“Transgender Models: New Representations in Fashion” - Merde Magazine Issue 2, 2020
Against all odds, fashion has developed a space of resistance allowing transgender and non-binary models prevail: in 2018, American non-binary model Oslo Grace walked the runway for Moschino, Gucci and Balenciaga in shows that broke the traditional binary system of separating men’s and women’s runway presentations, while Teddy Quinlivan continued to walk high-fashion runway shows including Louis Vuitton and Dries Van Noten after publicly announcing her transgender identity at the pinnacle of her career. On the Fall/Winter 2019 runway, Finn Buchanan became the first male transgender model to walk for Celine. A week later, Buchanan wore incredible couture dresses from Margiela and Schiaperelli in Paris’ couture week runway shows. Meanwhile, transgender exclusive agencies are emerging, and traditional agencies are signing a greater number of transgender and non-binary models, shifting the way runway shows are cast.
“Sissel Tolaas: The Science of Smells” - Beauté Revue, Issue 1, 2020
Grounded in research and education, Sissel Tolaas's work straddles art and science to reframe the way we think about smells. She has recorded and replicated the smells of cities, oceans, people - all micro and macro level of life. Her installations have been shown all over the world in multiple institutions such as Museum of Modern Art Tokyo, MoMA, NGS Singapore, Centre Pompidou, Kochi Biennale as well as Venice Biennale. Through her varied projects, the artist focuses on removing the learned biases that dictate our reactions to smell. There is a calculated complexity to her research, which employs methods from her diverse background. For Sissel Tolaas, no topic is left unexplored, no smell off limits.
“Formes et Perspectives: Interview with Kiri-Una Brito Meumann” - Revue Magazine digital, 2020
Themes of gender and femininity have a strong presence in her Brito Meumann’s work, most notably in her sculpture titled “Golden Derriere” which plays on the fascination with the female body in social media and popular culture, and in and her “Womanly” chair, with its soft, womb-like cushions. “Since I associate with being female, I felt it was necessary to consider what it means to me to participate in this art world from a female perspective and voice, since my womanhood is not something I can remove myself from. This label is something I will always carry with me whether my work is about it or not, I am a "female" artist. So I think making some works that directly spoke to this was important for me to explore.”
“Autobiography: Interview with Claire Milbrath” - Revue Magazine digital, 2019
Claire Milbrath is a Montreal-based painter and the Editor-in-Chief of Editorial Magazine. After studying history at Concordia, Milbrath shifted her trajectory to her own art practice, beginning with photography and drawing, and eventually moving into painting. Without any formal art training, her subjects reflect her own development as an artist, becoming more complex in their appearance and subjectivity with the progression of her own practice. Milbrath’s work is incredibly self-reflective, her characters in many ways autobiographical. Her informal practice has also afforded her the ability to make fun of the shortcomings and clichés of art through her main character Poor Grey.
“Exhibition Review: Azzedine Alaïa: "Je Suis Couturier” – The Fashion Studies Journal online
The exhibition titled Azzedine Alaïa: “Je Suis Couturier” opened on the main floor of the Association on rue Verriere January 22, 2018. The wall text at the front of the exhibition quotes the late designer, stating, “I want to create a Foundation like a Maison in my home in the Marais.” This made it clear that the intention of the exhibition was to not only pay homage to the designer, but to also fulfil his wish for establishing the association in the way he intended.
“Judging a Magazine by its Cover: Angelo Cirimele on the Business of Art Direction and the Shift in Print Media” – Regard(s) Magazine,
Issue 1
It’s no secret that the popularity of print media is on the decline. With brands pouring money into social media platforms like Instagram, the scales are shifting – the way brands choose to advertise and consumers take in fashion images has moved from print to screen, and magazines have been forced to alter the way they make and market their publications. In this digital age, how do creators of print media continue to draw in buyers as newsstands and bookstores continue to shut down? And when advertisers pay the bills for a publication to exist, how can a magazine navigate the creative constraints these brands implement?
“The Paradoxical Practice of Retouching” — Regard(s) Magazine,
Issue 1
Since 2013, Art Director Giorgio Martinoli has been working at Air France Madame, a publication under the Condé Nast umbrella. The luxury in-flight magazine targets those in business and first class, and features sophisticated fashion and lifestyle editorials directed toward this luxury client. Martinoli recounts how his career as an art director happened by passion, chance, and accident, and describes his role as giving shape and taste to content — metaphorically likened to the role of the orchestra conductor. Martinoli’s extensive portfolio includes work at French fashion magazine L’Officiel de la Mode, men’s magazine Upstreet, independent fashion magazine Above, as well as commercial work for companies like Galeries Lafayette. This diverse range attests to his adaptability, an essential quality in an art director who must be versatile and open to the creative ideas of his collaborators.