In the Nineties a three-piece band from Seattle unwittingly created a cultural shift that ensured grunge would be one of the most enduring phenomena of the decade. This September marks twenty years since the release of Nirvana’s seminal album Nevermind. To celebrate The Loading Bay Gallery are hosting and exhibition of the bands work. A hoody worn by Kurt Cobain, tour posters and other memorabilia, it’s all about Teen Spirit and a mark of the ongoing influence Nirvana has with their fans old and new.

Bloom: The Nirvana Nevermind Exhibition is at The Loading Bay Gallery, Brick Lane until 22 September 2011.

Tags: Bloom: The Nirvana Nevermind Exhibition, Brick Lane, Grunge, Kurt Cobain, Nevermind, Nineties, Nirvana, The Loading Bay

For Twin V we’ve gone to the roots of female creativity and taken a look at the growing young talent working right now. Twin spoke to Grace LaDoja, whose ambition and hard-work has singled her out from her peers. Grace’s eyes and ears are firmly locked on the youth culture pavement. The filmmaker has been documenting youth sub cultures since her first job at 17 and it was her childhood in London that shaped her world.

“Growing up in a three bedroom house with eight other kids around me I learnt if you don’t get up and do something you’ll be unnoticed,” says Grace. “In London you are surrounded by everything culturally relevant. I sucked it all up. I wasn’t the stereotypical black girl living in north London. I was into different music, different scenes on every level. I started running with the things surrounding me. I didn’t even skate but I was fascinated by the scene.”

As part of her first job at sneaker community Crooked Tongues, Grace flew around the world shooting films for brands like Adidas, Stussy and Etnies. Finally a year ago she set up her own production company LaDoja and Sons and has since worked with brands like Nike and Swatch as well as making documentaries such as London to Paris – a film about the cycling scene.

“I love youth culture and I want to document what’s happening now. In the same way as people look to the Eighties and Nineties I want to give kids in the future something to reference from this era. Eventually I’d love to make films like Spike Lee and Martin Scorcese, telling the story of what’s happening.”

“We live in a generation where everyone’s someone and wants to be their own boss. I feel proud to be where I am. I’ve got a space with 15 people working in there and we’re working with big brands. I’m doing something I love and I’m making money. I’m not faking it.”

Twin V is out September 2011
ladojaandsons.com

Tags: Crooked Tongues, Grace Ladoja, london, Nike, Stussy, Swatch

Twin is green with lust for Veja’s new Gisèle bag. The French ecological brand, known for their fair-trade sneakers, have designed a range of suede bags that have style and ethical substance. While the modern tanning industry uses chromium or another heavy metal that is bad for the environment, Veja has used vegetable-tanned suede, which is dyed using natural pigments. The leather used is tanned with acacia extract, so no fluocarbons are applied. Helping the environment has never looked and felt so good.

The Gisèle is available from the Design Museum Shop and Darkroom in London.
veja.fr
designmuseumshop.com

Tags: Darkroom, design museum, Fair-trade, Gisele, Veja

Last night, Polly Jean Harvey took home her second Mercury Prize. From being the first woman to win the prize, she’s now the first person to win twice. In 2001 she first won with Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea, however the singer-songwriter was absent from the awards ceremony as she was on tour in the US. More than that, it was September 11th and Harvey spent the day watching the Pentagon burn from her hotel window.

Ten years on and aptly her eighth studio album, Let England Shake, is a conceptual work about conflict and war. “I wanted to make something meaningful not just to me but to other people,” says Harvey. With songs inspired by the WWI battle at Gallipoli the 41-year-old has set herself apart from other musicians as an artist unafraid to address ideas politically and melodiously.

This time around Harvey was very much present at the awards ceremony, dressed in a flowing white dress and feather headdress she looked like a punk-rock angel. And with Patti Smith winning the Polar Music Prize in Sweden, now is clearly a good time to be a woman in rock.

pjharvey.net

Tags: Gallipoli, Let England Shake, Mercury Prize, Patti Smith, Pentagon, PJ Harvey, Polar Music Prize, Stories from the Sea

There’s little doubt that Hattie Rickards is one of the most exciting jewellery talents out there. The Central St. Martin’s alumna has honed her skills along side jewellery designers such as Kara Ross and Solange Azagury Partridge, for whom she set up her NYC store. Having now gone solo she’s focused on a select collection of luxury rings, all with a strong ethical focus, but without sacrificing the glamour.

Her collection, Revealed, features a range of limited edition kinetic and fixed rings created from 18ct ethical gold and precious stones set in their rough, uncut and natural form. Each piece is registered within the Fairtrade system to ensure that her concept and inspiration “to blend aesthetics with a story and knowledge of origin” is achieved.

While we love the raw ethical sentiment behind her collection, we adore the playfulness of her designs. The Rubix ring, inspired by the Rubik’s cube, is made with multicoloured stones set in three rotating bands and The Revolver ring features a spinning barrel of stones. Each one is a sparkling masterpiece.

The Revealed Collection by Hattie Rickards is now available at Dover Street Market.
hattierickards.com

Tags: Central St. Martin's, Hattie Rickards, Kara Ross, Revealed, Solange Azagury Partridge, The Revolver, The Rubix

Fashion is a serious business and campaign adverts are usually no laughing matter. Luckily, Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz is a man unafraid to raise a smile. Lanvin’s new fall 2011 campaign video is the cheesiest fashion party out there and we want in.

Shot my Steven Meisel and starring the boogie-licious Karen Elson and Raquel Zimmermann dancing to Pitbull’s I Know You Want Me, they pull off the kind of dance moves only a supermodel wearing Lanvin could. But it’s the designer himself’s entrance at the end that stops the show, proving funny is the new fabulous in fashion.

Watch the video at LANVINtube

Tags: Alber Elbaz, I Know You Want Me, karen elson, Lanvin, Lanvin Fall 2011 Ad Campaign, Pitbull, Raquel Zimmerman, Steven Meisel

Get back to nature. Twin’s cover debut comes in the form of rebellious blonde Agyness Deyn. The northern star turned LA woman tells Twin about outdoor living California style. In Meet the Misfits, New York photographer Danielle Levitt heads to the sticks to shoot the American teens whose alternative looks prove that the kids aren’t always what they seem. Face of feminism Marsha Rowe talks to Twin about starting Britain’s most influential women’s magazine, Spare Rib and why it is important for women to go back to nature. While musician in the making Pixie Geldoff takes a trip to the English countryside with photographer Niall O’Brien in On the Road. Immerse yourself in Twin’s nature issue.

BUY 

BUY

Tags: Agyness Deyn, Anais Pouliot, Andreas Laszlo Konrath, corrine day, Kathleen Hanna, Marsha Row, olivier theyskens, Pixie Geldof, Riot Girl, Taryn Simon, Tatiana Cotliar, Yuri Pleskin , Zoe Heron

Artist Gillian Wearing has said, “I’m always trying to find ways of discovering new things about people, and in the process discover more about myself.” In her film and photography work, the self-confessed reality TV-junkie has always probed the psychological secrets of her subjects.

On release from Friday, Wearing’s first full-length film is no less an exploration of the workings within. Self Made is the distillation of hundreds of individuals who responded to an advert she placed in newspapers and job centres saying, “Would you like to be in a film? You can play yourself or a fictional character. Call Gillian.”

A process of auditions resulted in five non-actors, each with their own fears and anxities, whom she set to work with a London method-acting teacher. At once documentary, artwork, social experiment and performance project, Self Made is cathartic and uncomfortable viewing.

The audience witnesses the film’s “actors” being pushed to the limits of self-exposure. Reality and acting finally blur to take the shape of portraits of people, lost in the search for their own identity. Wearing’s film is a work of art, with each character delivering the performance of their life. But it’s a journey for her audience too, who are unlikely to walk away unscathed.

Self Made, directed by Gillian Wearing is at selected cinemas from 2 September 2011.
selfmade.org.uk

Tags: Gillian Wearing, Method Acting, Self Made

Opening Ceremony have a history of cool collaborations. From indie-queen Chloe Sevigny to denim giant Levi’s, the store cum label manages to shape-shift between creative influences while retaining its essential DNA. Their latest collaboration is with conceptual de-constructionists Maison Martin Margiela. Since presenting the collaboration at New York Fashion Week back in February, it’s been a matter of playing a patient waiting game. Finally though, MM6 Maison Martin Margiela x OC is on sale and it’s a partnership based on shared sentiments.

Recuperation, transformation and reinterpretation are the immovable creative cornerstones for the Maison and the collection is a fluid enactment of their 3-in-1 concept. Linings of coats unzip to become lightweight layers and nylon gaters add height to ankle boots to the point of becoming trousers themselves. They’ve even come up with a quirky stop-motion video that brings the morphology of the Maison and OC’s designs to life. Get swept away.

Watch the video here
openingceremony.us

Tags: Chloe Sevigny, Levi's, Maison Martin Margiela, MM6 Maison Martin Margiela, new york, opening ceremony

Next Summer, all eyes will be on London for the Olympics and with the recent riots on the streets, the world may well be wondering how much the city has really changed since Thatcher’s Eighties.

Throughout that decade, Berris Conolly photographed Hackney’s streets and open spaces, from Dalston lane to the River Lea. His black and white images showed a Hackney full of empty stillness and fly-tipping. Over twenty years on and despite now living in Sheffield, he has collaborated with Alex Pink, a young urban photographer, to show the ways in which the area has changed and stayed the same. Despite the two photographers having never met, Hackney: Revisited is a fascinating insight into the changing urban environment.

Twin asked Alex about the project…

Are you both from Hackney?
I am from East London, but lived in Hackney for a short period. A lot of my time is spent in the borough. Berris lived in Hackney in the Eighties but is now in Sheffield.

Can you tell me a little bit about yourselves?
I am a local photographer who spends much of my spare time photographing London & Hackney, mainly for my blog snapshotlondon.co.uk Berris is a commercial photographer, who 30 years ago documented the streets in his spare time.

Where did the idea for the project come from?
I brought Berris’ book for my girlfriend’s birthday. I was instantly taken by the unique collection of powerful photographs and knew that they had to be updated.

How would you sum up the changes?
I have long been fascinated by the urban landscape and how it effects our everyday life’s London is an inspiring place, Hackney in particular. The changes in some cases have been quite subtle, simply changes to the street furniture or buildings. Others are no longer recognisable and show the scale of redevelopment in the area. Many old beautiful buildings are being replaced by modern ugly flats, and once they are gone, they are gone forever.

Your pictures don’t tend to have people in them – why is that?
The focus of the pictures is the urban landscape, people would divert the viewers attention from this and completely change the scene.

What’s next for the project?
I have an exciting project lined up after this which ties in with the Olympics, but that’s all I’m going to say about it at this stage.

hackneyrevisited.com

Tags: Alex Pink, Berris Conolly, Dalston Lane, Eighties, Hackney Revisited, Olympics, River Lea, Sheffield

Artist Penny Slinger weaves narratives of life and death. In the Seventies her photographic collages challenged many of her peers with their anarchic approach to life and explicit depiction of feminine power. A new exhibition, A Photo-Romance, at the Riflemaker gallery focuses on her seminal surrealist images. in Presenting herself as both subject and object, Slinger used Surrealism to penetrate the feminine psyche. Her images of a deserted country mansion and empty rooms represent the many chambers of women’s being and consciousness. While the introspective drama of her work places her alongside artists such as Francesca Woodman and Leonora Carrington, Slinger’s collages are an encircling story of the ultimate romance – the death and rebirth of Self.

Penny Slinger: A Photo-Romance is at the Riflemaker from Monday 12 September – Saturday 30 October 2011.
riflemaker.org

Tags: A Photo-Romance, Francesca Woodman, Leonora Carrington, Penny Slinger, Riflemaker, Surrealism

Everyone remembers their first pair of DM boots. Inextricably bound to youthful energy and dreams, the more battered a pair of Dr Martens, the more loved. With their new campaign shot by Gavin Watson the iconic brand are playing straight to our feelings of nostalgia and the bittersweet memory of first love. Starring Agyness Deyn and Ash Stymest, it’s a DM timeless romance. Deyn also stars in an accompanying two-minute film talking unscripted about her first heatbreak. Can you remember yours?

firstandforever.co.uk

Tags: Agyness Deyn, Ash Stymest, DM, Dr Martens, First and Forever, Gavin Watson

We’re not sure quite what to expect from the Demon Hell Riders show this Sunday and whether there will be actual go-kart races, but we’re certain it’s going to be a clash of colourful creativity.

The one-day art show at The Rag Factory will feature artwork from a selection of artists including Petro and Suzannah Pettigrew. Channeling the spirit of an Eighties childhood adventure, laughter, hobbies and friendship, there will be handmade go-karts, complimentary tea and biscuits and the Demon Hell Riders new zine hot off the press.

Demon Hell Riders is at The Rag Factory 16-18 Heneage Street, London E1
Midday until Midnight, Sunday 21st August.

Tags: Demon Hell Riders, go-karts, Petro, Suzannah Pettigrew

In the Nineties you needn’t have looked further than Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love to understand the spirit of the age. The couple embodied the grunge aesthetic that dominated a decade of cool in fashion and music. And in the Noughties no man influenced the look more than Dior Homme’s Hedi Slimane, whose inspiration came straight from the skinny young men he saw at gigs and on the street.

Since leaving the label in 2007 Slimane has brought his lean dark look to his photography and regularly uploads his encounters on his online diary. His latest entry, a series of portraits with 19-year-old Frances Bean – daughter of Kurt and Courtney – is a coming of age moment in recent pop cultural history. Having spent 19 years out of the lime-light, Frances’ is now a haunting beauty in her own right. Slimane’s images of her are all tattoos and ripped up jeans. It’s the portrait of an age moved on,  but that still has all the angst of its forebears.

hedislimane.com

Tags: Couretnay Love, Dior Homme, Frances Bean, Hedi Slimane, Hedi Slimane Diary, Kurt Cobain

Michael Clark artfully treads the line between rock and roll and classical dance. Over the past 26 years the post punk choreographer has put dance at the centre of contemporary culture in his collaborations with fashion designers like Bodymap and Hussein Chalayan and artists like Leigh Bowery and Sarah Lucas. Labeled the enfant terrible of the dance world his work has been performed by Ballet Rambert and the Paris Opera and has been set to the music of Iggy Pop and David Bowie.

In a striking new book eminent figures from the world of dance and beyond pay homage to the choreographer and images of his work by photographers such as Nick Knight and David Lachapelle, do glorious justice to Clark’s modern aesthetic.

Michael Clark edited by Suzanne Cotter, Michael Bracewell and 
Stephanie Jordan is published by Violette Editions in September 2011.
michaelclarkcompany.com

Tags: Ballet Rambert, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Michael Clark, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Sarah Lucas

Boy waifs and androgynous dreamers have long captivated fashion photographer Toyin Ibidapo. After years of recording her subjects from her West London home she’s finally created a mesmerizing scrapbook of her poetic portraits. Cult of Boys is an adoring tribute to the raw vulnerability of youth.

Twin spoke to Toyin about her life’s work…

When did you start taking photos?
I started when I was 18 or 19, I started by doing photograms which was fun. Still at this time I hadn’t any particular calling, it was just something I enjoyed along with all the other students. Then it progressed to shooting my fellow students, friends and family and still I didn’t know I was becoming a photographer as it was a hobby. I was on a general art and design course at Kingsway in clerkenwell 90/92. Then I decided I was better at taking pics and got into Bournemouth.

Are you self-taught or did you study photography?
I am self taught, but I also studied at Bournemouth and Poole  College Of Art And Design 92/94. I realize it’s the eye which is most important…well for me it is as I cant speak for anyone else.

When did you start shooting fashion photography?
I came into the fashion industry in 97 and tested until my portfolio was nice and juicy. I got my first break shooting for ” The Face ”  back in 98.

When did you first start photographing adolescent boys?
I guess since my student days. I had a few muses even back then, we were all students but on different courses. But if you mean the youth of the “skinny white boy ” a.k.a “The Cult Of…”  More seriously when I came into the fashion industry from 97. But I was mostly shooting girls and just the random boy here and there in the beginning. I really got it going in 99.

Aesthetically what kind of boys inspire you and why?
It’s the ones whose presence seem to go beyond just being beautiful looking and you can’t help but react to something in their personality. Maybe it’s shyness or someone who has an interesting state of mind. Yes those that inspire me must have the thing that makes you want to stare at them. They have invisible pull.

How do you cast your subjects – are they models or do you scout them yourself?
Mainly the majority are models and one or two of them have introduced me to faces they think I’d like to shoot. I prefer to meet them face to face before booking if possible so they can see what I’m about and visa versa.

What’s been the response to your work over the years?
The general response has been “when are you gonna get that bloody book out!” Lol. I would say more but my head might start to swell.

How long have you wanted to put together the Cult of Boys?
It began in 99. It was a goal I’d given myself, I didn’t stop shooting it till 09, then I had to work on the dummy, which I’d started since 08 and yes it was a head fuck and yes it took me ages.

What other photographers and artists do you admire?
Any photographer whose image makes me want to look at it just a little bit too long gets my seal of approval no matter what the technique.  Paul Outerbridge, Helmut Newton, Avedon, Will Mcbride, Bill Henson, Mary Ellen Mark, Michael Sanders, David Vasiljevic,Gregory Crewdson, Tim Walker.

Writer and Poet Maya Angelou – more people need to know about her. She’s just so inspiring. Ben Whishaw, when I first saw Perfume I was totally inspired by his performance, knocked the socks off me. Sally Man, writer Charlie Kaufman – boy I’d like to pick his brain, such an original. Him and Tim Burton. Bruce Lee, Frida Kahlo for her body to be in that much pain and still to paint – makes me love her all the more.

Then there’s this beautiful man called Simon he gets me to try and go beyond a bit like David Lynch. I admire anyone that makes me think. I deeply admire anyone  in adversity because it’s only a matter of time until they claw their way back up if they want. There are many many more.

Who is your current muse?
I have no current muses just my old skool Daniel Tighe. He’ll always be my muse as I know him best. As he dos me.  I still love Finnian Smith and Chris Tanner, I could still shoot them as It feels a bit unfinished. New muses…that’s yet to come. I’ve not been looking for a while now, plus it takes a lot to pull me in.

What’s next up for you?
I’m writing…

Cult of Boys by Toyin Ibidapo with a foreword by Tim Walker is published by teNeues in September 2011.
toyinibidapo.com

Tags: Ben Whishaw, Bournemouth, Cult of Boys, Daniel Tighe, Maya Angelou, teNeues, The Face, Tim Walker, Toyin Ibidapo

Nicole Farhi is the queen of pared down style. In anticipation of the label’s 30th anniversary next year they’ve moved into a beautiful new 7,000 square foot flagship store on Conduit Street.

Expect all the usual classic men’s and women’s fashion plus their recently launched and highly covetable homewares collection.  It’s minimal shopping serenity.

Nicole Farhi, 25 Conduit Street, London W1S 2X
nicolefarhi.com

Tags: Conduit Street, flagship store, Nicole Farhi

Tom Ford’s new make up hits counters this autumn. Though I’ve seen nothing as yet apart from the lipsticks. Little samples or information has been made available. It’s typically Fordian to be so tightly controlling of the press coverage. Much as I love the existing lipstick range especially the white and gold packaging (very old Hollywood), I feel a little ambivalent about two things: the price point and the USP.

Firstly, the whole range is likely to be expensive considering the lipsticks alone are £35. For the same price you could buy a dress in New Look, Top Shop or Zara and even an outfit in Primark or Peacocks.

My second question mark here is: is there room for another cosmetics line in the marketplace? Burberry and D&G have both joined the melee in recent years which makes  a lot of luxury make up lines out there. And how much of a market is there for this sort of ultra expensive product? Competitor-wise there’s Serge Lutens make up which is gorgeous but even more eye-wateringly expensive than Tom Ford and then Shiseido’s other superluxurious brand Cle De Peau which has been withdrawn from the UK – presumably due to lack of a market. Still, we wait with bated beauty breath.

Words by Bethan Cole

Tags: Bethan Cole, Burberry, Cle De Peau, D&G, Lauder, New Look, Peacocks, Primark, Serge Lutens, Shiseido, Tom Ford, Top Shop, Zara

Drew Barrymore’s new music video for Californian lo-fi trio Best Coast is a street gang take on star-crossed lovers, played out across the deserted roof-tops of Los Angeles. A cartoon version of the Bloods and the Crips, Chloe Moretz plays Veronica, a member of a graffiti crew called The Night Creepers, who falls in love with a rival gang member. She’s a tragic Juliet but with more venom.

With their washed out denim and leather jackets Barrymore’s lovers come from the pantheon of Hollywood movies, from Rebel Without A Cause to Eighties teen-flicks. Complete with Hip-Hop choreographed fight scenes, Our Deal is a West Side Story for the post-MTV generation.

Watch Our Deal here

Tags: Best Coast, Chloe Moretz, Drew Barrymore, Our Deal, Rebel Without a Cause, Romeo and Juliet, The Night Creepers, Veronica, West Side Story

X Marks the Bökship are having a love affair with the letter X. Between July and December this year the project space for independent publishers on Cambridge Heath Road is releasing 26 Xs by 26 artists, designers and writers. First up is an X by Hansjörg Mayer from his 1969 Last Alphabet series followed by one by designer Harsh Patel. The individual prints will be for sale throughout the project for £15 with sales going towards funding future projects at X Marks the Bökship. All 26 Xs will be available at the end of the series. It’s an experience worth following.

bokship.org

Tags: Cambridge Heath Road, Hansjorg Mayer, Harsh Patel, Last Alphabet XALPHABET, X Marks the Bokship