Magazine Madness: Sofia Coppola is the Unashamedly Feminine Gentlewoman SS17

The Gentlewoman SS17 No°15

Since it was an unfortunate missed purchase of the Gentlewoman AW16 issue last autumn, while Sofia Coppola’s black and white portrait promoted on the social media in late February, the early arrival at bookstore was my priority in a sunny March day. Photographed by Inez & Vinoodh, with styling by Jonathan Kaye, the Oscar-winning director and screenwriter for Lost in Translation in 2004, Sofia from the Coppola family opens up her love toward her Italian tradition, her insecurities on the career path and her upcoming film, The Beguiled, to Holly Brubach on the Gentlewoman SS17.

From The Virgin Suicide (1999), is set amid the anomie of 1970s Midwestern suburbia, Lost in Translation (2003) in the jet-lagged exile of a Tokyo hotel bar; Marie Antoinette (2006) in the confectionery bubble of the French court at Versailles; Somewhere (2010) in the stagnant pond of celebrity privilege, and till The Bling Ring (2013), in the echo chamber of social media and Los Angeles designer’s brands, we audiences think that we can tell a Sofia Coppola film at a glace—all atmospheric long takes, winsome girls and pastel shades. But at the age of 45, Sofia is tackling a new tense Civil War drama set in the American South, while the young women were sheltered from the outside world, a wounded Union soldier was taken in, and the unexpected events turn to the end. There is a personal quality to the way it’s conveyed, the choice of music and colour palette, pink runs through her movies like a leitmotif—we know that we’re living through Sofia’s teen years. While the Golden Globe-nominee Kirsten Dunst, also the actress in The Beguiled, points out that Sofia does not only understand actors she works together with, furthermore, “She understands people.”

During the interview with Holly Brubach, Sofia shows the distaff side of life from the vantage of how to be herself while surrounded by the extraordinary of family members: that she even holds enough confidence to refuse to get any nose job, even she broke her nose at juvenile, or, even she knows that she has a big Italian nose. She also points out that her movie career chronicle, while she helped out at make-up team at Coppola’s Godfather set, she has been ‘always around’ ever since. “You try not to let the fear take over…. sometimes someone outside of your family sees something in you. My parents (Francis Ford Coppola and Eleanor Coppola) were encouraging, but’s that’s just what parents do…. (204), but I feel fortunate to be alive in this time when I get to do my work”(212).

As a 15-year-old, Sofia interned at Chanel, in 1994, she started her own clothing line, MilkFed, sold only in Japan. Her friendship with designer Marc Jacobs (she mentions several time the designer’s name at her 2013 The Bling Ring), the Louis Vuitton handbag named after her, her appearances together with her father in the company’s advertisement campaign, the way she wears effortlessly but elegantly, sometimes a pair of Converse shoes during the filmmaking, those, only make her participation in fashion world a kind of extracurricular outstanding, since it is often the actresses’ privilege but no directors’.

One thing we learn about Sofia is that she appreciates sophisticated things—art crafts or beautiful objects that are well made. Her camera lingers on pyramids of macaron placed geometrically on golden pastel plates, rows of satin pinky slippers, and dressing-table landscape of perfume bottles and shiny make-up set. Therefore, as for photography, while choosing the mini items echoing Sofia Coppola as the cover woman of SS17 issue, I adopt Louis Vuitton Lucie vernis cerise mini sac, represents her collaboration with the prominent French House, while three Chanel Camilla flowers cover the price sticker and also make the photography more a bit of feminine touch. Chanel Rouge Allure INK Choquant and Le Vernis nail colour Rouge Rubis reflects her internship era at Chanel in 1994, and finally a Louis Vuitton golden pen tells the intellectual side of a caring mother, an Oscar winner and a strong mind.

I find the most surprising part of The Gentlewoman SS17 issue is that each article affiliated with several micro photos, which usually refer to a special term between the lines. Turn to page 324-25 of SS17 issue, the further info according to the photos listed in a numeral way. This is one of the best graphic designs of a magazine I have ever experienced so far. Those micro photos carry a pictorial signifier, distinguish the version from the iPad or on-line magazine, and they make visually convenient to search the different paragraphs of the article, indeed, the breakthrough design makes me fall in love with paper magazine ever more.

Keep going and carry on, the gentlewoman!

Works Cited & Photography:

http://thegentlewoman.co.uk/home

Fashion Fun GLO Hotel! Louis Vuitton Bling-Bling Accessories Meets Mango Oversize Pinky Coat

GLO Hotel, Helsinki, Finland 

Helsinki in March 2017 though warmly sunny, still is windy chilly occasionally, while the season it’s too heavy to wear 100% cashmere winter coat. Before having Chinese cuisine with mate near GLO Hotel, at first, I linger at Mango and spot an oversize pinky coat, which, is made of 62% of lamb wool and 38% of polyamide, with patch pockets and decorative trims. On the moves, the back split enables to walk easily, and the pastel rosy pinkish hue, this Mango oversize coat very much reminds me of my lovely Miu Miu camera sac.

Under the wool coat, Louis Vuitton wool cardigan in bleu nuit contains both comfort and luxury. Made in Italy, 32% wool, 32% cashmere, 27% silk, 7% polyamide and 2% elastane, the double colour tone cardigan is also studded at the front with 7 round-shape bling-bling gold tone buttons, which is perfect to match a pair of Gina Tricot light grey jeans.

For accessories, Chloé 100% UV protection acetate sunglasses are chic and perfect for spring/summer pastel look. Louis Vuitton Lockit Bouclette BB Monogram Noir uses patent lambskin, contrasting its shiny finish with Monogram embroidery in polyester bouclette, with the silver tone padlock and keys, looks deceptively demure but yet really rock & roll. Lockit BB carries my Fuji Instax mini 25 Hello Kitty Polaroid, and on my shoulder, Lucie Vernis Cerise holds my credit cards, ID, travel-size cosmetics and mini stationaries. Louis Vuitton has pioneering craftsmanship on patent leather production, and my preference is definitely small leather goods since it’s shiny and handy to clean, without leaving stressful traces of fingerprints.

Louis Vuitton Gold Rush Ankle flat boots is a great masterpiece for early spring look. Additional styles inspired by the FW15 fashion show, the pair has eye-catching malletage studs, monogram canvas back tab, also with LV engraved gold, silver and copper studs on the part of tiptoe point. Its beige-and-black malletage on the padded insock is both fashionable and comfort to wear on, also the elasticized strap and side zip ensure the easy steps on the street, and the soft calfskin is protective for feet at whole season round.

For the tiny Louis Vuitton bling-bling accessories, that trunk studs earrings highlight my outfit of the day. A tribute to Louis Vuitton’s Art of Travel, the earrings, dimensions 1.5 x0.8cm, are inspired by the brass corner of LV trunk; on the studs are engraved monogram of LV, a more of an alien face on certain perspective. March days in Helsinki, the hues of my apparels are pastel, gold, teal blue, light grey with some poppy red for the focal point, and mixing a high-street rosy pinky wool coat with the high-end accessories are my motto of fashion secret.

Special Thanks: Linda

LOUIS VUITTON

Music Muse: Dot Hacker NO°3, Catapults as Caesarean Section

Los Angeles Experimental Rock band, Dot Hacker’s NO°3 was officially released on January 20^th 2017, on the 58^th Presidential Inauguration Day of United States of America, on the grey snowy moment that my international flight departure at snowy bleak Helsinki.

With steady drum beats and misty guitar chords that transit a mysterious and obscure voice of lead singer Josh Klinghoffer, whose singing vocal is various from his doing the interviews, a much more of the similarity of Daniel Jones from Silverchair. On January 4^th 2017, via ORG Music, Dot Hacker shared the opening track ‘C Section’, which the title, literally, from an abbreviation of Caesarean Section. The lyrics indicates from the point of view of the newborn child, to gaze the world:

Come and get me

The ripping open of me

Catapult me crying

While the broken rhythm of prologue proceeds to the Crescendo middle bridge, ‘C Section’, in spite of the original meaning that the surgical technique may bring the new life, does not allow either Fresco or Largemoso invade, but containing of a mysterious Dolente mood. With trills of guitar on minor key adding up Klinghoffer’s obscure chanting, the ending of ‘C Section’, quite surprisingly, with only 5-seconds drag, the final tenuto minimalizes in a rather faster clean-cut way.

Formed in 2008, Dot Hacker consists of lead singer Josh Klinghoffer (guitar, keyboards), guitarist Clint Walsh (keyboards, backing vocals), bassist Jonathan Hischke and drummer Eric Gardner. Prior to Klinghoffer joining the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dot Hacker released its debut album, Inhibition, in May 2012. While the fan forum lacks of further fun facts from the band members, perhaps, only between the lyrics that enthusiasts can pry some parts of their inner thoughts, in nearly a way of confession. The single ‘Order/Disorder’ from Inhibition, the drum beats are strongly Strepitoso, and Klinghoffer’s voice is not so amoroso as in NO°3, but carries a feel of a confused soul in an iron cage:

I wanna control it all now

But lately I cannot

I want to control myself now

I need a famous last word

In 2017, on their third studio album, NO°3, in total 46 minutes, a serenade like ‘Beseech’ has again the very broken rhythm but lovely beautiful prelude, a feel of North California coastline, the waves pave the seashore, by a campfire and the chilly wind sings occasionally. While ‘Cassandra’ owns the most emotionally elegant piano melody, the touches of airy chords take us travel toward a bit northern part of Seattle mangrove forest, a misty, rainy, foggy cold sandy beach, a forbidden love is in the air. ‘Cassandra’ is very much, to me, more of a love song that tells the tale about mortal and vampire under the twilight:

So timber’s yelled when a tree falls

What can I scream for my heart

Misled poison smoke signals

Err on the side of caution when you breathe

Chiefly with the member of Chili Peppers, Josh Klinghoffer, in comparison to Walsh, Hischke and Gardner, is carrying more his personalities on stage. Still, he remains an enigma, or an euphemism to mass public. Still, if we pay attention to the lyrics of Dot Hacker’s albums, and the oil painting of art cover by Josh Klinghoffer, or, his statement toward the certain topic, we can realize that this multi-instrumentalist has rather fiercely dynamic points of view:

‘For a number of strange, obnoxious and uncontrollable reasons, N°3 is coming out on January 20th, 2017. My initial notion was to write something about how on what may prove to be one of the darkest days in recent memory, here’s a little whiney music with mostly unintelligible singing, but which is steeped in hope, for you to enjoy. I know, for obvious reasons, of the aforementioned hope. Then I thought not to play upon the negativity of the day, or mention it all…then I nearly didn’t write anything.

Basically, for whatever it’s worth, here’s a little more music to throw onto the ever growing pile in the hopes of bringing even a littlest bit of peace, joy, and contentment to the hearts of even one person in these strange, obnoxious and uncontrollable times.’ 

The articulation is remotely vague, the printing quality of CD cover is merely a handmade level, the lyric booklet is appreciated if there is any; nevertheless, NO°3 with exquisite composition, Gardener’s profound drum beats and Klinghoffer’s distant yet abstruse vocal, Dot Hacker’s third album is perfect for solo ride under twilight, on Los Angeles Mulholland Drive.

P.S As my very first trial of album review, for the photography of NO°3, the three dehydrated Valentine’s roses and falling pedals symbolize the melancholic music theme, while Marc Jacobs Daisy 20ml perfume bottle represents its live and sweet voice of Josh, and finally Chanel rouge lipstick adds up a slightly feminine touch from the inspiration of floral album cover.

DOT HACKER 

ORG MUSIC

Tea Time: Russian Dolls Team Up to Excel British Clipper Apple Tea

In which way to spend the most luxurious afternoon teatime without getting wallet slim? Having Clipper’s organic apple and elderflower infusion tea, with a vintage Lomonosov teacup, playing around with Russian dolls from St. Petersburg, the total cost of the afternoon time is merely less than EUR 5.

Reminiscent of a summer day, Clipper fabulously fruity infusion tea balances the fragrant taste of elderflower with the sweet flavor of apple. The term ‘infusion’ refers to the process of infusing plants or frits in hot water, that the process in not derived from the traditional way. Clipper’s Infusion collection is all organic and caffeine free, with delicious flavor to boost a healthy and modern style of tea culture.

Besides the tea, Clipper is the first brand becoming fair trade tea company in UK, and put efforts to use unbleached tea bags to keep drinkers’ health. The invention of tea bag was by an American tea merchant Thomas Sullivan in 19^th century. When bagged tea goes in to mass markets around 1970’s, the choice of paper became the main materials to make the bags. A large quantity amount of the modern tea bags are made with blend of wood and vegetables fibers, in order to make them more appealing, some makers bleach the bags with mixture of chemicals. Clipper’s unbleached tea bag is tough brown paper, made from the wood pulp in UK (FSC certified) and cellulosic long fibers, such as abaca from the Philippines. Not only the tea bags, even the label and string attached to the bags are made in UK with unbleached cotton and paper.

For my photo shooting, the Russian Dolls’ exotic and reddish tone is perfect to match with Clipper tea packaging design and Lomonosov teacup. The dolls are made of five, each individual’s facial expression and apparel is independent yet a harmonious collection, they are one of my favourite Russian souvenirs from parents. The first Russian doll set was carved in 1890, inspired from Honshu Doll from Japan, by Vasily Zvyozdochkin, designed by Sergey Malyutin who was a folk crafts painter in Russia. When the Russian Doll earned a bronze medal at Exposition Universelle in Paris, soon after the nesting toy were made in various places across Russia and market to the world. Also called Martyoshka Dolls, it’s ‘object-within-similar-object’ onion metaphor, making one doll a Russian family or a model army. The outermost is usually the most colourful and glamorous, while the innermost is usually a baby girl, with the most innocent eyes, from a single piece of wood. I love the theme of traditional outfits on fairy tale characters of the artworks, my first Russian doll has light orange hair, blue eyes and pinky cheeks, her plump curve-shape wears a golden kerchief, with a poppy and black robe decorated of white and purple flowers and evergreen leaves. Alongside the Lomonosov teacup, they are the best and the cutest companion to the most luxurious British teatime indeed.

Special Thanks: Family Yuan