24.12.09

FRANCISCO VAN BENTHUM SPECIAL

DIRECT FROM AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS|PARIS, FRANCE:







BRAND NAME|FRANCISCO VAN BENTHUM

NUMBER OF SEASONS|12

HOMEBASE|AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS


Arnhem, The Netherlands—How did your interest in fashion design begin? How did your education at Arnhem of Art and Design shape you as a designer?

When I was a child I knew that I would end up in a creative profession. I was always busy with clothes and dressing myself up. When I was 12-years-old I was able to actually sew together a denim shirt, and then I discovered that fashion design was an actual profession and that there was something like a fashion design school…..then it was easy!

I am absolutely shaped as an all-around designer through my education at the fashion department in Arnehm. I was extensively educated on the technical part - pattern making, molding and construction. This has always been a very important base, especially in menswear.


Your design resume is quite diverse: assisting for Joe Casely-Hayford, SO by Alexander van Slobbe, and designing sportswear brands, such as G-Star and Puma. How has this variety shaped your creative process?

In the end, it is all about the same thing: visualizing the message, and being as creative as possible within the frame. For brands like G-Star and Puma, it has always been the special projects that needed to be more directed toward fashion anyway. The good thing about all these different companies is getting experience in dealing with deadlines, company structures and, most of all, the getting in contact with all of the specific knowledge.


Your personal collection is quite driven by old school haute couture. What led you in this direction?

For me, the construction and the shape of the old school haute couture, like Balenciaga or Dior, is still very inspiring. I think, for most designers, this is the case. It is not that I use these techniques the same way. It is more that I interpret them in my own way and include them in my designs.


Define the perfect Francisco Van Benthum guy.

I happen to have a quite broad target group - the younger fashionista all the way to the established lawyer. The guy that wears FVB is fashion conscious and is very much aware of what he would like to wear and what suits him the best.


Masculinity in America is quite different than masculinity in Europe. Your collection, being somewhat soft and romantic, seems to test these definitions. Is that a conscious effort?

For me, playing with masculinity and what you call soft has always been a very important part of my work. It is all about playing with the codes within the masculine way of dressing and trying to find and stretch borders by letting the softness become part of it, through colors, materials, fabrics and shapes. It is all about trying to spark tension within menswear.


What and who inspire you?

I work very visually, meaning that I take inspiration from images and movies. There is not really a line in there; I start with 0 every new season. The pick of images or the kind of feel comes very intuitively.


The craftsmanship and quality of your clothing are exquisite. Why do you think it is important to keep production at such a high standard?

That’s what I can offer as a designer. It is my tool, and my clients request the highest quality. In my opinion, craftsmanship and tailoring is the base of every single design. Especially within menswear, it is more about nuances; fit and proportion are the golden rule.


For the runways, the vision of young, slim guys wearing the collections is still the ideal image. Do you think that will change? In real life, most of these young men cannot afford these clothes, and the men that can purchase these clothes are not the same, both in appearance and body type. Why do you think designers and fashion editors prefer this type of model over the men you see everyday?

For me, it is completely the same as what happens in women’s wear, where you see the slim girls. How many actual slim girls are there in real life? We now find it beautiful to see the collections worn by slim models. It will absolutely change again. If we in 5 years think that garments look best on mature women and guys….you’ll see them ruling the catwalk!


In what direction do you see yourself taking your brand in the near future? Have you considered introducing it to the American market? How would you do so?

America is on my wish list. I would love to start selling my collection there. For me, it is important to take it step-by-step. I’m just waiting for that right moment, that opportunity of meeting that person who can introduce the label to the US.


When not designing, what do you do with your free time?

Fashion is 24/7. If you are running a label and own a business, there is simply no spare time. I envy the people that are able to do this and have hobbies on the side. Well done…


What is your life motto?

Follow your ambitions, and be true to yourself.


ALL CLOTHING|FRANCISCO VAN BENTHUM SS 2010 COLLECTION
WWW.FRANCISCOVANBENTHUM.COM
IMAGES|COLIN ANGUS|HTTP://COLINANGUSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
FASHION EDITOR|CONCEPT|CASTING|JOHN TAN
ASSOCIATE EDITOR|BRADY DONNELLY
GROOMING|FUMI|WWW.FUMIAKIN.COM
MODEL|TOMMY COX|RED
MODEL AGENT|GEORGE BROWN
SPECIAL THANKS|GEORGE BROWN AND ALL AT RED MODELS|MEN'S DIVISION, KLARA VERHAERT AT STATION SERVICE PARIS|FRANCISCO VAN BENTHUM, COLIN AND DIANA ANGUS FOR THEIR GREAT SUPPORT.
FOR THE INTERVIEW WITH TOMMY COX, PLEASE VISITWWW.JOHNTANCASTING.BLOGSPOT.COM

17.12.09

THE GUITAR AND THE BEAT|ROGUE


ALL CLOTHING (EXCEPT ACCESSORIES)|
ROGUE SS 2010 COLLECTION
WWW.ROGUE.US.COM
IMAGES|MICHAEL BRAGER
FASHION EDITOR|CONCEPT|CASTING|JOHN TAN
GROOMING|BRIDGET BRAGER
MODEL|MILES GARBER|DNA
MODEL AGENT|GENE KOGAN
SPECIAL THANKS|GENE KOGAN AND ALL AT DNA MODELS|MEN'S DIVISION, DACE MORRIS|ROGUE, MICHAEL AND BRIDGET BRAGER FOR THEIR GREAT SUPPORT.
SHOT ON LOCATION AT DUMBO, BROOKLYN.
FOR THE INTERVIEW WITH MILES GARBER, PLEASE VISIT WWW.JOHNTANCASTING.BLOGSPOT.COM

16.12.09

TYSON RITTER|ALL AMERICAN REJECTS


Coat by Yohji Yamamoto; tank tee by John Varvatos;
jeans by KZO; boots by Versace

Left: Jacket by Louis Vuitton; shirt by Versace;
ascot by John Varvatos; jeans by Diesel
Right: Coat by KZO; jeans by Coming Soon;
hooded zipper sweater and shoes, both by Yohji Yamamoto

Left: Suit by Shipley & Halmos;
shirt by KZO; vest by Diesel
Right: Jacket and jeans, both by Acne;
shirt by Tom Ford; tank tee by 2Xist

Left: Jacket and shoes by John Varvatos;
tee shirt by Acne; jeans by Tom Ford
Right: Suit and cummerbund, all by John Varvatos;
shirt by Dior Homme; tie by Y's for Men

Left: Suit and shoes by Dior Homme; shirt by Acne Jeans;
vest by Clu; tie by Y's for Men; ascot by ZZegna
Right: Metal chains, all by Chrome Hearts

Left: Shirt by John Varvatos; metal chains, all by Chrome Hearts
Right: Shirt by John Varvatos; metal chains,
all by Chrome Hearts; top hat by Topman

THE INTERVIEW|TYSON RITTER & WILL WOLFSLAU


You had your first show opening for blink-182 on their reunion tour last night. How did it go?

It was great. Crowd was great. Covered my body in glitter and went out there and scared the shit out of the kids.


Is the glitter a new thing?

Yeah. I went dancing in Germany one night, it was about 3 in the morning, and all of a sudden this girl just pours this massive bag of glitter over my head. I get home, take off my shirt, and I go ‘oh shit, this is happening from now on. I love this.’


Is it weird playing with blink? They were one of the biggest acts around when Rejects were just starting out.

It’s surreal. I was throwing CDs at these guys’ feet when I was fifteen. Ten years later I’m playing shows with them. I never would’ve believed it if you had told me.


How is being a successful rock musician different then you imagined at fifteen?

Rock and roll is a little changed, right? It used to be this decadent, drug induced, sexual rampage. Now it seems … maybe it’s a little safer now. But we’re trying to mix it up as much as we can. I never really thought I’d be here, so I never had any expectations outside of grabbing a microphone, whipping my hair, all the superhero shit you think about.


I feel rock musicians also have a very different relationship with fans today. With all of the changes in media, in access, with MySpace, streaming video, Twitter...

You kind of have to smother them. You have to be all over them.


How do you feel that these new relationships benefit the band?

The kids that are interested in getting a little further in touch with us, to feel out what we are, as a band, personally. If they need that sort of attachment, we’re definitely there to give it to them. I’m pretty much an open book. And I think it’s cool to interact with our true, diehard fans. We want to do what we can to make them feel special, to make sure that they know we appreciate them, because we wouldn’t be doing what we do, what we love, without their appreciation.


You’ve diversified your projects outside of the band recently, appearing in ‘The House Bunny’, fashion editorials...what would you say has been your most rewarding ‘extracurricular activity’?

Things have kind of snowballed now. The fashion work has probably been the most beneficial, to actually grow my career a little bit in the fashion world. It’s probably my favorite thing to shake in front of a camera and find out if the photographer is gonna shake with me. There’s this great line along which rock n’ roll and fashion have always influenced each other. Bowie, Freddie, Keith...those guys have always been rock stars in fashion as well as music. I always think back to that Scott Weiland Prada ad. And when I was I kid I was like, ‘I want to be that. I want to do that.’


I think it’s cool for fans to have a gateway into fashion via someone they admire.

It’s cool when you see it, it’s classy, but it’s also kind of dangerous at the same time. Like those Scott Weiland Prada ads. You knew he was fucked up, but he looked so good, that it just made it even better.


And then you have your first film role, in last year’s ‘The House Bunny’.

It was fun. I happened to be hammering nails in the house that day, and I got a call to come over to some random building, and all of a sudden I’m standing in front of Adam Sandler. And I’m like ‘Oh. So this is happening!’ Did a read and got the part. Everybody on set was great. I did a comedy, I think that was cool. But I’d like to dive into a role sometime that’s really, really tortured, something messed up.


A darker turn?

I kinda need to exorcise those demons.


You don’t work them all out through the music?

I think you’re always working demons out everywhere you can.


I noticed that the music video for “Gives You Hell” and one of your AAR TV episodes both feature two Tysons. Is there something going on there?

There may be, maybe subconsciously. I think when you live on the road as long as we have, we’ve been at it for ten years, in between tours we take three or four months off at home. And I think you do have this Clark Kent/Superman split ego. You have a normal life, and a life that’s so different from that.

I like to think that we’re sailors on the sea. We travel in vessels, we stay under deck, inside all day, and then we play our hour in the sun. And you lose complete touch with reality. Maybe there are two people in you, it’s probably three. It’s fun to bounce back and forth.


You did a live performance on ‘The Today Show’ quite recently, and you’ve produced several concert DVDs. Do you perform differently for the camera?

Yeah. I definitely do. You choke up a bit. Not in a bad way. You get a little less fluid, a little mechanical, a little tense. But going from playing on Craig Kilborn’s show seven years ago to ‘The Today Show’ two weeks ago, I was cool as a cucumber on ‘The Today Show’. I feel like that was probably the most comfortable we’ve been on television. It depends on the gravity of the show, who’s going to see it. But it’s always different when the camera’s on.

Have you been song writing on the current tour?

Everyday. Everyday I’ve been writing. It’s been crazy. We’ve been having some really fortunate opportunities to write with other people. It’s the first time that I’ve been brave enough to let go in front of complete strangers.


Are you more productive on tour because of the exhilaration of the live performances, or worn down from all the waiting...

A little bit of both. You wait so long all day to play that you can get pretty self-destructive. But for the most part it’s productive. When it’s not productive, that’s when it’s time to stop.


I’ve always been struck by the playfulness of your public appearance. You always seem like you’re having fun.

We are having fun. I always hate it when bands are afraid to step beyond the fact that they’re cool as shit, and just show themselves to people. A lot of bands guard themselves so people can’t know them personally. We’re just four guys from Oklahoma. Yeah, we are playful! We’re having fun out here, man. It’s the best tour of our lives, the best run of our lives.


IMAGES|RYAN MICHAEL KELLY|WWW.RYANMICHAELKELLY.COM
FASHION EDITOR|PRODUCER|JOHN TAN
INTERVIEW|WILL WOLFSLAU
GROOMING|WILLIAM MURPHY|DEFACTO
ASSISTANT TO FASHION EDITOR|EMILY DRAVES
SPECIAL THANKS|ERICA GERARD|PMKHBH