• Gucci Aria, 5 best hacks from Gucci’s 100th Anniversary Show Hackathon

    Written by Susan Stjernberger by Qim Claesson

    Alessandro
    I’m so in love with the 90s!
    Tom is a genius!
    I thought a lot about his work in this show…

    Demna
    Yes, it really defined the decade in fashion…

    Alessandro
    …I’m obsessed, as you know, with bringing the past back and transform it into a living and vibrant present.

    Demna
    Totally! For me, this is pretty much the magic of fashion…

    And so went on the conversation between the two designers from Gucci and Balenciaga chatting about their collaboration and their upcoming shows. And fashion magic was born.

    Hack #1
    Tom Ford was hacked as he deserves. Alessandro paid homage and celebrated Tom Ford’s Gucci glory days with so many references. My heart skipped a few beats when the first look walked out wearing the infamous iconic red velvet suit we all remember Gwyneth Paltrow wearing, even with the same blue shirt. I had to take in extra air to the beat of “Gucci Gang”. Is it a surprise the way Alessandro feels about Tom? No, we all feel that way, at least I know I do. The way Tom Ford gave life to Gucci and shocked us excitingly in so many ways with his campaigns and sexual references reared a whole new era in fashion. It was a fashion code worth hacking.

    Hack #2
    The Balenciaga hack happened after all. There were rumors over social media but could it really be true? It’s never happened before where two big fashion houses collaborate. Could this be the beginning of more? Maybe Louis Vuitton and Dior? Possibly Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen? I would be up for that hacksplaining!

    Alessandro
    Did you have time to see the looks I’ve been working on?

    Demna
    I’ve seen some of the renderings and it looked really cool how you translated those pieces into your universe.

    Hack #3
    The horsebit was the great big hack. “I have celebrated the equestrian world of Gucci transfiguring it into a fetish cosmogony,” says Alessandro. And you could see it everywhere, fetishized into harnesses, collars, floggers, and bondage giving me flashbacks to the San Francisco Folsom Street Fair where everything was accepted and natural. After that nothing shocks me anymore. And it was just that, It was in the air, a part of our cosmos, something you would wear every day.

    Hack #4
    The Marilyn Monroe beauty hack was created with very natural looks, a bit shiny, glossy and dewy. “I have sublimated Marilyn Monroe’s silhouette and old Hollywood’s glamour,” says the designer. As each look came through the runway, lights flashing, paparazzi vibes, jewels glimmering, and diamonds rocking…you heard BHAD BHABIE feat. Lil Yachty “Gucci flip flops, fuck it, hit your bitch in my socks (bust it). This a big watch, diamond drippin' off of the clock”.

    Hack #5
    I was hacked and I learned how vulnerable I am. This show took us from the birth of Gucci with references to Guccio Gucci and when he was a bellboy at The Savoy to Tom Ford and his sexual awakening. All the while listening to “Gucci Coochie” and “Gucci Flip Flops”. Then he surprisingly hacked us into Balenciaga ending up in a big rave party and the rebirth of Alessandro Michele’s Gucci. Time to come up for air, breathe, Gucci Aria that is.

  • photography by KIA LEFWANDER
    stylist ALINE BENNOUR
    make up JOHANNA NORDLANDER
    braids ELIZABETH SISE
    stylist's assistant KATIJA HIRSCH
    make up assistant VALENTINA PREDRAGOVIC
    total look MATILDA IVARSSON
    jewellery MARIA NILSDOTTER

    A Conversation with Singer Bishat About the Power of Music and Self-Care!

    Written by Yasmine by Sandra Myhrberg

    Swedish Pop & R&B singer Bishat is currently finishing up an EP due out later this year. After a time of depression she has turned to find joy in her music again. Her first single of the new EP will be out this spring.

    After some time away from music, how does it feel being back on the music scene?
    It feels incredibly exciting and only a little terrifying. It’s been a whole journey the past few years on a personal level and that has really affected my music. My songs are very much a reflection on where I am at any given time. I can’t wait to share this whole other side of me. It feels like a re-birth.

    What have you discovered about yourself with your new music?
    There was definitely a lot more darkness in my previous songs. It’s still there brooding in the background, but now I've found this calm, this lightness to my existence. Which in turn has made my music brighter. Turns out I’m not such a moody bi*ch after all (laughs). There is more love, gratitude and more freedom in both my music and myself.

    Have you found any new sound in the studio?
    There's a lot more guitar based songs coming out. I used to be a sucker for the piano basically since Alicia Keys “Songs in A-minor” came out but you know a little guitar goes a long way.

    What unreleased track are you most looking forward to on the new album?
    “Problems” for sure. It's a different type of love song about the fact that we’ve all got our struggles and flaws. A relationship, however, can still be solid if we acknowledge our problems. Not to mention, work on them and give them space to breathe. You can't “fix” people, you can only work on yourself. “We’re not out here counting problems, always find a way to solve them”. 

    Have you found any new creative outlet or hobby during the past year?
    Does keeping plants alive count as a hobby? If so yes. They’ve been subjected to lots of singing and probably too much attention but most of them are alive and I couldn’t be prouder. I started learning spanish (some very niche sentences like este cinturón es muy barato meaning this belt is very cheap). Shout out Duolingo. I’ve also started playing the guitar. Maybe I should put them together…


    How do you self-care?
    I’m naturally a people pleaser and an emotional sponge, which has some serious consequences to my wellbeing. I have to check myself. I’m much better at protecting my boundaries these days. I’ve learnt how to say no to things and to do that straight away. Before, I end up having to lay on the couch and having anxiety all day about over-committing or doing something I really don’t want to do. Say no and say it early on. Also minimizing stimulation. I’m an expert at doing a trillion things at once, doing just one thing at a time is great for me and making sure I get good sleep. In addition, long walks in nature really grounds me, but then again wine with my girls and talking trash on occasion does wonders for the soul too. It’s the balance for me.

    What is your perspective and advice for self-care?
    Screaming in nature.. Is there anything better?? Hard to do in a big city, I'm always worried someone is gonna think something terrible is happening. So occasionally, I just take a walk and if I'm really frustrated I kick a rock or something. The internet is full of ideas on how to self-care from shallow to deep and all the above are great if they do something for you. What I think is the most important thing, is to stop and actually check in with yourself and what you need, usually it’s all there.

    What would you recommend our readers to do?
    I would deeply recommend therapy to everyone as well as regular exercise. Those two things alone have really changed my life and I'm only annoyed sometimes that I didn’t figure that out earlier. It’s not like no one told me I just had to actually commit to it. I guess that’s part of it though, there’s a time and place for everything.. And that time is now lol. Don’t wait! Also journaling. I’ve done this on and off since I was about 7 years old and I looooove going back to read things. It’s a great way to understand your feelings. Putting my thoughts down on paper is a great way for me to look at them objectively and get a sense of clarity.


    And recommendations for how to get more energy?
    Sleep? I don’t know, exercise and do things that bring you joy. And live where there’s sun.. I got 2 out of 3.
    I love reading and writing, but It’s sometimes difficult for me to find the peace and patience to read. But, I've been obsessed with this swedish writer Karin Smirnoff. Her trilogy “Jag for ner till bror”  has had me walking around with a book in my hand almost every waking moment. I didn’t put that book down. Just started “Dina händer var fulla av liv” by Suad Ali.  On my bedside table you’ll always find the poetry collections “Bone” by Yrsa Daley-Ward & “Salt” by Nayyirah Waheed, absolute modern classics to me.


    What is your hope for the future?
    On a personal level I want to pick up the pace and release more music and you know hopefully play a live show again. Globally I feel like the music scene is pretty vibrant right now, people are hungry and it shows. There’s more up close and personal music side by side with dance floor bangers everyone is ready to get down and dirty to, like a global pressure cooker I only think is gonna be good for music. “More music, more life” to quote Drake.

    dress CHRISTINA LEUNE
    shoes CHANNA STUDIO 
    jewellery MARIA NILSDOTTER
    jacket MATILDA IVARSSON
    shoes CHANNA STUDIO
    coat JOHANNA LARSSON
    bikini HUMANA
    earrings STYLIST’S OWN
  • photography by MATTIAS EDWALL
    stylist JAHWANNA BERGLUND
    hair & make up ELVA AHLBIN 
    talent JOSEFIN ZACHRISSON / Mikas
    total look BOTTEGA VENETA
    earrings LWL JEWELRY

    An Interview With Josefin Zachrisson

    Written by Amandine Bredelet by Sandra Myhrberg

    Josefin Zachrisson was born and raised in Söderhamn. After four years of art and design studies, she graduated in 2019 Beckmans School of Design and is today active as an artist and designer with Stockholm as base. She describes her practice as a three-dimensional language in the border country between art and design. With her design language, she wants to communicate feelings, thoughts and ideas. Her way of working is conceptual, experimental and emotional and takes consideration for both impression and use. In addition to their individual work Josefin is also part of the art and design collective Swedish Girls.

    What inspires you? Where do you find your inspiration? In my work I often try to reflect society in some way and my concepts are the outcome of my thoughts and emotions. The input is therefore very important, I value conversations and I often look to all other artforms for inspiration.


    How would you describe your artwork? I exist in both art and design and would describe my work as conceptual, experimental and emotional. The meeting between my work and the consumer is what gives it purpose and that's why I often work with some kind of function.


    What message do you want to deliver through your artwork? I want to communicate feelings, thoughts and ideas through my work. It is my form of outlet and my source of peace. Art and design keeps me constantly challenged, educated and inspired and I hope to contribute.


    What is your dream project? I’m working towards my first gallery show in Stockholm at the moment and to be honest, this is my dream project. Further on I have so many ideas, people I would love to work with and places I want to exhibit so it would be impossible to choose one.


    Can you explain your “Swedish Girls” collective? By starting Swedish Girls we created a context for ourselves. Our name comes from owning what people in the business call us. Together and individually we want to claim a space in the borderland of art and design.


    Is that your fight? As a queer woman I fight for representation in a business with a remaining male genius complex. I have a privilege based on my socio-economic background and my skin color so the bigger fight will always be for inclusion. Our common fight is to create with responsibility to prevent climate change and this can not be done without diverse representation. 


    What is the biggest difference between a model and artiste designer? I find a lot of similarities in the way it’s about physical expression and the emotional work behind it. The biggest difference is how the model industry still is so trapped in ideals. There is no right or wrong in art and it should not be in modelling either, it’s about identity and identity has to be free.


    Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I actually quite often write my diary like it's 10 years from now and last time I did I wrote about my first or second opening at MoMa.      

    total look ACNE STUDIOS
    total look ACNE STUDIOS
    coat BOTTEGA VENETA
    earring LWL JEWELRY
    total look BOTTEGA VENETA

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