clementine the living fashion doll

Mark Mander is one of the UK’s premier puppeteers. After art school he worked as a sculptor for Madame Tussaud’s and as a set model maker for Cameron Mackintosh before focusing on his first love, puppetry. Mark has been working in London, both as a puppeteer and puppet designer/maker for the BBC, ITV, Disney UK and Jim Hensons for over twelve years. He has been playing George the pink hippo from the much loved children’s series Rainbow (Fremantle Media) for over seven years in addition to many stage and TV appearances, from Top of the Pops through to very recent appearances on the One Show (BBC1) as well as in the new Children in Need video for Peter Kay (BBC TV). Several years ago, Mark created his own puppet character the glamorous Clementine The Living Fashion Doll, who will perform live during the opening of the Lingering Whispers exhibition on the 6th of May 2010 in London.

Image: Mark Mander, Clementine The Living Fashion Doll, 2010, performance
photo by Roberto Foddai ©

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elise boularan

One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching.

Images: © Elise Boularan

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remember

Shall we, too, rise forgetful from our sleep,
And shall my soul that lies within your hand
Remember nothing, as the blowing sand
Forgets the palm where long blue shadows creep
When winds along the darkened desert sweep?

Or would it still remember, tho’ it spanned
A thousand heavens, while the planets fanned
The vacant ether with their voices deep?
Soul of my soul, no word shall be forgot,
Nor yet alone, beloved, shall we see

The desolation of extinguished suns,
Nor fear the void wherethro’ our planet runs,
For still together shall we go and not
Fare forth alone to front eternity.

Image: © Dom Agius, A New Royal Family A Wild Nobility, 2010

Poem: Love and Death by Sara Teasdale (1884 – 1933)

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in conversation with luca di biasi

Accounts of the Roman emperor Nero enjoying the spectacle of gladiator fights with emeralds held to his face and panes of smoky quartz used in China in the 12th century reveal a need to protect the eyes, but style is a fantastic plus in modern times.

Today, we present a red-hot new designer, Luca di Biasi.

LB. Your range of sunglasses is sexy and beautifully crafted. What is your background in eyewear design and manufacture?

LD. It has been a desire of mine to create from birth and fortunately, my desire has come to life. With a little dream, a lot of heart and much courage, the Universe has provided me with the tools to turn my ideas into my reality and has allowed my imagination to explode. My reasons for choosing eyewear designs have evolved over the years working in the industry. I love sunglasses! And I can say I have worn a pair of shades every day for the last ten years and have never left home without them.

Most of the time I spent in the industry has been in customer service and sales. Fitting frames on faces was a great way to learn the specifications and requirements to design eyewear, as I listened to what people liked and disliked about the sunglasses on the market. I took advantage of this research and experience to design Diluca sunglasses.

It’s funny how this journey began just by applying for a position at a very well known sunglass retailer. I never thought it would turn into this, but such is the beauty of life. It was not a simple process, but what in life is? I had zero knowledge of eyewear manufacturing so trial and error played a massive part in it all. Things have been up, down, sideways even in and out but the road ahead is just as I imagined it. Every success – be it large or small – is proof that you are capable of achieving more success.

LB. The fast rise and acknowledgement in the prestige of your items is remarkable. Is the marketing genius a part of your DNA as a designer, or is it something you hire others to do?

LD. It’s been a little bit of my own work and the collaboration of many people which has created the fast rise and dynamic marketing behind Diluca. I had minimal experience in marketing so this was and is still a challenge.

The eyewear market is swamped with an abundance of brands, which makes it difficult to be heard and very easy to get lost in it all. I’m a true believer many hands build big dreams and I have been fortunate enough to work with an abundance of creative people in Australia and abroad.

I must mention internet sites like MySpace, Facebook and various fashion blogs which have been great tools for Diluca’s brand awareness and exposure. It has connected me with people I never thought I would be in contact with. I use these platforms on a daily basis as an alternative to advertising in magazines, which can be extremely expensive for trial-and-error research. Patience, persistence and excellent product earn respect.

LB. Tell us a bit about your ancestry and whether it has been influential in your personal ambition and style.

LD. I come from a family of Italian descent but I was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. Imagine a home filled with the most delectable food, a warm and supportive family and a culture that will live on through me.

My father is a carpenter and mother a homemaker. Both have been my greatest role models. They work with their hands but in effective ways, which create amazing work. I can say I get my strength, integrity and ambition from my father and my creative and spiritual side from my mother. She is a goddess in the kitchen. A combination of the perfect ingredients.

Diluca is heavily influenced by my heritage, which I’m very proud of. Three rules that were passed down to me were: keep it clean, always look presentable and search deep within to find your own style.

LB. Most people find working for other companies a true chore. Did that give you a final push to start on your own?

LD. Who doesn’t find working for other companies a chore? I wouldn’t say it gave me the final push but I can say it showed me I’m in love with what I do. The last decade working for companies both large and independently owned was a blast; I had experiences money can’t buy. The people I have met and the friendships I have gained are irreplaceable, but life is all about change and growth.

I had a dream, strong enough to take a chance and blessed to be surrounded by supportive friends and people. In the beginning, my vision was a little unclear. I was sure of what I wanted but unsure of how to go about it. I spent endless days and nights on research, using every platform technology has to offer. I had a vision and my mission was to achieve it. When you put something out there, there is always someone listening. We are so lucky to have the world at our fingertips, right from the comfort of our homes. If it wasn’t for tools like the Internet and email communication could have been more difficult.

LB. What were the first challenges to set up your brand?

LD. Challenges were endless. We can choose to see them as walls or as hurdles. I choose to see everything as a hurdle, because anything can be achieved. My first major challenge was funding. I gave myself one option only, which was to self-fund my own project. It is difficult to predict how things will unfold in the beginning, especially when launching a fashion brand. So many sacrifices where made and life adjustments had to be put in order but it has definitely paid off.

The list goes on but it’s all about finding your way, staying strong and asking for it. I think many people find it difficult to overcome obstacles because they listen to and live by their fears. “There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge.”

LB. In what surroundings and at what times during the day do you find yourself focusing more on your designs?

LD. It happens at absolutely random moments. Ideas come to mind and creation must begin. The summer time brings the greatest inspiration: It fills Melbourne’s streets with so many diverse styles of sunglasses and I can find myself sometime sitting at a cafe for hours and starting into a sea of people. Eyewear is a very potent accessory. Frames are sculptural objects and convey a tremendous mood and attitude. I think eyewear is one of the only accessories men and women can wear comfortably and can be used to change their image and style instantly. It’s like a piece of jewellery for your face.

A tip for both men and women: Sunglasses are the ultimate secret to eliminating those crow’s feet around the eyes.

LB. Are you selling the sunglasses directly to the consumers or through retailers?

LD. The sunglasses market has exploded over the last five years. Having such a strong background in sales I know how difficult it can be to decide on what to buy and what is right for you. There are so many ways to sell products. The trick is to find what works best for you label.

Diluca is available in store and on-line. The world has become a busy place twenty-four hours a day, which can limit our time to do so many simple things. Making your product accessible is the key. Give your customer the freedom to shop at their convenience. My preference when buying anything is in-store. There is nothing better than walking into a fashion boutique, trying on and feeling the product. Touch and feel play a massive part in sales and it allows the customer to be completely aware about what they are buying and what they are getting for their money. Quality is everything.

LB. What are you working on now?

LD. The new collection is currently in production and will be available later this year. I am very excited to present something new to the public. The second collection allows more freedom of design and creation. Releasing something new can be daunting at times, exposing your work and allowing people to see a part of your self made world, but I am fully confident that everything will fall into place and the public is going to love it.

Most of the influence behind the second collection comes from music and mid to late 70’s films with a touch of classic Roman mythology. Think A.D. meets 54.

LB. Have you ever had a pet koala?

LD. No, I have never had a pet Koala, but I can say I wake up most mornings with Kangaroo hopping around so gracefully. I live 20 minutes outside the city, and where there is bush there is wildlife.

Be warned! Koalas, like Kangaroos’ adorableness are best admired from a distance, as they can be quite vicious when not under supervision like at a wildlife park or zoo. Koalas have claws of steel and the kangaroo has the strength of a superman but both are beautiful and great icons of Australia.

LB. Thank you Luca.

LD. Thank you and The Pandorian for the daily inspiration and the opportunity to allow people to know my work and me. My best wishes for a fantastic year 2010 to all.

Sunglasses: Diluca Eyewear Text: © Lucius Bod, 2010 Image: © Michael Ching

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discovery

After all these years, I am still involved in the process of self-discovery. It’s better to explore life and make mistakes than to play it safe. Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life.

Images: © Parastou Forouhar, Freitag, 2003

Quote: Sophia Loren

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I am calling out

… in dreams, through sweat, on paper to have him hear

My body feels wooden, the joints are
Hinged with dark, metal, paper staples
The skin parched, wrinkled, brittle like sheets
Of nori without him beside me.

Remember when our bodies melted
Into a single organism?
The depth of each movement together
Pushed me and you out of darkness.

I am calling out in dreams, through sweat, on paper to have him hear

I turn on this unyielding mattress
Not the one we customarily
Shared. My bones are stiff and my blood is
Cooling, clumping, stuck without him.

The smell of you became the scent of
Me as we tumbled softly. Laughing.
Every moment forging new adventures.
Never a doubt in tomorrow.

I am calling out in dreams, through sweat, on paper to have him hear

The temperature of my heart struggles
To nurture my liver, sick with grief.
My kidneys wrestle with the stone space
We inhabited, together.

Sapphires dropped from our lips when we kissed.
Red Fire opals backlit our dreams of
Every beginning, every ending,
Every walk in darkened moonlight.

I am calling out in dreams, through sweat, on paper to have him hear

Air, acrid as yesterday’s coffee
Grind, spikes in aching bronchioles
Where once, such sweet breath shared fast and slow.
I begin to suffocate now.

All mornings brought your name into me.
The slightest movement, lash upon cheek,
Traces of breath, blood, water and love,
Smeared and illuminated us.

I am calling out in dreams, through sweat, on paper to have you here

Poem: © I Am Calling Out by J. L. Nash, 2010
Images: © Denis Darzacq, Hyper, 2007

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denis darzacq

Denis Darzacq was born and raised in Paris, a city in which he still lives and works today. He graduated from the ENSAD (French National School for Decorative Arts) in 1986 and started his photographic career following the French rock scene. In 1994, he began a series exploring the nocturnal life of Parisians titled Only Heaven, which he exhibited at various photo festivals. In 1999, the French Ministry of Culture commissioned him for a body of work on French youth. The interaction between man and urban space and, more precisely, the suburbs have been a driving force in his recent work.

Darzacq won the 2007 World Press Photo prize in the Arts & Entertainment category for his series La chute. He has published a number of books including Hyper (2009), La Chute (2007), Bobigny centre ville (2006, co-author Marie Desplechin), Le ciel étoilé au-dessus de ma tête (2004), and Ensembles 1997/2000 (2001). He has exhibited extensively throughout France and the rest of the world, and his work is also held in both public and private collections including the Pompidou Center, the FNAC (French National Contemporary Art Fund), the Nicéphore Niépce Museum, and the Agnès b. collection.

Images: © Denis Darzacq

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marco brollo: dürer, you turn me on

Images: © Marco Brollo, Dürer, You Turn Me On, 2010

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dom agius: a new royal family a wild nobility

Dom Agius was born in Southern England, raised in East Africa, educated in the West Country and lives, loves and works in London. The eldest son of an eldest son of an eldest son, Agius is a photographer, writer, and music producer. A helpless and eternal enthusiast, he will never stop roaming the world hunting for that indefinable moment of hope after the shutter clicks. His images have been published by New Holland and Time Out as well as Pridelife and Polari magazines. In 2008 he was the winner of Glaxo Smith Kline’s HIV: Positive about the Future photo competition.

Image: © Dom Agius, A New Royal Family A Wild Nobility, 2010.
Commissioned for Lingering Whispers.

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cécilia jauniau

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

Images: © Cécilia Jauniau

Quote: Theodore Roosevelt (1858 – 1919)

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