• photography by PATRICK DEMARCHELIER used with the permission of the 

    Condé Nast Publications Ltd. model CAROLINE TRENTINI (September 2007)

    FOTOGRAFISKA Patrick Demarchelier Lumière

    Written by Chelsea Porter

    The Fotografiska is currently showcasing the 50 years old collection of Patrick Demarcheliers remarkable career. The timeless, classic portraits and fashion photography from royalty, actors, musicians and models- all of them have been captured by his friendly gaze and skilled craftsmanship. 

    Lumière Photographic February 24 to May 14 

  • photography by FABIO PALEARI

    Greta Bellamacina is the Queen of Broken Magic

    Written by Mari Florer

     

    She writes poetry and directs films. She runs the publishing house The New River Press and is currently the new face of the cult British fashion brand: John Smedley.

    Meet the contemporary Greta Bellamacina - the London-born woman who is trying, in her own creative way, to change the world for both women and poetry.

    As a child she spent a lot of time on film sets. When she was thirteen years old, she had her first acting role in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Five years later she was discovered as a model in a lift whilst she was working as an intern at US Vogue. She has modelled for both Burberry and Stella McCartney and collaborated with Vivienne Westwood on a poetry project to help Climate Control.

    This is just the surface of Greta Bellamacina’s world. Her passion for the society and literature just seems to continue to grow more and there are new interesting projects going on right now.

    MB: Where do you live?
    GB: I live in London in Fitzrovia right underneath the BT Tower.

    MB: What’s happening in your life right now?
    GB: I am currently in the pre-production process of making two new feature films which I have been writing over the past year, entitled “Hurt by Paradise” and “Nothing’s Ideal”. Both films draw on the female position in society today. I am really excited to start filming.

    I am also doing a series of poetry readings to promote my new collection “Pershing Tame”.  Last year I did a book tour, performing around Europe and the U.S., reading at The Shakespeare & Company, The Groucho, The Chateau Marmot, Ace Hotel, Neue House and The Albion Beatnik bookshop and others.

    MB: How would your partner or best friend describe you?
    GB: Queen of broken magic.

    MB: Do you like being a mother? Has it changed you in some way?
    GB: I feel incredibly connected to other women. I think as an artist you always want to connect emotionally with everything you make. I have been overwhelmed by the new depth of emotion of having a child.

    MB: You are running a publishing house. Is it a lot of work?
    GB: Yes, The New River Press - it is truly a labour of love. Last year we published our first set of poems, I particularly love Robert Montgomery´s debut collection “Coltash” and Rosalind Jana’s collection “Branch and Vein”.

    MB: Any special book or project going on?
    GB: I just launched “Smear” a collection of contemporary female poetry which I edited. There doesn’t seem to be anything quite comparable in the poetry world. I didn’t feel there was a comfortable place for young women in their teens and early twenties to voice their thoughts, their politics, and their emotions through poetry. I think there really isn’t anything. I found it frustrating myself growing up and I know a lot of poets who get disheartened early on. So I wanted this collection to be open to first time poets. I did an open call on New River Press Instagram and we got hundreds of submissions, I chose the best 20 or so and added about 10 established poets that I already knew. The book is really there to discover and encourage new voices.

    MB: What do you think defines a contemporary poet of today?
    GB: I think like any time it´s about discussing the world you live in now. It´s about staying true to your authentic voice. Not being afraid to cause a riot.

    MB: Could you mention one female contemporary poet we must read?
    GB:One of my favourite poets is Alice Oswald, I especially love her collection Darts. Her writing is so closely connected to nature. She uses images of the world to reflect a group human mind.

    MB: What poem you wrote are you most proud of? What is it about?
    GB:I think it has to be my most recent poem. This Christmas I wrote a poem called “Dartmoor Wedding Song”, it's a meditation on the British landscape in winter.

    Here it is:

    “Dartmoor wedding song
    Dartmoor came with a low fog
    ancient gods all sleeping between
    the sky and the clouds,
    the same as the bed we woke up in
    slopping downwards, a room made for the fallen
    the last breath of a flower
    hung in the direction of rain song

    The air of god dreams roped in the wind
    shaking the locking shadow organs
    making the daytime observe its place to the sun.
    the last land to bewitch
    the trees and groan out the gut of broken stars
    which sit silently on the side of the road still stung,
    free angels, ebony bird tombs

    born again to moors, forking the heartlands
    washing in the mystery of love
    and the ferrying images of you pushing the pram
    up the hill towards me, barely a shape
    grappling with this idea of distance
    in the communism of Sundays
    and the abandonment of paradise.”

    MB: How do you think a modern future library looks like?
    GB: I wrote and directed “The Safe House: A Decline of Ideas” a documentary about the decline of the British public libraries. Whilst filming I discovered that rather than replacing libraries with central libraries we need to keep them local. We need to have a curated cannon of books for all age groups. The future library is a temple of learning, a place for self-education.

    The film is available to watch online with Curzon Home Cinema.

    MB: Are you still working as a model?
    GB: Yes, I am currently signed to VIVA MODEL MANAGEMENT in London and Paris. They represent me on their talent board.

    MB: Which job as a model (or actor If you prefer) do you remember the most? Why?
    GB: At the age of eighteen I got into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. I have really special memories of performing the bride in “The Blood Wedding” by Federico Garcia Lorca. It was the first time I really felt completely at home.

    MB: Are you going to Paris or London Fashion Week 2017? In case you do, do you have any favorite designer you specially like?
    GB: Yes, I will be going to Paris to support the Each X Other fashion show. I did a collaboration with them last year. My boyfriend, artist/poet Robert Montgomery has collaborated on their new show, entitled- “The City is Magical Sculpture of The Group Mind”.

    MB: What’s in your wardrobe? What sort of garments or labels?
    GB: Turkish born designer Dilara Findikoglu - everything she makes is a piece of art. I also love The Vampire’s Wife and Shrimps.

    MB: If you could change one thing in the fashion world tomorrow - what would that be?
    GB: A lot of clothes on the high-street are made in sweatshops with child labour. I think this needs to urgently change.

  • photography by ELLINOR STIGLE

    Interview with Zack Moscot

    Written by Robin Clementson by pari

    “Moscot is a Family”

    The classic Moscot iconic eyewear have been worn by many familiar faces around the world for decades. It started as a small local business over hundred years ago in Manhattan, New York. The brand has survived generations and is now a thriving global brand, well known for its timeless design and quality.

    We had the chance to interview with Zack Moscot, 26, who is the fifth generation of the Moscot family and the chief eyewear designer of the family brand.

    – I am constantly motivated by my family’s century of hard work, and dedicated to ensuring the longevity of the Moscot brand, he says.

    You are fifth generation Moscot, what is life like today within the brand compared to the years before you?

    ZM: The Moscot brand has evolved quite a bit. While we do consider ourselves a global fashion brand, we are still, at heart, a neighbourhood optical shop, and this philosophy is expressed through all of our branded initiatives. The difference between the past and the present is, now we are able to tell our 100+ year-old story to the rest of the world! We launch new eyewear collections seasonally, and our small team works tirelessly to ensure our brand ethos, design and heritage transcends various cultural differences.

    Talk to us about the origins of Moscot and why you think the brand has survived for 101 years?

    ZM: What’s unique about Moscot is that we are truly a 102-year-old family business with five generations behind our name. All four generations before me were dedicated to providing customers the ultimate optical experience. Sol, second generation Moscot, used to tell customers, “Your vision is our concern!” At the heart of Moscot, not much has changed; we are constantly striving to keep our loyal fans and customers happy by providing a memorable experience and timeless, quality eyewear. We’re focused on the relationships we build, and on doing the right things for the right reasons. We believe our honesty and humble attitude is why generations of customers have put their trust in us, and return to Moscot year after year.

    What is the DNA of Moscot what are the must do’s and dont’s that any new employee must adhere to or know about?

    ZM: At the end of the day, Moscot is a family. We are one big family and that is the feeling that resonates in the shops, at manager’s meetings, and even company events. We have a 20+-year employee club, some of whom have been with the company for over 40+ years and spent time behind the counter with my grandfather and great grandfather! Moscot is a home for us Moscot-eers and we like to keep it that way! It’s important all employees understand the depth of the family history and the origins of Moscot. My father and I believe that one must know where he/she comes from in order to know where he/she is headed, and this message applies to our staff as well. There is a certain warmth and sincerity that is unspoken in the House of Moscot. Our do’s: smile, good energy, and passion. Fortunately, most of our employees happen to be artists and creative types so this comes easy to them!

    Whenever we meet fans of Moscot or we discuss the brand with people within the industry, we always hear the words ‘retro’ and ‘cool’. Do you see the product in the same light, or is there so much more to it?

    ZM: I feel that when one wears a pair of Moscot frames, he or she is wearing 100+ years of downtown NYC heritage and family history. A Moscot frame represents the immigrant story of my great-great-grandfather who escaped oppression and came to America in 1899 to start a new life. He did what he knew how to do best: he sold glasses off a pushcart. There is a certain emotional connection between a Moscot frame and the wearer. The product is time-honored in its design, and also has emotional depth. The brand has been owned and operated by the Moscot family for over a century, and five generations later, we continue to pour the same love and devotion into what we do. As a product designer and someone who loves classics, I find that people feel this connection and the authentic attributes of our brand the way we do.

    So many celebrities wear the brand, can you tell us who you think might wear it the best and why?

    ZM: We’re so fortunate that so many celebrities have taken a liking to the Moscot brand! Quite frankly, it happened naturally, being that Moscot has always been located in the Lower East Side – a place that exudes the Moscot DNA and is filled with artists and independent thinkers. It’s really hard to say who wears Moscot best since every individual has his or her own Moscot identity and individual look. I can say, however, that Johnny Depp first wearing The Lemtosh in the early 2000s helped put the frame on the map. It showed people all over the world the beauty of that silhouette.

    You are the first Moscot family member not to be a qualified optician, but a designer and responsible now for the new collections, namely the up-coming Opti-Munich trunk collection and the new SS17 line to be unveiled at MIDO in February. How does it feel to be coming from a totally new family angle?

    ZM: When I first entered the business there was a lot of pressure since I really had no optical background. All my predecessors had optician licenses, and my dad Harvey is an eye doctor (O.D.). I always wanted to join the business, but never really had a passion for the “eyeballs” per se. I did, however, have a passion and eye for design. I realized I could combine my passion for product with my family’s unique history, and I began to push the envelope. My father appreciates my design background since I am able to approach the business with new perspectives and creative thinking. Together, he and I are a solid team and together we create product that not only looks good, but is designed with optical expertise to provide the ultimate fit for all face shapes.

    What do you try to incorporate into your designs, what’s the aim and the direction? Are you led by generic trends?

    ZM: When designing new product, I pay close attention to the history of our frames and the decade’s past. The mission is always to create models that cohesively grow and enhance the collection while adhering to our brand identity. While certain seasonal releases may be inspired by particular eras or concepts, the final designs are always clean, minimalistic, and classic. I want our customers to come to Moscot and know they will find a design that will not go out of style, lasts a lifetime, compliments their face and bone structure, and boosts their self-perception and individuality.

    How would describe where Moscot sits today as a brand?

    ZM: Moscot represents an emerging brand in the independent eyewear segment. Much of the industry worldwide is dominated by some of the larger conglomerates. As a small, family-owned business in NYC, we pay close attention to where and how our product lives. While we may be a smaller player in the growing market of eyewear, we feel confident we’re able to provide the best service and quality eyewear to our loyal fans, and anyone looking for something different, special, authentic, and timeless.

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