Andreas Kronthaler talks to Filep Motwary

Photography by Luca Campri

Andreas Kronthaler—Vivienne Westwood’s Creative Director, design partner and husband—is undoubtedly charming, talented and bold. The first time I crossed paths with him in Paris was a few seasons back, on the right bank of the Seine, just outside a tent where Westwood was about to present her new collection only a few minutes later. He was wearing a kilt, knee-high socks and although a sword was missing, he looked as if he had come straight out of an epic movie—one of those films you never forget. Then I saw him again sitting front row at the MMM Artisanal show, two to three seasons ago and his charm was still there, in jeans and shiny curls, big smile and sparkling eyes. Just before the hectic menswear week for fall/winter 2015/16, Andreas shared his thoughts on heroism, unisex clothing and Pope Francis with us. Continue reading “Andreas Kronthaler talks to Filep Motwary”

Psychogeography: A New Paradigm?

Psychogeography is a critical tool encouraging the study of the effects of a particular urban environment on the emotions, cognitive responses and behaviour of individuals. The term, first defined by French political theorist Guy Debord in his essay Introduction to a Critique of Urban Geography, encompassed the “study of the precise laws and specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organised or not, on the emotions and behaviour of individuals.” At the core of this method of urban data gathering was the dérive, a form of walking or drifting. For Debord, a dérive was “the practice of a passional journey out of the ordinary through a rapid changing of ambiances.” Initially, the dérive was a tool to increase individual awareness of urban surroundings and its alienating effects. Unlike the flâneur of Baudelaire and Walter Benjamin, Debord was less interested in interpreting the space and more in the personal experience while observing a drift. At stake was the exact investigation of the effect of the geographic, architectural space on individuals’ emotions and consciousness. Continue reading “Psychogeography: A New Paradigm?”

Dapper Dan 11

Dapper Dan is back with its 11th issue, in which Andreas Kronthaler talks about being Vivienne Westwood’s right hand man, Katerina Kana delves into the mysterious world of writer and curator Valentinas Klimašauskas, and shoe fetishist photographer Jacopo Benassi lets us in on his passion for slippers. There’s also an essay by Nuno Coelho exploring psychogeography and the urban environments of the future and a look at the work of controversial architect Dimitris Pikionis. Added to this are an article by Lisa Rovner on the trickery and fakery of the art world and an interview with Vasilis Toufexis, the pioneer behind Greece’s boundary-pushing comic magazine, Kolumbra.

Buy online or follow this link for stockist details. Continue reading “Dapper Dan 11”