re moving away from shoegaze. We’ll always love that sound, but we don’t wanna be a shit revival band. Nobody really gets it right, so we’d rather not try.” Plus, they have no interest in being part of a scene – “scenes breed mediocrity,” he exclaims.

And so with their new single “I Saw Heaven” out later this year, the noisy fuzz will be replaced with something closer to melody. The accompanying music video may reference “Antonioni’s Blow Up,” explains Manning. “We don’t just wanna do ‘band in a room’ or ‘distressed girl walking down
the street’.”

When it comes to making a debut album, they all agree that it will be a fully formed concept, complete with cover art and sleeve notes. For Relics, mediocrity is never an option.

 Theo wears manches long light jersey t-shirt, smooth leather belt and blue brut jeans all by THE KOOPLES

 Alex wears black bomber jacket and chic stripes shirt both by THE KOOPLES

Photographer: Laura Jane Coulson

Fashion Editor: Nicco Torelli

Words: Claire Considine

The post Wonderland × The Kooples – Relics appeared first on Wonderland.

We met up with the identical twins behind emerging fashion brand G.F HAWTHORNE to talk inflatable jackets, Barbie bridal parties and 6ft MDF dinosaurs… (No, really)

The post Ones To Watch: G.F HAWTHORNE appeared first on Wonderland.

Wyatt wears black leather fisherman’s cap and black woolblend turtleneck both by Gucci, black snakeskin trousers by Roberto Cavalli and black leather belt by Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane. Fletcher wears black wool fisherman’s cap and black leather jacket both by Gucci, black cotton string vest Stylist’s own, silver metallic trousers by Diesel Black Gold 

In their debut editorial since Hedi Slimane plucked them from LA obscurity two years ago, doe-eyed dead ringers The Garden talk us through their scorched, experimental guitar pop sound – one that’s bringing all the boys (and girls) to the yard.

 Rest assured that The Garden – LA-based identical twins Wyatt and Fletcher Shears – feel they have a lot to prove. It’s easy to assume that substance may not necessarily outweigh style when it comes to these cross-dressing Tumblr heartthrobs – Hedi Slimane’s latest obsession, whose gender-bending silhouettes and doe-eyed stares peppered Saint Laurent menswear’s AW13 campaign. So striking is their appearance (sexy and terrifying in equal measure), the twins seem almost ageless. “We’re twenty years old” Wyatt tells me in our interview, before a gig at Clapton, London’s brand new venue space, The Dentist. “But I’m eight minutes older than him,” Fletcher proudly interrupts.

In reality, though, their lo-fi garage sound is 2014’s most enthralling new sound. “Crystal Clear,” a track taken from June EP Aunt J’s Smile, is nihilistic Big Black drum machines over gain-drenched, foreboding bass twangs. The boys are at the tail-end of their European tour, where they’ve been leaping offstage at festivals, literally. “We’re just trying to make kids dance,” Fletcher says. “If you can compare this to anything you’ve ever seen before, then please enlighten me, because I know I sure as hell can’t,” The Garden’s tour manager leans in and whispers to me before the show starts.

Despite being so young, the Shears have already amassed a muscly back catalogue of music, playing in countless bands before The Garden. “We’ve been making music since we were in diapers,” says Fletcher. “But I guess we never formed a real band ‘til Elementary School. Our first band was called Alert. It was just kid punk – loud and really, really fast. We were only ten or eleven, but if we didn’t have all the other bands or do all the other music that we do, The Garden wouldn’t be what it is today,” Wyatt modestly muses.

The boys credit their father – who played in thrash metal bands throughout the 80s – for shaping the back-bone of their nuanced sound. “We listened to a lot of hardcore English punk as tiny kids, and I think that even though we don’t sound like that now, you can definitely see the effect it’s had on us,“ Wyatt explains. They credit a smörgåsbord of influences: everyone from punk bands Minutemen and Big Boys, to cross-dressing rapper/performance artist Mykki Blanco.

“VadaVada” is the The Garden’s self-coined genre, invented to describe a sound too tricky to file into a single category. “When we started playing music, we weren’t trying to rebel against the norm,” Fletcher explains. “We don’t go out saying: ‘We hate pretty kids! We hate the government!’, because we’re actually rebelling against a music scene populated by people who call themselves ‘punks’ just because they wear patches on their leather jackets. Walking around in a circle doing the same thing as everybody else isn’t what ‘punk’ is about, is it? It could be rap. It could be electronic music. It could be a piece of art.”

The pair have spent the past few years fighting hard to get their music out. “We have a stupid history when it comes to albums and releases,” Wyatt sighs, ruffling his peroxide French Crop. “Our first album [the raw and grunge-y Everything Is Perfect] was supposed to come out in 2011, but it actually didn’t end up coming out ‘til very, very late 2012. It was promoted really badly… In fact, it was barely promoted at all. Then when it did finally get released, all the records skipped.  Like, literally none of the first thousand pressings played properly. Then when they tried to repress the records, the new ones didn’t play at all.” “It was a total mess,” Fletcher adds. “There are always issues, there’s always bullshit. Even when I think about it now, I just think ‘bullshit, bullshit, bullshit!”

The bad luck didn’t end there. For their most recent output, the boys decided to split new material across three limited edition seven inches (one of which was Aunt J’s Smile), for release in Japan, California and New York. Their producer in New York flaked last minute, the label in Japan accidentally added two of the same song onto the record, and the Californian release came riddled with errors – much to the twins’ frustration. Though misfortune waits for them on every corner, the pair have an unyielding fanbase behind them. At their sell-out show at The Dentist – so called as it was, until recently, a functioning surgery – kids were trying to clamber over the fence from outside to catch a glimpse of the twins.

Tearing through twenty songs in thirty minutes, the set switched effortlessly from theatrical-punk to surreal rap, with Fletcher pulling faces so bizarrely expressive to a melting front row that he resembled a mime. It’s hard to believe these guys have created such a finessed, magnetic live show when they’re not even old enough to drink back home, I thought.

As the twins make their way through a hysterical crowd offstage, their tour manager catches my eye again. It’s 1-0 to him, it seems. You’ve never seen anything like The Garden before.

Wyatt wears black leather fisherman’s cap and black woolblend turtleneck both by Gucci, black snakeskin trousers by Roberto Cavalli and black leather belt by Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane

Fletcher wears green metallic cotton sweater, Stylist’s own, pink sparkle tweed jacket by Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane, black jeans, sneakers and gold hoop earrings Model’s own and black leather belt by Lanvin. Wyatt wears white cotton shirt by Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane, black jeans and tennis shoes Model’s own, pink feather boa stylist’s own and white round plastic sunglasses by Ralph Lauren

Wyatt wears green wool jumper, leopard jacket and black jeans all Model’s own

Fletcher wears red wool turtleneck by Diesel Black Gold, print splashed denim jacket and jeans by Versace and gold and silver earrings, bracelets and black shoes Model’s own

Fletcher wears black and white tiger print sweater and black and white leather biker jacket by Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane, black wool trousers and gold and silver earrings Model’s own, multistone pendant necklace and silver bracelet from Pebble. Wyatt wears monochrome cotton sweater by Lanvin, black leather pants from Maison Martin Margiela, black wool fedora hat by Lock and Co and multistone and leather necklace by Pebble

Fletcher wears navy wool waistcoat by Maison Martin Margiela and pink satin scarf by Prada and gold and silver earrings Model’s own

Photographer: Ash Kingston

Fashion Editor: Gary Armstrong

Words: Billie JD Porter

Grooming: Nicole Kahlani at The Book Agency

Fashion Assistance: Hannah Tindle Talent

Models: Wyatt and Fletcher Shears

The post So you think you’re really pretty? appeared first on Wonderland.