NEW EDGE/AUTUMN/WINTER 2015/16 NEW EDGE 2 #05 - NEWEDGE NEW EDGE #05 #05/NEW EDGE/ AUTUMN/WINTER 2015/16 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Anja Korošec E info.newedgemagazine@gmail.com COVER PHOTO Rok Tržan LAYOUT DESIGN Anja Korošec #05 - NEWEDGE 3 NEW EDGE THE BIGGER, THE BETTER It has been awhile since our last Summer issue, but that was because we were working on a bigger project, so here it is: our bigger-double issue of New Edge for Autumn/Winter. New Edge is bigger and stronger, thanks to all your help - without you we would have never gotten this far. Also, a big 'Thank you' goes to 'Marketing Magazin' which made possible, that our magazine is finally live in print, so this is our first printed issue. New Edge is also celebrating our first successful year of publishing - with our fifth issue, in which we have again joined forces with young and talented people, who contributed to this issue of our magazine. The biggest 'thank you' goes to my partner Anze Ermenc, who is helping me from Manchester and is responsible for making the magazine this good. You can find us, connect with us and like us on: https://www.facebook.com/ newedgemagazine Welcome to the fifth Autumn/Winter issue of New Edge magazine. This is a free magazine that promotes, and draws attention to, all the good and valuable things in our life and environment. New Edge Magazine presents and introduces people with remarkable interests and innovative views of the world. In the social context, the magazine points out that things have more sides, than we see at first glance, and that it is often necessary to look at life from another perspective. Thank you for staying with us. — Anja Korosec 4 #05 - NEWEDGE CONTENT CONTENTS AUTUMN / WINTER 2015/16 PROMISING -GOATSTORY - MARK PIRC - EVA JAKIMOSKA -PIRATE PIŠKA -EVIL HAIR VISION - FERNWEH FASHION - BANG! - FIVE-0 -FOAM -WEST SIDE ALTERNATIVE Column -AGNES CROWN -TADEJA OGRIZEK -PIZZA STORY - EMBISI - FAUXSUMERISM CULTURE - BLIZFANG - PENTLJA -TABAY BROTHER Music -JULY JONES - KOALA VOICE Illustration -NINASTAJNER #05 - NEWEDGE s PROMISING PRODUCT GRABYOUR COFFEE BY THE HORN(S) GOAT STORY ANZE MIKLAVEC http://www.goat-story.com/ 6 #05 - NEWEDGE PROMISING PROMISING In your own words, what is Goat Story? Our slogan, that we came up with after, or rather during the campaign, is "Bringing style to coffee drinking." We basically, through a story, introduced a product, that is essentially a very stylish way of drinking coffee. And that is our story and the product in itself. There are a lot of coffee mugs out there, but ours is the only one that has a story behind it and can boast with a different design. So I think that the slogan itself says a lot here, we're bringing style to coffee drinking. And the story behind it is...? The story behind it is one of the most famous stories about the discovery of coffee. There are a lot of stories about that out there in the world, but we took the most famous one, the one in which goats discovered coffee. The story, that we also give a summary of in our product introduction video, says that the goats, when they were out grazing, ate some red berries and were afterwards more alert and energetic, so when the goat shepherd saw that, he picked some of those berries and tried eating them himself, but they didn't taste good. He then took them to a local monk, who boiled them and so, coffee was made. That's the Ethiopian story of the discovery of coffee. We liked it from the very beginning of the project and so we joined forces with the designers from Desna Hemisfera (Right Hemisphere) and developed it together - first there was the horn, then after some time, we figured out how to turn it and make it stand on a table, we looked at the sketches a lot, then the first 3D print came out and we started thinking about the production of it. We knew that this product was so different, that it would've been impossible to put it out in a classic way, introduce it to the market and then put it onto the shelves of a store. The presentation was really important to us, the story behind it. How did it all begin, where did you start? Your first product was a bottle, Equa, how did you go from that to Goat Story? We started with the glass bottles, but then we started expanding things, developing new ideas. It's fun for me to create new things, when I finish something, I immediately start thinking about something new, I'm always thinking forward, thinking about new things. So we started with the bottles and then thought, okay, the logical consequence would be a coffee mug. I wanted to make a different coffee mug, so I started reading about coffee, learning about it, and I'm still reading about coffee and noticing, that there are so many things I still don't know about it. So I told the designers about it all, and we started talking about how we want to make something different, something unlike any coffee mug that's out there already. Then the product became so different, that we couldn't possibly fit it under the already existing brand Equa, and it became a new, independent brand. How long did the process take? It was a very long process, simply because we were in no rush to make this. It wasn't our only project at that time, so we did it slowly, piece by piece on the side, when we had some time to spare, in between other projects. It was sort of our hobby project and it took us two years to get from the idea pitch to the actual start of it. We took our time with it, took it slow. Did you expect the great response you got on Kickstarter, or did it come as a shock? We went into the whole Kickstarter process with no expectations at all. Our goal was to make the product as good as we possibly could, and then figured, the market would tell, if the idea was good or not. If we'd failed - well, we did our best, did everything, we could have done; if we'd failed there wouldn't have been anything wrong with that. What would've been wrong though, would be if we hadn't tried. So we had no expectations. Maybe that was because we'd already tried Kickstarter once and it didn't work out for that idea. Sol didn't want to get my hopes up. What else do you do aside from Equa and Goat Story? Equa already covers a lot of products, glass bottles, plastic bottles and it also has a home category with garden containers. With Equa we're constantly developing new products - we currently have three bottles in the production process. Many of the products we come up with, simply don't make the cut, because they'd be too expensive to sell on the market, because the production would've been too expensive... They get dropped for different reasons, even if you already have a very detailed idea of it and ifs almost there. So you start working on something else. For example, we're also thinking more about the whole coffee idea, then we're developing the home category more; we're constantly coming up with new and new ideas for different products. If I may ask, where is Goat Story most popular? Yes, of course! There are no secrets with this project, I mean the whole Kickstarter thing already was very public, all the numbers were public and we realised throughout that process, that having it all so public is actually not a bad thing. We have two markets that are very good for us and that's the Asian market and the USA one. Our local market is still Europe, but the European market, we've 8 #04 - NEWEDGE PROMISING noticed, is the one that's the most conservative, when it comes to products as different as this one. At Design Junction in London we saw, that the costumers from Asia love this product, because they care a lot about design and know a lot about it, and dare to find and explore something different. China - namely Hong Kong - Taiwan, Japan, these are the countries that have a highly developed culture and sense of fashion, and dare to try out new things in fashion - these costumers love this product the most. And then of course the USA market, because it's so vast and diverse. Where do you draw your ideas from, what inspires you? We try out everything, team work is really important here - there's no 'one man band', but a lot of different people doing different things, designers, a marketing team, a photographic team, people that shot the video, text writers... There are a lot of puzzle pieces we put together, before we get the full, finished image. There's a thin line between the product failing or becoming a success. A lot of it is in details. It's so important to have an audience of focus, a target group that you're going to sell your product to, how you position the product, present the image... One tiny detail could be a game changer, for example, we had a completely different video, before the one that we then put up and you can view now - it was filmed and payed for, but when we watched it, we saw that it wouldn't work. So we threw it away and payed for a new one. We could've just said 'okay' and stuck to the first one, but I'm sure that then we wouldn't have been successful. Do you have a motto? I don't have a simple one or two sentence motto. But I would say that I believe, that nothing is coincidental; so many people say, that you need at least a little bit of luck to succeed, but I say that you have to put a little bit of extra effort into everything, every project you take on. Even when people say, that it was just a lucky shot, it's not true - there's a lot of hard work behind our projects. There are no shortcuts. Sure, Kickstarter could be considered one, but you still have to do a lot of research. There are some simple steps to guide you, but there is no magic formula to success. There's a lot of hard work you have to put in, even when to others, it seems like it must've been super easy.™ #05 - NEWEDGE 9 PROMISING PRODUCER/ DIRECTOR/ EDITOR MARK PIRC 10 #04 - NEWEDGE PROMISING What are you currently working on? For four years in a row I have been involved in many projects abroad and back home. I'm constantly travelling, meeting new people and jumping from one project to another. The first year or two, I was totally excited because it opened a new world for me, a new way of living and possibly a new chapter of my life. But when you jump from a plane to a plane and from a project to a project and you have no time to chill in between, things start to drag you back home. That's when I decided to create something that might benefit me in the future and created the VA Collective or Various Artists Collective, which is a management/agency for some multi-talented freelancers that are able to assure high-quality services working solo or in a formed group. Currently we are in the pre-production of a big two-year project for Red Bull, which I believe must still be a secret. What started your tour four years ago? It all started actually very funnily. I was at a point in my life where I'd just graduated and didn't have a clue what the future looked like, when one of the best if not the best Slovenian snowboarder, Marko Grilc, invited me to produce short movies for him and go on a tour with him for his Red Bull Snowboard series called the Grilosodes. From filming snowboarding on exotic locations such as South Africa, Dubai or Marocco, to world's most famous slopes in USA and Europe, the episodes turned out to be Red Bull's most watched snowboard series for two years in a row. Another major event which also influenced my life, was going to LA for the first time. I was working on a project for two weeks there and I liked the whole city and film industry's vibe so much, that I decided to sign up for a Film Academy at Universal Studios over summer. It turned out as the best thing I've ever done. I worked my ass off, but I got noticed, made many connections and friends from Hollywood's film industry. Just a couple weeks ago I found out, that my projects are presented to the new students as an example of what can be achieved in a short amount of time at the academy. The fact that my work inspires other people, is more valuable to me than any award I've ever gotten. How did you get involved with film? I never knew that I will work in the film or commercial industry. Just a couple of years ago, freestyle snowboarding still meant everything to me; but things were tough for you, if you had no sponsors. In order to get the attention, I came up with an idea to film myself, so I was saving for over a year to earn enough for my first camera. The purpose of buying it was, so that other people could film me snowboarding, but soon I started to like filming myself as well, and so it became the job I have now. Any rewards? The first one I ever got was a national Grand prize award for a film competition, that had to be recorded with your phone. Funny thing is, I didn't have a phone that actually recorded video, so I borrowed one, and it turned out to be a winner. I also won an international one for EU FRA in Vienna and recently I won a video achievement as a director and became an ambassador for a huge corporation. Where do you see yourself in the future, what do you want to do one year from now? Tricky question, I ask myself these questions every now and then, and I always get surprised by looking back at my career in time. Things happen so fast and there are so many things affecting every step you make, that you cannot really imagine a year in advance. I currently enjoy producing and directing commercials and extreme sports films and I know this is the place where I want to be, but I for sure would like to do a full feature film or documentary someday. I know things are moving in the right direction and it's just a question of time when things happen and the moment is right. I guess you just need a little faith, go with the flow and see where it takes you. — #05 - NEWEDGE 11 PROMISING ARTIST EVA 12 #05 - NEWEDGE PROMISING Eva Jakimoska, also known as Jakimuz, Devad or Ms. Fleva, is 24 years young and has loved to draw since she can remember. She studied Fashion design at the Secondary school of Design and Photography and then illustration at the Academy of Art and Design. Her educational process was a bit slower than is the norm, she explains laughingly. However, taking two years off before she enrolled in the Academy, wasn't a waste of time. Working at the Bikofe bar, almost a cultural institution in Ljubljana, she got to know a large circle of artists and musicians. For example, through GOR she got the opportunity to compile playlists for her own radio show Mishmash Mo, at the internet radio station Nula. A funky mix of soul, hip-hop, breakbeats, jazz and afro every Monday at 8pm! "My Macedonian heritage gave me the rhythm, it's in my blood," she claims proudly; it's no wonder this young, multi-faceted artist has also started to learn how to DJ. In September, Eva attended a convention of female Djs, that was held in Graz and that's how she became a part of the DJ duo Saraieva. They already had seven gigs since then. When they had to do a content portrait of themselves at the Academy, it hit her. Illustration was only a tiny part of what constituted her identity and interests, in addition to it, there was also music, dancing, working with people, organising events and much more. At that time she decided to quit: "I knew illustration would always be a part of my life, and thaf s what I want it to be - a part, not my whole existence. I'm creating my own educational programme and enlisting my friends with different knowledge and skills, to teach me." She arranged for the family's basement to be her studio, where she does most of her work and it is a lovely, inspiring space - very 'Eva'. Another creative outlet for her is definitely the spaces that the sports and cultural association GOR, which promotes and develops hip hop culture, has in the former bicycle factory Rog. Eva's involvement comes with organising events and different kinds of creative expression. "I know I'm never going to work a nine-to-five schedule, sitting in an office; that would just drive me crazy. I can see my life being a series of different projects and I love how the different stuff I'm involved with, is dynamic and a very fluid process," she happily concludes. It seems like that's working out for her, this year she already organised three exhibitions. The first two, in Rog and Bikofe, showed her illustrations and for the last one in Kino Šiška, she decided she would try sculpturing for the first time. The most important thing for her is imagination: "I want to keep my childishness, the enthusiasm for the random things in life and searching for stories everywhere; it makes my days more interesting. Like, for example, looking only at hair styles off of a bus. Erasing people underneath and looking only at hair, floating around. Try it, can you imagine how much fun that is?"™ #05 - NEWEDGE 13 PROMISING ARTIST PIRATE 14 #05 - NEWEDGE PROMISING Who is the Pirate Piska? Pirate Piska is a food processor, trapped in the body of a hyperactive girl, who has an incredible desire to learn and research, who likes to accept new challenges and is bored, if things are not interesting. Pirate Piska is not only a brand, I am Pirate Piska! This name is my signature under various projects and that's who my friends know me as. I operate in various fields of design, but when it comes to the Pirate Piska brand, I could say that at one point, I just decided to create and produce white shirts, black bags and oversized sweaters with screen printed motives of my illustrations on them, stickers and badges, and occasionally I also work on some fanzines. All of it began three years ago with some simple backpacks. Here and there Fll find myself working on some white socks, patterned with my motives and 'make a backpack' packages, that I've created for those, who would like to make a simple backpack on their own. Shortly, these two products are making their comeback on the shelves of the virtual store and maybe even on the exhibition shelves. How did you start creating the brand? The brand arose spontaneously and is basically just a logical consequence of my work. As I said, I started with simple backpacks and because back then, those didn't exist to the extent to which they do now, there was a huge demand for them. After that, I continued with other forms of backpacks, but because I was very interested in the technique of screen printing, patterned shirts and sweaters soon followed. What makes you different? What probably makes me different from most, is that each of my products has its own story; I also want to add something more to my products, include a small trick into the process or the finished product itself. For example, I created pink slings for the 'Gang Girls' collection, because I thought it was a cool addition or accessory to the series of white T-shirts with pink and black prints on them. As a tribute to all riot girl bands, I also put together a playlist of my favourite songs for that collection. 'Ghostwood' T-shirts are accompanied with paper animal masks and a pair of white socks is packaged with a print, that complements the story of the two motifs, printed on the pair. Where do you see yourself in the future? I basically don't think a lot about the future, things come to me very spontaneously and my ideas are very organic. I always build on ideas, which later lead me to different goals, but to me the path itself is the most important, because that is where I always learn the most. In any case, I want new challenges and different projects, that could possibly see me through the future. Whatever I do, want or plan, it's somehow connected to Pirate Piska. I simply never hang up the pirate hat. Your motto? Huh, I do not know, I'm not exactly the type of person to have their own motto or to read "inspirational quotes", but it's probably this one thing, that can be linked to the brand as well as to life itself, and it is a simple equation, that product > idea and actions > words. I really do not like to talk into the void, never. — #05 - NEWEDGE 15 PROMISING HAIR EVIL HAIR Salon Evilhair has been operating since 2008. How is it different from the others? Evilhair was at that time the first professional alternative salon in Slovenia. It was very successful at filling certain gaps in our market. It was and still is the only salon that offers dreadlocks of real and synthetic hair, which are made with our own technique, that we improved during these years. We were the first to offer permanent Japanese hair straightening, diverse methods of hair lengthening, clip-on extensions and customisation of wigs. My work is divided into a salon part and creative part, where unconventional collections are made, such as We Can Be More, that received the award for the best Slovenian collection of 2013, which opened me the doors to work with Charlie Le Mindu (stylist for Lady Gaga), with whom I participated in the Berlin Fashion Film Festival, and Neon Utopia, which was presented as a fashion show, where a friend of mine Ben Watkins (the founder of Juno Reactor) took care of an audio input. The magazine Frizer classifies you as avant-garde. How would you define beauty? This classification is a confirmation that I'm on the right path. For me beauty is asymmetrical, powerful, bold, fearless, rebellious, unusual and unique. I don't express myself in just one way and I'm always open to new ideas. I get ideas and inspirations from different sources, and I create in the same way. Uniformity was never close to me. How do the projects get started? Usually the idea turns up in my mind when I'm thinking about something else. I write it down, follow with some sketches, a quick draft of the concept, reflections about hairstyles, materials, designs, makeup, style of photography and in the end I assemble the group. I know exactly what I want, and run the whole project by myself, that's why I always work with people that I trust, who do their job well and are ready for challenges. The last project Neon Utopia, for example, was designed in a way that each model was accompanied by music, that was appropriate to their character. And the fashion show and photo shoot that followed, were made only with UV lights. Coordinating characters with music and studying, how colours react with UV light, was very fun, but also hard work. You've created a collection We Can Be More, which holds a special message, and every year you participate with Ljubljana Pride festival. Would you say your creations are politically engaged? I am conscious of what is happening with human rights, ecology, technology and economy in our country and around the world. When I was younger, I was an anarchist and an activist and I never lost the strive for equality. When I entered the fashion world, I decided to make use of the voice I had, and say something about the current problems, such as global warming and violating the rights of LGTB people. The story We Can Be More is therefore a criticism of current events, indicating the first serious consequences, that our arrogance caused to 16 #05 - NEWEDGE PROMISING the environment. The message I'm trying to tell is, that it's necessary to change the direction of development and before anything else, we need to change ourselves. It's time we become something more. What do you think of the Slovenian fashion scene? Our fashion scene is not exactly to my taste, because I think it lacks diversity and daring. Nobody dares to step from the frame of acceptable. A positive exception is Peter Movrin, with whom I would love to work one day, but he creates abroad. I did have the opportunity to work with other talented designers, such as Marita Wrong, Sara Valenci, Incognito Design, Zoran Aragovic - BiteMyStyle fashion design and others. Slovenia has a lot of talented artists, but our market does not provide a supportive environment for their growth. I respect all artists, but at the moment I prefer the fashion scene, that is happening around the world. Lately I've been fascinated with Japanese futuristic fashion. Are there any new projects on the horizon? There are, but let's keep them a secret for now. Bigger changes are happening in the salon part, where we will try to move away from the classical salon services and become more of a boutique. We will offer only selected, more advanced and complex classical services, but the offer of our alternative hairstyles will remain the same. What would you do, creatively, if you didn't have any restrictions? I would undertake many things related to design, such as designing costumes for fantasy or sci-fi movies, fashion shows etc. I am also fascinated by 3D printing, particularly futuristic or avant-garde clothing and footwear. Monotony is killing me, I like to discover new ways to express and create. What life lessons have you learned so far that still serve you as a powerful source of inspiration? Relatively early in my life I realised that it's good to stand out from the average, think critically as much as possible and listen to my instinct. I learned that the world is changing very fast, and even though our parents know a lot, they don't know everything. We constantly need to question everything, follow the world, technology and acquire new knowledge. — #05 - NEWEDGE 17 VISION FERNWEH Fernweh is a website in the making, a social J platform centred on travelling well and cheap. Its | target audience is college students or youngsters, § who cannot afford to spend a lot of money on ¡5 travelling, but still wish to see the world, although | Fernweh can essentially be used by anyone with an f overwhelming desire to travel and explore. | s 1 Anyone can participate in the accumulation of the content H on Fernweh by submitting short reviews with pictures of the places you've visited and were satisfied with, that befall under one of the four main categories of the website: accommodation, food&drinks, nightlife and survival tips. The submissions will be reviewed and then posted on the site for others to read, when they plan their next adventure. It doesn't have to be strictly big cities; it can be any place in the world! Furthermore, the content would be displayed in such a way, that when you decide on a hostel/place to stay at, a bar of recommended places for you to eat at, appears below, and so ^^ finding good food nearby is suddenly made easy. ™ 18 #05 - NEWEDGE VISION ACCOMODATE iPftob&QRlNKl (toifaHTUFE 1 PnPS ISI&hts] p(efur< o-P ............pr rva^t of \Aoa-t«\ or b** la review * \oovtiov\ * CowVcdcjVs A tteodMyM-y,^ f r»«oj-V>u #05 - NEWEDGE 19 DIRECTION & STYLING Anže Ermenc / PHOTOGRAPHY Karim Shalaby / PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT Tina Umer / MAKE UP Gox Miljic/ HAIR Ben Jager@Stevo Frizerska Hiša/ MODEL Nina Ricci / LOCATION Slovenska Kinoteka P1: DRESS David Kobe, HARNESS BOUND by Ceca Barbič/ P2: COAT Matic Veler, BODY MilaKrasna/ P3: DRESS Maja Leskovšek, BODY Upaj, HARNESS BOUND by Ceca Barbič/ P4: DRESS David Kobe, HARNESS BOUND by Ceca Barbič/ P5: COAT Maja Leskovšek, BOTTOMS MilaKrasna / P6: DRESS aleksandrabrlan/ P7: DRESS Maja Leskovšek, HARNESS BOUND by Ceca Barbie, TOP MilaKrasna FIVE-0 PHOTO RokTržan CREATIVE DIRECTOR Anja Korošec MODEL Luka Bizjak STYLING Anže Ermenc & Dora Maroevič LOCATION Special thanks to Stožice PI SWEATSHIRT: Nejc Šubic/ P2 SWEATSHIRT: Deni Pregelj/ P3 JUMPSUIT: Nejc Šubic/ P4 JACKET: Nejc Šubic / P5 JACKET, SWEATPANTS & P6 SHIRT, SHORTS:: Nejc Šubic ' 1 FASHION FASHION 34 #05 - NEWEDGE ---——«J «---•.„• n , M „,,„■■„- i..MI m. _in 11 m. 4 -' ! II«., ,- --»---r~4 niiiiiiii i m i h j imu iiBiiiJiuiiii ■■■■■■ lili If WÊÊÊÊm i mn m DIRECTION & STYLING Anze Ermenc & Emily May Buckley-Jones PHOTOGRAPHY Emily May Buckley-Jones MAKE UP Kelsey^^^^H MODEL Natalie Abson @ Industry People Model Agency i ¡ÍWjjw»^« * / m nw Ó „i 1 ! I ! ■ •• ••.'.-><*»» .¡if .....' uni JACKET Sarah Bimpson SHIRT Tess Cormack JACKET Sarah Bimpson WEST SIDE By DINO KUZNIK tiiiUí ,-JS» ' L4 ALTERNATIVE COLUMN / AGNES KROWN EVERY LITTLE HELPS "I just got another box of clothes and makeup from my sponsors today." That's the fancy life of the fashion bloggers we know today. Being in this industry for a couple of years, I've experienced many positive and negative things. I started my fashion blog Agnes Krown in 2013, when I was 17, with a wish to get into the industry, meet inspiring people, to educate myself and to have something to show, before I graduate from high school. I had no idea, this would become one of my biggest lessons so far. Instagram was just becoming big, the number of bloggers was skyrocketing and the bloggers started turning into celebrities. Of course I wished to be part of this luxurious lifestyle too. At first blogging was just a side hobby. I had a friend shooting my daily outfits. Slowly I got approached by Slovenian and worldwide companies, which wished to sponsor my clothes, makeup, I even got a proposal, to get a sex toy in return for mentioning the brand and share some photos of me, wearing the items on my social network. I tried to be as me as possible, but in all this mass of information and sparkle, it wasn't easy. 2014 was an intense year of publishing a blog post every two days. I had long-term contracts with some of the biggest online shops, such as Motel Rocks and makeup brands, such as Shiseido and Collistar. I was so busy with taking pictures of everything I got sent home, I had a huge box with things I still needed to take pictures of. I stopped buying clothes, because I got everything that I needed, even more. I worked hard and the period paid off. After graduating from high school, I decided to study fashion branding at Amsterdam Fashion Institute. Then, all my experience with professional teams, blogging and relationships with sponsors, turned out to be crucial for me to be accepted to study there. New life in Amsterdam opened my eyes. I've always known about the issues of unfair trade, toxic textiles and unsustainable fast fashion. It was just not the thing 54 #05 - NEWEDGE ALTERNATIVE I would bother much with, it was just another plus, if the brand was "eco" or any of this super cool hipster labels. Right? Of course I would rather promote the cheaper fast fashion clothes, as my readers could definitely not afford a 1000$ upcycled, or creatively reused, jacket. Like the majority, I was mesmerised by the abundant life of mainstream celebrity bloggers and YouTubers, who all seemed so beautiful, rich, happy and positive... but for what cost? Not only did I stop shopping for clothes and makeup since I moved to Amsterdam, but I adopted a different lifestyle. I also stopped blogging fast fashion, as this would be a complete contradiction to what I believe in now. I prefer clothes from Slovenian designers Janja Videc and Jan Brovc. Made with love. Worn with respect. One of the main values that AMFI teaches us, is sustainability. As a new generation of future professionals and fashion influencers, it's highly important for them to give us the right tools and knowledge, so we will be able to change the current (and seriously worrying) situation. 100-200 million modern (even underage) slaves are working in third world countries under unsafe working conditions, to provide us with cheap embellished tops from H&M or even "fancy" brands, such as Calvin Klein. Even disastrous accidents, such as the collapse of one of the Bangladeshi garment factories, called Rana plaza, which by the way injured and killed more than 3000 people, wasn't enough. Who even cares about that, masses of people still patiently waited in front of H&M stores and even fought for the new collaborative collection of H&M x Balmain. At this point everyone should stop for a second and think about how their actions are contributing to the world. A lipstick tested on animals, a T-shirt made by a five years old girl in India, who makes 2$ per month, a pair of jeans, which were dyed with a poisonous dye, that causes embryo defects in the next generation of the workers' children, a "fit tea" from one of Instagram's famous feeds, which actually promotes flat stomach, despite of the negative effects on your (physical and mental) health, you name it. There's a new wave of power hungry young people, who only care about the outer appearance, but I'm an optimist. It's the time to act and I believe every single deed can help the world and us. Let's stop the unconscious and unselective shopping. Let's really think about what we need, what is the reason behind our choice, what would be the least harmful substitutes for the world? Take a look at what clothes you don't need anymore; give them away to a homeless person. Take a look in one of many second hand or vintage stores around. Repair your jeans, instead of throwing them away, textiles aren't a piece of paper, they're meant to be forever. Everyone should see the documentary 'The true cost' and write down some pre-holiday resolutions. Let's take our responsibilities. Every little helps. — #05 - NEWEDGE 55 ALTERNATIVE COLUMN / TADEJA OGRIZEK THINK TWICE, BEFORE YOU POST 56 #05 - NEWEDGE ALTERNATIVE It doesn't seem too long ago, when Facebook was just this one web page, that allowed people to post photos and chat. And back then, when it all started, when Facebook had just started becoming popular, kids posted everything: from drunk, drugged to half naked photos and videos, to stupid comments and status updates. There was no filter, no knowledge, that everything you put on the internet, stays on the internet. We've learned so much since then, we are aware of the almighty power of internet and we realise that our Facebook profile is an extension of our ID card. So we've started posting happy photos of our happy and perfect lives, hiding our skeletons in the closets. We fake our façade, so we can make others feel green with envy of the fairy tales, we live in, while they sit in the dark, drinking a glass of wine alone. Of course, I'm exaggerating, but to me it always seemed pointless, to post every little bit of my life, no matter how happy or sad I felt. I post randomly, about moments, that have a story. So I was shocked, when it was pointed out to me, that because of my Facebook profile - which I keep safely locked and hidden from unknown eyes - I probably won't get a job, with the explanation, that because I don't smile in my photos, it will make any potential employer think I'm a sad person. And I guess no one wants to hire a depressed human being. I've always paid attention to the things I post online - keep it clean, sober and without too much emotion - but I've never thought of it the other way around - fake it, so you will make it. Have we really become a society so fake, that we have to build our public image in the hope, that our Facebook profile won't scare people away? Because we don't smile? I think we have become very used to the public lives we actually live in, realising that people (and Google) can find out pretty much anything about us, in a blink of an eye. Whether we play it safe or not, it's our own choice, although I think very drunk photos posted online, can do nothing good. So remember kids, think twice, before you post, and most importantly - always smile. It's good PR— #05 - NEWEDGE 57 ALTERNATIVE PIZZA STORY Every Pizza has a story. Photos: Left-1: Ina Klanšek, Left-2: Anže Ermenc, Left-3: Anja Korošec, Left-4: Maja Podojstršek, Right-1: Maja Podojstršek, Right-2: Petra Tomažič, Right-3: Anže Ermenc, Rieht-4: Miha Kürner. Hieht-5: Rok Tržan. 58 #05 - NEWEDGE ALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVE TINE LUGARIČ EMBISI SKATEBOARDS 60 #05 - NEWEDGE ALTERNATIVE What's the story of EMBISI? EMBISI is a combination of real skateboarding, represented by Luka Pen, who is still a very good skateboarder. The knowledge of branding, design and storytelling etc., I contributed myself; even though I skateboard, I am not involved there. Luka came to me with the idea for the brand and I was happy to join him, because he skateboards really well, and I like to take care of all these stories and that it all looks good as a whole. It all began in a coffee place in Maribor, the same place where we still meet, when we have meetings. We wanted a name, but at the same time maintain the focus on Maribor's skateboarding group, because they already have a strong story. Maribor is known as the Maribor City or MBC, and from these initials we decided to take the origin of our name, as phonetically written -so this is also the story about the beginning of Maribor skateboarding. We grew up together on hip-hop and the well-known NYC state of mind, so from there we proceeded on with 'EMBISI Skate of Mind', which nicely completes the whole story. Then I connected with designers such as Matija Kocbek, who made the logo in the form of twisted skateboards, and can also identify with the story, as he skateboards as well. We made various series of illustrations for skateboards, where we used a variety of colours with a logo, used the coat of arms of Maribor, the sport club - all the motifs derived from Maribor culture and current topics, for example a pigeon with a gas mask, which was drawn by graffiti artist Teoson. Pigeon, which is a dirty animal, is unable to live in a dirtier place, standing in the canal and with its leg on a chewing gum. Another motive was the work of the author Nenad Cizl, who drew a crow, with its bionic leg holding a dog and tearing out its intestines - in order to be a predator, it had to change itself, so that it is half a robot. In the background there always appears the Maribor skyline, which however does not limit sales to other places. So, just as much as it represents the culture of Maribor, it also represents skateboarders and their lifestyle everywhere. A strong story is the key element for each brand, because it connects, on an emotional level, the brand and the person that likes it, and so it successfully spreads among the people. Friends tell me that they get a tear in their eye, whenever we do a new story, because that connects them to Maribor. And that is why we also used a legendary song that is well known in Maribor, with the name 'That's How We Do It on Embisi Streets', and I did that with replacing Maribor with Embisi. That's how our work becomes storytelling, which I also like to call story selling, because the story has to sell these skateboards; the story must get out on the streets and spread amongst the people. Under EMBISI we combine different skateboarding stories; we organise various events for all generations of skaters: EMBISI skate of mind. — #05 - NEWEDGE 61 ALTERNATIVE DENIS PUCELJ LUXURY IS THE NEW... e: pucelj.denis@siol.com When nothing 'street-like' is left about 'street fashion', attention is directed at luxury as a democratising product. Fashion brand is thus to be understood as unity of elements, from each letter to the last zipper, with apurpose to encourage consumerism. Perfume is the first element of identification, and each Balmain for H&M collaboration becomes a legitimised try to own a brand and the signified life style. Yet this is precisely what allows distinctions, and pointing out the mystifying element of so-called démocratisation. Faux consumerism serves as a prime example of pretending to put freedom in consumerism. Faux consumers are first and foremost savvy, image obsessed consumers. Consumer itself thus becomes the signified and signifier - the desire is to be placed in the food chain, achieving that by, in the last instance, consumerism. Imaginary consumerism, looking at ourselves in shop displays and buying ourselves through fashion editorials, is all based on selling images, which are to represent, but never own. We are therefore encouraged to experience the street factor of brands, yet without really knowing, on which street we are. The core of pop culture is now fashion. As fashion is so firmly intertwined with all other creative media outlets, it does seem to represent reality. It is all about selling the image, the life style, the individual to the individual. Yet what we are actually dealing with, are copies. Even worse, copies not of reality, but of copies themselves, perpetually circling in the fashion cycle. Faux consumerism, or buying without really buying. But there is no such thing as free lunch. Competitiveness of brands fuels the fashion chain and makes sure it is fed constantly. At a time when financial situation of an individual is not connected with his or her desire to present themselves in society, distinctions have a more subtle, yet firm way of showing. Forget about status quo - all deviations today, are nothing other than a product in itself, ready to be mirrored. In relativisation of luxury, luxury itself becomes the new trash. ™ 62 #05 - NEWEDGE CULTURE WHAT'S UP ? EVENT BLICKFANG -International design exhibition Visiting Blickfang, an international design exhibition that took place in Vienna at the end of October in the Museum fur Angewandte Kunst, was certainly a good idea. If you're one of those people who love a good, innovative and fresh design and you're at the same time not very fond of products made in mass production and mass market, this is a place to be. It's a platform for independent design, which means the labels and products are not big, and the designs are manufactured in small quantities only. The exhibition that's more of a fair than an exhibition, is a place where you can easily get carried away and burn a hole in your pocket, since all the products you can find, can be bought and can soon decorate your body or home. What makes the event wonderful, is that you can actually have a conversation with the designer himself and you can find out what the philosophy or the story behind every product is, and also learn about every detail of the f design and the production process of it. On the other side, the designer gets a direct feedback from the audience, that is usually much needed in small businesses. But it's not just a fair of nice things, you can also find different lectures, fashion performances and a lounge (with music), where people can relax and just hang out. Blickfang has been an annual event in many European cities for more than 15 years and nowadays takes place in six different places all over Europe. This year's designers come from 14 different countries, including Slovenia. So, if you're travelling somewhere in Europe, and you're interested in interior design, jewellery or clothes, you can still see the exhibition in Stuttgart (from 11th till 13th of March 2016) and in Munich (from 8th till 10th of April 2016). 64 #05 - NEWEDGE CULTURE #05 - NEWEDGE 65 CULTURE WHAT'S UP ? SHOP PENTLJA In the heart of Ljubljana, Slovenia's largest city, a small shop with a big concept opened its doors, welcoming in those seeking the latest fashion trends. The concept behind it is unique and refreshing, a result of the owner's love for fashion. Goga's idea and goal behind the opening of this shop, are simple: between these four walls you can find only Slovenian fashion designers, from clothes to jewellery and accessories, as well as make up products, magazines, books and home décor. Every piece, featured in the store, is carefully picked out for its authenticity, making Pentlja ('The Bow') one of a kind. In the future, they are planning on connecting with young fashion designers, offering them a chance to display their capsule collections, and thus giving them an opportunity to present themselves to the public. The shop features: Brian, Charlie design, Draž, Different, Hats by BSR, DNK - Došen Nada, Pentlja by Goga, Jagababa, Lazovski, Nataša Persuh, Matic Veler and many more. You can find them at Mačkova 4 in Liubliana. 66 #05 - NEWEDGE CULTURE FOOD TABAY BROTHERS: the new faces of Ljubljana's street food Where else in Ljubljana do you get the burger meat, prepared with the sous-vide technique? Where do the creators experiment in their kitchen non-stop and invent new products, sauces and recipes, while maintaining reasonable prices? Two Macedonian brothers offer some really tasty gourmet street food at Gosposvetska 7, a little further from Figovec. They run the place, prepare all the food and serve it to you, always with a smile. It's true, the food scene of quality burgers is on the rise, but Tomi and Marko are offering a story that is unique in many ways. Tomislav Tabaj, the older brother, came to Slovenia from the Macedonian town of Prilep five years ago, to study Economy. The realisation that it's not the right path, hit him soon enough, so he chose to study Confectionery at the Biotechnical Educational Centre (BIC) instead. He revels in researching all kinds of food, different preparation techniques and cuisines. Working at Tokyo Piknik for quite a while, he gained a lot of knowledge and experience. Then there comes Marko, the younger brother, who joined him in Slovenia last year. „The biggest joy in our lives is food and we inherited that from our family. When we cook for each other, it's a privilege for both sides. The exchange of feeding someone and someone feeding you, involves trust, that's why it's such an honour for us," explains Tomi. What also stayed with them from home, is their use of spices. Ground paprika, honey and anise are used in different manners, the latter and juniper berries are necessary additions to the only drink they have to offer for now. homemade lemonade. What, then, differentiates them from the rest? First, sous-vide, which in translation means under vacuum. It's a treatment of, for example, a piece of meat in a water bath - around two kilos of beef ramsteak needs from 14 to 15 hours to prepare. The end result is a more evenly treated piece of meat. Secondly, the brothers don't marinate the meat, but inject the marinade into it, which permeates the whole meal with a richer taste than usual. „Food is the most personal art that exists," Tomi is convinced, because you put it in your mouth. That's why they completely stand behind what they serve to the client and that their satisfaction is also theirs. The American Classic burger alongside the Cubano and French Onion Beef sandwiches, stayed on the menu after the first month; they're the clients' favourites. Now, even if you're a vegetarian, your appetite will be satisfied with the addition of the Veggie burger. Let me give you a hint - if you're not vegan, try their omelette, with added cheese and barbecue sauce, it creates poetry of tastes! It's not on the menu, but they'll be happy to make it for you. Everything they have to offer, the Macedonian brothers make themselves, from bread to sauces. They also get the meat locally from Mesarija pod gradom. New plans are always fermenting in their heads; they also want to brew their own beer and cider. Their newest 'invention' is the Belly burger, pork belly meat in soy sauce with mustard and honey. The Tabay brothers never rest and so your taste buds will not be sorry, when you visit! #05 - NEWEDGE 67 CULTURE MUSIC t i w V JULY JONES Having started singing at a young age in a choir, she soon realised, what kind of music suits her best - gospel. The young, determined, ambitious and confident singer never gave up on her dreams and now knows what her goal in the music industry is: to combine soul with pop and create something new with that, to try to bring soul to a younger demographic audience. Currently residing in London, July does plan on finishing her education at the Berklee College in Boston, but her top priority this year is to take things one step at a time, to discover and establish herself as an artist through performing, collaborating on studio sessions and song writing - the latter being a part of something, that in her opinion is important for every artist to have: an ability to express themselves. And she isn't afraid to do that. 68 #05 - NEWEDGE CULTURE KOALA VOICE In 2010, during summer holidays, Tilen and Domen decided to form a band. They had the space, but not the bass player, so Tilen learned how to play it. Because they couldn't find a drummer, Miha jumped in temporarily at first, but they all learned how to play with each other, and the feeling was good, so he stayed - and so did Manca, the lead vocalist they knew from grade school and invited her to join them, because they needed another guitar. And so it began. They started performing live in 2012 and it's safe to say, that this young band's career has certainly taken off. From releasing their debut album 'Kangaroo's a Neighbour' earlier this year, with the most prominent track called 'Go Disco, Go' (that was also featured in a mobile company's television commercial), to playing at different festivals around Europe, they're a force to be reckoned with. They each separately have his/her own musical preference, as far as inspiration goes, but a lot of it comes from listening to music, going to concerts, while the inspiration for lyrics comes simply from whaf s going on in between takes. They find it hard to label themselves under one specific genre, saying that their sound comes with feeling, a mixture of what they like and how they see music. When it comes to the crowd, they love a good one, people that take their time to listen to their music, maybe dance a little - but they're not picky, so long as there's someone who listens, they're happy. Their plans for the future include having fun and playing concerts, as well as meeting new people, and there's even talk about a new record - judging by their drive and energy, we don't doubt that the only way for these guys in up. #05 - NEWEDGE 69 INVITATION INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE: Be a part of the NEW EDGE! Use your imagination to fill the space below and email us the photograph of your creation/drawing, along with your information, to our address: info.newedgemagazine@gmail.com We will contact you and you maybe introduced in the next issue of our magazine. 70 #05 - NEWEDGE MH lite SRI