His subject is one that has been much documented across the arts, but photographer Mark Steinmetz lends a unique eye to the chronicles of contemporary American life. Whether capturing everyday happenings within a Cleveland school or the natural environment of Sandy Creek, the photographer’s ability to imbue images with unforced narrative consistently delights.

This capacity to scrutinise the idiosyncrasies of daily life whilst remaining aloof from the frame allows Mark Steinmetz’s photographs to both transcend and embody their moments in time, rendering his images powerful historical documents as well as works of art. With a ninth monograph, Angel City West out on Nazraeli Press, we asked the photographer to lend insight into his work, inspiration and future projects.

When did you first start photographing? 
I started very early on. My parents gave me my first camera around the age of six. I have many clear memories of photographing when I was a child. I remember that framing a scene was always a pleasure for me; I liked making the decision of whether I needed to stay standing up or whether I should scrunch down or move in closer in order to make the best picture. I had set up my first darkroom in my home at the age of 12.

Ancient Tigers, 2007

Can you talk a little about the Angel City West series as a whole – how did they come about, what camera were you working with and what were you looking for when taking these pictures?
I was 22 and restless. I had moved to Los Angeles after having left the Yale School of Art after my first semester. In LA, I met the great photographer Garry Winogrand and was able to photograph with him on several occasions. I used a Leica primarily but also dragged around with me a twin lens reflex. My impulse was just to make interesting pictures that were realistic but still had an independence from (and weren’t exactly responsible to) anything that might really be going on. I was exploring the fictional strangeness that’s intrinsic to photography when you extract an image from the flow of life and I was trying in my youthful way to match or supersede what photographers such as Winogrand or Robert Frank had done.

What is it about black and white that you’re drawn to?
Black and white is what I was looking at when I started to photograph and it’s the medium of the great masters I admire most. There’s a removal from the world with black and white; it strips away one of the levels of illusion from the world. It seems to concern itself more purely and strictly with structure and light. Colour photography needs to be primarily about colour, and to me it seems rare that it can be controlled in any coherent way since the relationships between the colours take over and can too easily overwhelm what’s really of interest and importance. But then again we see in colour and that’s what most everyone in photography has been up to lately.

Atlanta Airport, 2015

How important is a sense of place to your portraits of people? 
I tend not to have less interest in photographs of people where they are placed against a neutral background. The subjects then seem like butterflies pinned in a collection. Richard Avedon’s group of portraits in the American West are strong but it makes little sense to me that he puts the people he’s photographing against a white backdrop instead of leaving the gas station or the road behind them as background. I much prefer placing subjects within a context. The scenes are less sterile that way and more convincing. That’s how life is.

You often photograph people in motion, or seemingly unaware. How did you develop this style?
I prefer photographs where it feels like something is happening or about to happen, where a moment is suggested. Walker Evans photographed people surreptitiously in his series of subway photographs for the reason that “the mask is down” when people don’t think anyone is watching them. I’ve always been a quiet person. I don’t make waves and I don’t startle people. Many of my portraits seem natural as if they are not aware of being photographed, but I’ve had to talk to them and gain their permission in order to position my fairly large camera exactly where I want it to be in order to make the picture I want.

Berlin, 2014

In general do you see the role of a photographer as a watcher as opposed to someone that is present in the picture? 
Koudelka is a great photographer but in his book, The Gypsies, the subjects are looking at him and responding to his presence. It’s up to each photographer to define photography on his/her own terms. In my case, my mother was French and I’ve spent a lot of time in France where people sit in cafés a lot and people watch. That’s how I photograph for the most part. I don’t intervene.

The Angel City West series was taken in the ’80s, are you still interested in the city and the people when you look around at Los Angeles today?
Yes, very much so. I’d like to spend more time there to photograph. Los Angeles remains a very interesting and unique place. Like Paris, it is a terrain that has been explored a good deal in cinema, photography, and literature, so there’s an audience that already has an understanding of the place. That means you can plunge right in. You don’t have to start at zero to establish a context for your body of work as a context already exists.

Knoxville, 1991

I love your Sandy Creek series, did you find it challenging to capture the natural world in the same spontaneous way? 
Thank you for loving the series. Like most people I need a break from time to time and photographing in nature allows me to unwind and to photograph without any of the stress of photographing in the cities. The trees don’t talk back to you. It’s a very different problem. I think nature has a lot to teach us and particularly anyone interested in the design fields needs to take a serious look at what nature has come up with. Robert Adams and Atget have been helpful to look at.

Generally speaking, what are your influences?
Anything in life can be an influence. Some things stick to you, some things don’t. In photography, Atget, Evans, and Winogrand are the great influences but there are so many.

What are your projects for 2016 / 2017? 
Right now I’m working on a commission from the High Museum in Atlanta to photograph at the Atlanta airport – that will be a show in 2017. I’ve also been photographing in Europe a good deal and in particular in busy public areas in Paris, Berlin, and Milan. I should have a book on summer camps come out next year and possibly one later this year of unpublished photographs from the American South (no titles for the books yet).

Knoxville, 1993

Los Angeles, 1983

Los Angeles, 1983

Paris, 2014

Sandy Creek

Sandy Creek

Summer Camp, 1997

Summer Camp, 1997

Marksteinmetz.net

For spring summer 2016, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim – creative directors of Kenzo – have chosen the medium of film to produce their wares, with the 10-minute short: Snowbird. Written and directed by Sean Baker – who is still riding the wave of his critically acclaimed Tangerine, which is described as “a dramatic slapstick slice of life of two Los Angeles trans women” – the entire film was shot in what is becoming his usual style: on an iPhone.

Set in the eclectic expanse of ‘Slab City’, in the Californian Sonoran desert, the short shows Theo (played by Lee) delivering pieces of homemade cake to different residents of the unique community. Described as “a Mecca for eccentrics living off of the grid”, Slab City is touted as “a conglomeration of domestic structures cobbled together with all manner of material.”

As opposed to a glossy, all-star ensemble cast proffering a slick and stylised fashion film, as is so often the case, Kenzo and Sean Baker’s take is an altogether real (many of the cast are genuine residents of Slab City) representation of clothes in situ, which “eschews the glitz and glamour of fashion.”

This is yet another string Abbey Lee can add to her acting bow, after a successful role in Mad Max: Fury Road saw her receive much praise last year. Watch Snowbird in its entirety below, and shop the new season collection when it drops at kenzo.com.

The Anonymous Sex Journal – that pleasurable, pocket-sized zine – is back and the new issue is all about solo sexual adventures, or the “ménage à mois”. For those not familiar, the cheeky zine consists of anonymously submitted stories that range from awkward and sordid, to hilarious and endearing – adjectives which often describe the broad range of human sexual experiences. Created by London-based editor, Alex Tieghi-Walker, its success lies in the name: anonymity, where contributors are freed of having their names attached to revealing and compelling sexual exposés.

In a similar way that iconic gay zine, Butt, did over a decade ago, The Anonymous Sex Journal represents a new wave of sex-themed magazines with strong artistic sensibilities that are changing the way we look at sex. Other examples are Irene in Paris, Treats from Los Angeles, and Adult in New York, all of which are shifting the atmosphere of sexual discourse towards a more honest and diverse one.

With a vested focus on art direction, they sell at a premium with the aim of, as described by the New York Times, “moving sex periodicals from under the mattress up onto the coffee table.” One of the best aspects of The Anonymous Sex Journal is its focus on celebrating the creativity of one illustrator per issue – for this fourth issue, Laura Callaghan (her work is featured above) – making them as beautiful as they are fun, and increasing the publication’s good humour.

The new issue of The Anonymous Sex Journal: The Solo Issue has been restocked at Ditto Press and submissions for the next issue, “The Hotel Issue of Dirty Weekenders,” are already being taken.

theanonymoussexjournal.com

In their latest collaboration, Byredo has partnered with Oliver Peoples to create a new fragrance and limited edition sunglass, exploring the cross between both sight and smell. To celebrate, you’ll find a dedicated window and week-long pop-up in Selfridges, London.

Inspired by synesthesia, the joint perception of the senses, Byredo’s founder Ben Gorham found himself in Los Angeles. It was there that he looked upon California’s sights through different coloured lenses and called upon the Stockholm based brand’s master perfumer to translate them into various smells that would then come together to produce one multi-faceted fragrance. “Oliver Peoples has never done anything but glasses,” David Schulte, Oliver Peoples CEO stated. “So for us to venture out and do a scent is a very big deal. I can’t think of anyone better than Byredo to do it with.” Each of the three coloured bottles of the new Byredo scent – which features top notes of Juniper Berries and Californian Lemon – gives a new depth to the smell and correlates to the three different photochromatic lens colours of the sunglasses: indigo, champagne and green.

Young Canadian photographer and Twin contributor Petra Collins is known for her girl power images that prove feminism and sexuality aren’t mutually exclusive. In a new book, Babe, Collins, as well as 30 artists who have been part of her online collective The Ardorous, explore the female identity through aesthetically varied bodies of work.

Collins’s friend and collaborator, Tavi Gevinson, well-known for her online magazine Rookie, introduces Babe with a foreword that explains just how pivotal Collins’ work has been, not just to Gevinson, but to young woman around the world.

This inspiring collection of work, from artists hailing from New York, London, Moscow, Stockholm, Los Angeles, Berlin and Toronto, reflects a distinctly female point of view for a new generation of creative, forward-thinking women.

Babe is released on May 1st. Pre-order here. 

It’s not often that a fashion photographer wields enough influence to create an issue of Vogue featuring only black models; neither is it very common for just one person to photograph each and every cover of Vogue Italia for the past 20 years. But then, Steven Meisel’s extraordinary passion and talent set him up for an illustrious career from his early days as a fashion illustrator.

International auction house Phillips is launching a travelling selling exhibition of Meisel’s work. Role-play has already visited Paris, and will be arriving at 30 Berkeley Square in London from 16 December to 11 January next year, before heading to New York.

The show features 25 images that capture Meisel’s most notable contributions to fashion photography, including an image from the 1990s, when Meisel was instrumental in welcoming the grunge aesthetic into mainstream fashion. He has since concluded that the image is one of his favourite pictures, as, in his words, it ‘captured a real cultural moment of a music scene and a fashion scene fusing together to create a new look.’

Meisel has undoubtedly become one of the most significant fashion photographers working today and this exhibition is a brilliant opportunity to view his work as it is intended to be seen.

Steven Meisel: Role Play opens tomorrow, 16 December till 11 January 2015. Located at Phillips 30 Berkeley Square London. 

phillips.com

London-Los Angeles denim brand FRAME has added to its series of shots inspired by Andy Warhol’s iconic screen prints, entitled GIRLS IN FRAME.  Devised by Jens Grede and Erik Tortensson, the project was intended to celebrate the launch of its t-shirt for autumn/winter 2014.

The latest model to join the series is Australian model Phoebe Tonkin. This recent instalment accompanies the release of FRAME’s resort collection, launching in stores now. Grede and Tortenssion hosted a star-studded dinner to celebrate, with Karlie Kloss, Elin Kling, Tali Lennox in attendance, to name but a few.

FRAME’s chic, minimal style has already garnered followers including Cara Delevingne and Rose Huntingdon Whiteley – this creative campaign is sure to secure them a place at the head of the pack.

frame-denim.com

In 1982, Levi Strauss & Co became one of the first brands to support the battle against the AIDS crisis and they were the first Fortune 500 company to grant domestic partnership health benefits — a practice now followed by many corporations and public agencies. In 2013, they also joined the broad coalition of marriage equality supporters urging the U.S. Supreme Court to recognize the fundamental right of all Americans to marry.

Having been a supporter of equality for people of all sexual orientations for many decades, this year they are taking that support in store, creating a line of Pride-themed T-shirts, tanks and baseball caps. “Equality is not something we just wear; it’s woven into the fabrics of our principles,” the company says. Rolling out into select stores in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, D.C., the profits will be going to Pride organizations in those areas.

To find out about Pride in London or to get involved, head to prideinlondon.org 

levistrauss.com

Juliana Sorelli, the young french director who we interviewed when she released her film Pretty Pretty, is launching a store in Hollywood. Technically the store has no name, only a logo, but lets just call it The Evil Rock N Roll Hollywood Cat. Located in a 1920’s blue house just off of Hollywood boulevard, it gives the impression of someone’s living room from that decade, one that has been taken over by a group of punks and jailbirds – an aesthetic also found in her film work. As well as Julianna’s own designs, which consist of custom made denim and leather jackets, embroidered sweatshirts and a basics range, the store will feature pieces by JFO, a new brand by Matthew Damhave who originally started the label Imitation of Christ, a new designer named James Flemons and his brand PHLEMONS and custom made jewellery from her friends. You can also expect to find photographic prints by Brad Elterman, books, zines and other smaller items such as pins, patches and records. In the future Juliana hopes to host events such as screenings, talks, shows and she even has plans of turning another room into a small secret gallery, so keep an eye out.

To celebrate the launch of her unique boutique, the Los Angeles based director has created a film titled Hollywood Lucifer. Watch it below…

sorellipresents.com

The Evil Rock N Roll Hollywood Cat – 1608 N Las Palmas Ave. Hollywood, CA

For over 30 years, german photographer and film maker Peter Lindbergh has created a defining language of persona and iconography.
His work is now the subject of a solo exhibition at Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld. Occupying two floors, the exhibition consists of photographs spanning the 1980s through the present, many never before exhibited, each personally selected by the photographer from his archives. The exhibition is a kaleidoscopic, non-linear journey into Lindbergh’s pictorial world.

The exhibition also includes poetry by Pulitzer Prize Nominee Forrest Gander. A recorded voice, reciting Gander’s poem will loop throughout the exhibition.

Twin spoke to the legendary photographer about his solo exhibition and highlights of his career.

The exhibition will be on display at Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld from September 7 until October 4.

vladimirrestoinroitfeld.com

Tell us about the exhibition, what can we expect?

This is an exhibition with about 35 images, many of them never presented in a gallery. Viewers can expect a mixture of portraits, landscapes and still lifes mixed with Forrest Gander’s reading of the writing he did especially for the exhibition, which will permeate through a sound system for the duration of the show.

How did the idea to work with Forrest Gander come up?

This idea came about because I love Forrest’s poems. He’s also from the Mohave Desert, where many of my pictures have been shot, so it made him the perfect collaborator. I just love the idea of words and images together and think that one will inspire or enrich the other.

It is not just fashion images but also landscape and still lifes, is there a link between them?
I don’t think that there are many so called “fashion pictures” in the exhibition.  It’s more about a poetic mixture of portraits, landscapes and some still lifes. I do lots of landscapes and stills when I’m out shooting and love to mix all these different types of images together. In the end, I always enjoy doing a portrait or something, even when I’m shooting stills of hands or the desert.

Do you have a favorite moment as a fashion photographer?

An important moment was at the end of the eighties, when I could not, or didn’t want to, photograph women in the style used by fashion photographers and magazines. This is why I refused to work for American Vogue. After Alexander Liberman called me in to ask me why, I explained to him that my view of women was very different from that of Vogue. He proposed that I take one of his editors and photograph the type of women that I want and to show him the results. So I went with Carlyne Cerf to Los Angeles and photographed six models in white shirts. The models were Christy Turlington, Estelle Lefebure, Karen Alexander, Linda Evangelista, Rachel Williams and Tatjana Patitz. This was the beginning of 1988. These women were later recognized as supermodels and dominated fashion magazines around the world.

How do you think fashion photography has changed since you started?

Although there are interesting photographers working today, I believe that mainstream fashion photography today has put itself in a corner by overusing Photoshop. This has created an image of women that I totally disagree with. For me, fashion photographs are portraits of women in the context of the time they’re shot. The definition of a woman was always more important to me than anything else in fashion photography. The term “fashion photographer” is not automatically identifiable with an interesting point of view, when you study the actual fashion magazines. I’m saying this about mainstream tendencies, there are, of course, interesting magazines out there today.

Where do you find inspiration?


Inspiration is everywhere and everything is inspiration.

Are you working on some new projects now?

We’re currently working on several upcoming museum and gallery exhibitions, as well as two book projects.  These include a large museum exhibition in Zagreb, Croatia (April 2014), an exhibition at Fahey/Klein Gallery in Los Angeles (February 2014) and a second volume of “Images of Women” featuring work from 1995-2013.

Juliana Sorelli is a young french film director living in Los Angeles. She left Paris and its old beautiful buildings about one and a half year ago. She has found a new aesthetics in LA and loves the square buildings and the blinding neon lights. Perhaps that is what inspires her to make films.

Juliana is pretty much self-taught, she took a couple of classes in film but didn’t feel comfortable with the strict guidelines from the school and the teachers. She knew what she liked and what she wanted to do, so she mostly learned by watching a lot of movies and reading books about directors she liked.

Today Twin is excited to premiere Juliana’s new short film Pretty Pretty, an ironic essay about physical beauty and the sublime. We had a chat with the young director about the film and what beauty is for her.

Tell us about Pretty Pretty…

Well, it took a long time to make it. Usually when I have an idea, I start making it the week after and then two weeks later it’s done. But this one took almost six months, because the movie sort of constructed itself. It was just a one minute video from the beginning, with me in bandages saying all these quotes. And then I really liked the video and I thought I should do something more of it. I showed it to some friends and they also wanted to see more.

So you are acting in the film?

Yes! Before I started to make films I thought I wanted to act. But the more I was doing it, I couldn’t stand someone telling me what to do, because I felt it wasn’t me or it wasn’t right, so I slowly realized it would be much better if I acted for myself and produced my own things instead of controlling other peoples work. If there is a part in my film that I feel that I can do and that I’m right for it, I’ll do it.

Where did you find the inspiration for the short?

That first bit came up from an AA meeting. I’ve been sober for three years now, but I sometimes have to go to AA meetings, but I don’t like them that much. Many times people are going up there talking nonsense, but everybody claps and laughs no matter what they’re saying. They could be saying anything and everybody are cheering for them. So I was sitting at the AA meeting and thought it was a bit weird, these people don’t really listen, it’s just for show. Then I came up with the idea of a kind of “AA meeting”, but focused on women and plastic surgery. And at the same time I was reading this anthology about beauty and the sublime, and I got really into that and it helped me to develop the other stories.

What is beauty for you?

I think that being from France, I am used to a certain kind of aesthetics , especially from Paris with all those old buildings and that kind of pretty. But I was born there, and for me it is normal and really dull, and I find some parts of LA more beautiful. Everything is squared and there are neon lights everywhere and I find that really interesting. But I understand that many people think that this is just ugly. So it is kind of the opposite of what someone from here would think. Maybe I can find beauty in things that are not standard beautiful and different. But I can’t really explain why, it is like a compulsive attraction.

Is there a message in the film?

The common point in the three stories is that women tends to be focused on their own personal beauty. But admiration for beauty and glamour can be a curse. In two of the stories the women realize that there is also something more important than your own self and your own body. You are part of a bigger experience that goes beyond how you look and all the material things around you.

In these films two characters find their places in life when they realize how grand the world is. One of them gets this experience at the ocean, the other among the mountains. The only one who doesn’t find her place is the purely narcissistic person in the second story who gets totally lost in herself.
For me that’s the message behind the film. Everybody can get a bit self obtained and think that what we experience right now is so dramatic and important. But when you think about it for a second you realize that there are so much going on around us that is much more exciting than our small daily problems. That’s how I see it but I’m not sure if everybody else will see it like that.

Any other exciting projects coming up?

I just started up my own company, and I’m working together with a producer. I’m writing scripts and we will start sending them to festivals, actually I just finished editing another short film, it’s a fifteen minute long dark comedy.
It’s crazy how much have happened in one year. Perhaps next year I will be making features! I hope so! I am so grateful that I found out what I want to do and that I can actually make it. If I get an idea, I just need to give it a try. If it doesn’t work out, then at least I gave it a try.

Organic grotesqueness meets 'It' item fetishisation in Andrea Hasler's new solo exhibition.

The Zurich-born artist has recreated iconic handbags and footwear from labels such as Louis Vuitton, Dior and Jimmy Choo in her trademark wax sculptures for her Desire series, and transformed the Gusford Gallery into a boutique filled with organ-like accessories in the process.

Be sure to check out this interesting and tactilesocial commentary on the psychological effects of consumerism.

Burdens of Excess exhibits until August 10 at Gusford Gallery, 7016 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038.

gusfordgallery.com

For Spring/Summer 2013, Twin proudly presents actress Jane Levy, photographed in Los Angeles by Thomas Giddings. And meet Aluna Francis and George Reid, the duo behind the infectious pop of AlunaGeorge.

Plus, venture into the Nevada desert for Myla Dalbesio’s special performance, documented exclusively for Twin, and take a revealing look into artist Cameron Jamie’s creative process.

Elsewhere, dive into sumptuous fashion shoots starring models Daphne Groeneveld and Yumi Lambert. See what’s inspiring prolific fashion talent Simone Rocha and get to know the young creatives fuelling London’s cultural scene. It’s all here, in Twin Issue VIII.

BUY

BUY

“I want to remember everything as more than it was. I want these picture to be felt and heard and read like stories,” says Jordan Sullivan. His latest exhibition at The Gallery Next to the Burgundy Room manages to achieve just that.

Delving into the contradictions of everyday life, from the fragile and strong to the light and dark, the New York-based artist’s work is an ethereal yet honest look at the human condition.

The show brings together Sullivan’s photography, collages and writings for an installation that is not only a pleasing visual experience, but also an emotionally affecting one as well.

Sometime, Somewhere exhibits until March 24 at The Gallery Next to the Burgundy Room, 1621 North Cahuenga Boulevard, Los Angeles.

jordan-sullivan.com

alexisgross.com/gallery.html

We love ourselves a well-curated Tumblr and the account that has been on our bookmarks list as of late is putyourpawsup.  Twin spoke to its founder Franny Zywicki about her obsession with cats and summer days in the sun…

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I was brought up between Switzerland and Spain, but also had a lot of friends in London. My parents were worried about me because I hung out with our cat Chloe (Bengal tiger) more than them and was obsessed with America.

I am a hip hop dancer and did it professionally in my gap year before I went to Leeds University. I toured with Raghav as a backing dancer over Pakistan. That was odd. I love music. There is music for every mood.

I’m addicted to shopping — if I’m in a funk it’s the only thing that can make me happy. I love J.Brand, Chloe, Brian Lichtenberg, Alexander Wang, DVF, and Acne. All I want/need at the moment is Charlotte Olympia Kitty Slippers.

My three main loves are music, fashion and travel. I have been to over 30 countries, but my favourite cities are Rio, Los Angeles and Madrid.

What was the idea behind your Tumblr name and concept, and when did you start it?

I have always been obsessed with cats. I frequented a lot of festivals and when someone was lost you would say “put your hands up so I can see you”, but I changed it to paws because I saw everyone as cool cats. Then it just became a thing.

I was always obsessed with images and was annoying people on my Facebook by uploading them constantly. So I started putyourpawsup in March 2010 — and I am addicted.

What is it about photography that you find so inspiring?

The vibe of the blog is more about what I wanted to look at and what reminded me of my past, but also what I wanted to be doing in the future. It aims to re-ignite and inspire beautiful memories. When I blog, it’s normally somehow related to what is going on in my life at the moment.

How would you explain the popular appeal of Tumblr?

Especially with image-based blogs, it comes with the ability to post pictures in so many places. People can post pictures and send pictures so much more freely. It’s easier and more exciting to talk via pictures.

A picture sparks more endorphins in the brain. It’s more visually appealing and says more than a paragraph. And Tumblr is the ideal database for amazing pictures. An easy go-to.

What are the Tumblrs, photographers and image makers that you admire the most?

I love deathofcool and katesworld, which is run by a photographer and friend of mine. Gypsyone is raw, dirty and sexy. Wastedguns features ridiculously hot women — although I’m not gay, I think the female form is unbelievably sexy.The Benjamins is real and sensual.

In terms of photographers, I love Scott Caan, Patrick Hoeleck and Terry Richardson. I follow the worlds best ever and The Cobra Snake.

What is your favourite quote and image of all time?

“Laughter is an instant vacation” by Milton Kerle. It’s tattooed on my rib. I think its beautiful.

A favourite image is so hard. I’ve picked one, but tomorrow it will probably be different. It’s very simple, but my favourite thing to do is hang on the beach with all my friends just after the hottest part of the day, snuggle and listen to music. The song for this scene is No Angels by Bastille. 

frannycat.tumblr.com

  Twin asked the three lovely Haim sisters whose lo-fi LA sounds we dig for their must have Friday tracks…

   1/ Young Americans by David Bowie
Hearing this song is the best to wake up in the morning. It”s our alarm clock.

   2/ Straight to Hell by The Clash
One of our favorite clash songs. Their production on this song is a huge inspiration.

    3/ Brand New Key by Melanie
The tongue in cheek lyrics in this song always make us smile. It”s fun to put on when we’re getting ready to go out.

    4/ Don’t do me like that By Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Our favourite era of Petty. Every time this song comes on on the radio, we can’t help but air-drum to it.

    5/ Eine Symphonie Des Grauens by The Monochrome Set
My favorite songs from one of our favourite bands. Love the way he delivers his lyrics.

    6/ Changes by 2Pac
The use of the sample by Bruce Hornsby is epic. Love the original, but this song trumps it ten fold.

    7/ The Next Episode by Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg
This song reminds us of how much we love Los Angeles.

    8/  Ruin by Cat Power
Been a fan of Cat Power’s for a long time, and have been excitedly waiting for her new songs to come out. This one is our favourite so far.

    9/ Warm Heart of Africa By The Very Best ft. Ezra Koenig
We just played a show with The Very Best and had the best time dancing with them on stage. This is one of our favourite songs of theirs.

Listen to Haim”s playlist 

haimtheband.com

In the world of fashion, Louise Roe is the UK”s answer to Olivia Palermo. The fashion journalist has taken TV by storm, from her early days at Vogue TV to reality show The City.

Now presenting her own show, Plain Jane, when she”s not on the FROW, Louise lives in Los Angeles. With her glossy mane and perrenial pulled together style, she”s a little bit of London glamour in LA .

Twin caught up with Louise and asked her for her top ten fashion tracks…

What”s your earliest fashion memory?
Wearing a pink tutu, pink fishnet tights and flat grey pixie boots to my sister”s 10th birthday disco. I would have been five, but i can remember picking my outfit out and taking it very seriously!

What”s your most “fashion” moment in your career so far?
Probably the first time i went to couture fashion week in Paris. It”s another level of fashion show: it”s theatre, drama, hundred-thousand pound dresses one after the other, all shown in elegant ballrooms or equally elaborate settings. It”s jaw-dropping and reminded me why i love the industry so much.

What represents eternal style for you?
Coco Chanel, Lauren Hutton, a high-waisted pencil skirt, red lips and a pair of sky-high Christian
Louboutins. Not all at once!

If you hadn”t had a career in fashion what would you have been?
I love interior design, and travel. Probably travel-writing, like my dad.

Which women do you look up to for their achievements/success?
Carine Roitfeld, Michelle Obama, Queen Rania of Jordan, Tasmina Perry (an author who took me under her wing at my first ever job, at In Style magazine), and my Mum.

What”s up next for you?
I”m hosting MTV”s coverage of the MTV Movie Awards on June 5th, and midway filming the new season of Plain Jane
right now. It airs end of September!

Louise”s Top Ten Tracks

1/ Fashion – Lady Gaga
You can”t have a list of fashion songs without Gaga.

2/ Freedom – George Michael
Mainly for the video full of Nineties supermods, this song is retro and makes me dance.

3/ Don”t Let Me Get in my Zone- Kanye West and Jay-Z
Keeps playing on the radio while I”m driving around LA, reminds me of sunshine and fab dresses!

4/ Vogue – Madonna

5/ Fade Into You – Mazzy Star
So chill and mellow, I think Rodarte even played this at their runway show.

6/ Big Jet Plane – Angus and Julia Stone
An Aussie duo who have the most amazing tunes. This reminds me of Malibu beach in summer.

7/ American Woman – Lenny Kravitz|
I remember going to a lavish Tommy Hilfiger store opening in Paris. At the afterparty Lenny came out as a surprise and sang this.

8/ My Door Bell – White Stripes
Love Jack White! Somehow this makes me want to be in New York partying.

9/ Somebody That I Used To know- Gotye feat Kimbra
Got it on replay at the moment, I found it on pandora ages ago and liked it so much, then it became this massive hit!

10/ We Are Young – Fun feat. Janelle Monae
Dancing anthem for 2012 for sure…

Listen to Louise Roe”s playlist
Louise Roe for Stylistpick will launch on 28th May and she will will be fronting Plain Jane on MTV in the Autumn.

Hedi Slimane has taken his diary to the streets of Los Angeles. The maverick designer turned photographer’s signature black and white images can be seen on 89 digital billboards throughout the city. With his solo exhibition California Song at the MOCA in Los Angeles just opened, for the next three months the digital billboards will evolve and follow his California diary. Having turned London’s Brick Lane street kids into the global epitome of cool, since 2006 Slimane’s online photographic diary has invented new ways of documenting emerging youth culture.

California Song marks the beginning of his “California period” in July 2007 and traces his explorations of cycles of urban youth culture and artistic communities, through installations of photographic essays, exhibitions, and publications. Be sure to follow the story.

Hedi Slimaneʼs California Song, is at MOCA Pacific Design Center until January 22, 2012.

Madelyn Somers hand-makes super dapper bow ties for women. The 23-year-old LA based designers mission is to inspire women to be empowered individuals and part of the proceeds go to Women for Women International. Tycoon Neckwear uses recycled men’s ties with a feminine flareand her designs have so far caught the eye of Janelle Monae and Ellen Degeneres.

Twin spoke to the LA born and bred designer about her style…

What’s your fashion background?
Fashion is and has always been something I’ve taken an interest in, but never thought of it as a career. My mom has a degree in fashion design, so she taught me how to sew and I took a few sewing classes in college.

I love thrift shopping at flea markets, the goodwill or my favorite, the Jewish thrift council store which are all around Los Angeles for great designer finds, but I’m not the one who keeps up with fashion blogs and collects fashion magazines to keep up with the trends for the seasons. I dress in what I like which is usually in the realm of quirky menswear chic with some funky pattern or pop of color.

Where did the idea come from for Tycoon Neckwear and what’s it all about?
It came out of a little boredom and what to do after college, but I was thrift shopping one day and found a basket of men’s ties that brought on an immense curiosity to reclaim them in to something cool for women. Since classic menswear always inspired me, I wanted to figure out how to incorporate menswear into women’s fashion without feeling like I was borrowing from my dad’s closet.

I bought a few ties and the next day I started sewing them. I found a box of vintage buttons my mom had stored in her studio and incorporated them. It seemed to all come about pretty organically. I came up with a whole ad campaign. I loved building the brand from the ground up, it was inspiring to not only have a product, but create a product that came with a pretty effortless statement that I felt strongly about.

Tycoon is a neckwear line that inspires women to be empowered individuals. Tycoon uses recycled men’s ties with a feminine flare to create a force of confidence, individuality, and style. I loved the idea that Tycoon is sustainable because salvaging something old and turning it into something new is a part of an eco-friendly movement that

I’ve always been passionate about which also contributes to the fact that they are all one of a kind creations.

What does style mean to you?
Style to me is really is about individuality and making a statement about who you are and what you want to say to the world without being vocal. It’s our first impression when you walk out the door and who doesn’t want to give off an impression by making a declaration to the public that “I am a confident individual and this is how i chose to express myself, no one can tell me otherwise.”

I loved what street fashion photographer, Bill Cunningham said, “Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life. I don’t think you could do away with it. It would be like doing away with civilization.” It’s a chance to be uniquely you and it gives us the joy of being able to reinvent ourselves a little bit each day. There are no confines necessary to the immense possibility of what is style and lady bow ties are just one of those possibilities.

tycoonneckwear.com