[neonvmag]

|music|

part II/III

III: this sounds like a scene from “portlandia”! what is it about performing live, that is most important to you? 

kk: first, there are personal things: i want my voice to sound good and my playing to be in time with the others. the absolute most important thing is when you feel that the audiences is really connecting with you and there's that communal energy; it's intoxicating. to have people come up to you after the show and say how your performance affected them, no matter how hard i could be on myself or what doubts i had about hitting the wrong cord or singing the wrong lyrics, i just feel lucky that i’m in a position to have a positive affect on someone's day to day. 

III: that’s the powerful thing about music! i've read that you said that this ep is about wanderlust, loss, and gain. if someone is lost geographically or emotionally what song should they listen to? 

kk: oh wow! i guess it would depend on them. 

III: this is someone who has quit their 9-5 and decided to do a road trip from new york to l.a. what song do they need on repeat? 

kk: probably golden hour, it’s not even the lyrics, it's more of the emotional atmosphere of the whole song that could be a guiding song. that's a really cool question! i would like to think that someone would have that song on repeat if they're lost! 

III: sxsw is known for being a platform for indie artists, what is your greatest success thus far and what type of success do you hope to gain at sxsw? 

kk: it's hard to say what our greatest success has been so far, because we've been really lucky and had a lot of great people helping us along the way. there's a few moments that i can name: our friends feel good lost and mdr records, they brought us over to ireland. they were really great at getting us some gigs and i feel like that's a huge success. we made some amazing friends for life playing festivals, like iceland airwaves, dark season music festival. very recently, dj aaron axelsen at live 105, played our song on the radio—it was our radio debut. 

kk: as far as sxsw, we're really excited it's a legendary festival. i don't know what to expect, i just hope we continue to meet really good people in the music industry. we've been really lucky with people liking our sound and supporting us. if one person walks away from each show liking our music, that's the most important thing to me. whatever else happens is just the icing on the cake. 

III: what's next for ghost town jenny? 

kk: the music video is probably the biggest thing coming. we shot it in the eastern sierras of california, it was beautiful. we shot it over a couple days in the freezing cold, practically in our underwear! it was an intense experience, but extremely magical. then a full-length album, we're just narrowing it down and hoping we get offered to record with someone really awesome. we love touring, it’s an environment we thrive in, so after sxsw we will tour again in europe. 

III: very cool! i look forward to the video and the album! 

ghost town jenny is a band of wracked western style soundscapes + tangled strings experimentalism, bound together by powerful + unique female vocals. 

view the full interview here

+ © neonV volume III: bare |MMXIV | neonV, llc  

+ © photos courtesy of eilís collins

III: carmela wingfield

accessories, music + travel director

[neonvmag]

|music|

part II/III

III: it’s interesting that you mention that, listening to the ep i envision an invisible person wandering around new york city but everything is all white. what ideas or imagery inspired you? 

kk: ooh, i love that! i think one of the first things is the way people’s eyes look in the golden hour; everyone's eyes always change color, especially when light is cast directly in their eyes--everything is striking. i'm a big lover of movies and that ability to escape into the world that is fantastical, beautiful, and magical. 

III: which of your favorite movies would this ep be the perfect sound track for? 

kk: in my mind, it would be a mix of sofia coppola's the virgin suicides, the 90's english film a little princess (films set in the english/irish country-side in general), and wild hearts can't be broken...that dust bowl era of american history seems to be permanently bathed in golden hour light in my mind for some reason. 

III. being a creative + sharing your work with the world can be sort of emotionally risky + vulnerable, when did you know that singing + sharing your music was something you wanted to do? 

kk: i don’t know if there was a defining moment when that happened, i feel like [music is] something i've always wanted to do even as a kid listening to other musicians. i'm just thankful that no one told me that was something i couldn’t do. my parents are very supportive of me being a performer. i've had a lot of different jobs; i've never been as happy as i am now doing music almost full-time. i remember when i got my first bad review at 18. i performed at a club in portland; and in the paper the next day, a critic wrote something really mean. i was doing covers at that point; i wasn't really brave enough to play the material i was writing. so, i was like why would you even bother reviewing this unknown person doing covers? what a jerk! 

keep up with the full interview here

+ © neonV volume III: bare |MMXIV | neonV, llc  

+ © photos courtesy of eilís collins

III: carmela wingfield

accessories, music + travel director

[neonvmag]

|music|

drawing influences from the swelling strings of the violin, childhood memories, and cult films like virgin suicides, kim kylland has crafted a sound of her own to create the band ghost town jenny. 

part I/III

III: in the song “lights,” you sing “what's in a name,” so why the name ghost town jenny? 

kim kylland [kk]: i found a box of photographs by the side of the road; one of the photos, out of a hundred photos, was of a woman sitting on a very large rocking horse, and the wooden rocker part actually says ghost town jenny on it! the photo appears to be from the 1930s or 1940s, it’s a really old picture and there’s no explanation for it. i would love it if someone would come up to me one day and say, “that's my great-grandmother” or something. i was searching for a band name for a really long time, and i didn't want to use my name, so [ghost town jenny] worked as a stage name, it just jumped out at me. 

III: i absolutely love the presence of the violin, which was used in almost all of your songs; how did 

incorporating the violin become an essential part of your sound? 

kk: i don't think it's something that i planned on. i play violin as well, it was one of the instruments that i used to write [songs] with; i like the idea of big swelling string parts. corey, our violinist he and i worked together at a café in berkeley, and we just happen to start playing music together. he's extremely talented and a classically trained violinist. he's helped me find what i've been looking for sound wise and 

he's been an integral part of developing this band for me. 

III. in “devil in a new dress” kanye mentions “the magic hour,” how would you describe the golden hour? 

kk: i'm so glad you brought up kanye, he's honestly one of my favorite musicians right now! the golden hour—it's perhaps the most cinematic time that i can think of. 

keep up with the full interview here

+ © neonV volume III: bare |MMXIV | neonV, llc  

+ © photos courtesy of eilís collins

III: carmela wingfield

accessories, music + travel director

[neonvmag]

|music|

if patrick verona and kat stratford eventually got married, they would walk down the aisle to “snaggletooth” by australian born folk singer, vance joy.

  III: the heart of folk music is the storytelling; are there any songs that you've written that you thought twice about telling/performing?

vj: i probably thought twice about a couple while they were being made, because that happens sometimes, they aren’t all that personal despite perhaps seeming so.

III: as a new artist + with the success of “riptide,” what is the most important gain from sharing the music you've created?

vj: money!  nah, emotions and stuff…

III: how did you decide on the title god loves when you're dancing for the ep? what artist would you like to dance with, and what artist would you like to collaborate with on a song?

vj: i like the title, i wrote it down one day and it stood out, you are at peace in a moment of natural rhythms. i would want to dance with my mate rob and collaborate with a rapper, i don’t know who yet!

III: interesting! i love the whole ep, “emmylou,” + “snaggletooth” are my favorites. i just think about someone falling in and out of love. what is the story behind those songs?

vj: thank you! i like that those are your favourites. “emmylou,” i guess was a kind of lullaby and “snaggletooth” is about whatever you want. in my mind, there is a bit of the things we pass on to each other, loving the imperfection in things.

III: i love that description! the “riptide” video reminded me of a mix of pulp fiction and the movie rubber for some reason. what movie would god loves you when your dancing be the perfect soundtrack for?

vj: i don’t know, i like this question! definitely not the liam neeson movie, taken! maybe, ten things i hate about you, if it was a bit darker and not so 90’s.

III: ha! i could see that. you have a u.s. tour coming up, do you have any rituals before performing?

vj: gargle salt water, and rap to matisyahu king “without a crown,” live at stubbs version, that pumps me up!

III: yes indeed! what's next for vance joy?

vj: hopefully a yummy treat! i already had an ice-cream today though, so who knows. maybe a stroll in the sun, that would be nice.

III: fantastic!

vance joy is a singer + songwriter, letting the world know god loves when you dance. 

source:

+ © neonV volume III: bare |MMXIV | neonV, llc  

+ © photos courtesy of vance joy

III: carmela wingfield

accessories, music + travel director

[neonvmag]

|music|

on the flip side with dj bside part III/III

III: it makes total sense and that leads me to my next question: not all music is on vinyl, so did good music ever stop at a certain time for you? bs: no. there’s always good music that is being made. i listen to a lot of underground music that is great; it doesn't get the air play that it's very deserving of, but as far as how much is put on vinyl, i have actually found that a lot more music is put on vinyl than most people think. from a general standpoint, a lot of music that is getting played on radio right now, it's kind of lost substance that musicians previously have taken a lot more pride putting into. i am not a hater of current popular music because it does have its place, just not on bside's sets. III: do you think it's harder in general to book a gig because you play vinyl and also because you're a female dj and that's rare.

bs: i have the double whammy against me! it's a very male dominant business, so it's like a gift and a curse. people are like "aww man, i want a female dj it's so cool because it's so different from the norm” but on the other hand, as in other workforces, women tend to get looked upon as less skilled or "not up to par" with male djs, which is unfair but it happens. then i play only vinyl, i have to haul my vinyl and turntables and a lot of places nowadays aren't equipped for my set up.  i make due because there's definitely an audience for what i do.

dj b side is the queen of soul skool, vinyl collector, and selector.

read the full interview here

+ © neonV volume III: bare |MMXIV | neonV, llc

III: carmela wingfield

accessories, music + travel director

[neonvmag]

|music|

on the flip side with dj bside part II/III

III: why the name bside?

bs: well, my preference has always been stuff that doesn't get to be heard as often on the radio,. i was inspired by that and i noticed that a lot of stuff that i tend to play off 12 inch albums is on the bside. and my middle name begins with a b as well. III: oh ok. so, do you go into each event or party with a set list, or do you decide on the spot which records to play?

bs: both, depending on the venue or on the kind of party or event that it is. i'm not the type of dj that goes in knowing “okay i'm playing this record, then that record”; i can't operate like that. what i do is plan ahead, sometimes up to the last hour, as far as the vinyl that i'm going to take with me. i just get a feel for the vibe and the energy of the crowd and where i am at the time. III: you previously mentioned one of your favorite songs, so as a music lover +dj how do you create that balance between "these are the jams i want to play because i love them” and current songs or crowd pleasers? bs: that is something that i am always working on because i tend to be a music snob—i hate to use that word but that’s the best way to describe it. i think being a good dj, you get a feel of what people want to hear and especially want to hear from you and your style, so it's always a constant effort it's not something you just get.  i don't have to sacrifice my craft or my artistry to please people because i tend to be very honest when asked what kind of dj i am. i let them know from the jump ‘okay if you want to hear stuff on the radio—i'm not your dj. so, going into it from that perspective, i'm able to have a lot more freedom as an artistic dj, does that make sense?

keep up with the full interview here

source: + © neonV volume III: bare |MMXIV | neonV, llc

III: carmela wingfield

accessories, music + travel director

[neonvmag]

|music|

on the flip side with dj bside

part I/III

dj bside and i recently met at  joe’s record paradise to talk everything vinyl. we literally sat in the middle of an aisle and discussed the rare novelty of collecting and spinning vinyl, her first gig, and what it means to be a female dj. it was the coolest history lesson (i learned something new about rick james and what type of record player to buy) from someone i felt like i had known for years.

III: how did you develop an affinity for vinyl?

b side [bs]: at a very young age. i have these vivid memories of growing up; i grew up in household of nine kids and both of my parents had an extensive vinyl collection.

III: and how did that turn into an interest in djing? bs: i began collecting vinyl here and there. five years ago, is when i really started picking up speed. a really close friend of mine is a very huge vinyl collector, jean brown [he's very well known in the vinyl world] said, “you should dj; you have an amazing ear.” i had never really thought about it, [dj-ing] because it always seemed like it was so hard and difficult to do. i think about all the djs that came before me: dj red alert from funk master flex, kid capri they’re such intricate djs; i was like kind of intimidated by the idea, but i decided to try it out and here i am! III: who gave you your first lesson? bs: actually, i went to wbl-words, beats + life and dj rbi was the first person to  give me lessons. using what i already knew from playing around on my own, and what he was able to teach me, in a very short amount of time, i was able to take my dj outside out of my basement. III: what was your first gig and what was the first record you spun?  why did you choose that record? bs: i had the pleasure of being able to dj with dj danny out of new york, he is a very well-known dance dj, and dj ron trent, who's a very huge dj, they had an event here in d.c. and the song i played was jones girls nights over egypt because that's one of my favorite songs in the whole entire world!

keep up with the full dj b side interview here.

source:

+ © neonV volume III: bare |MMXIV | neonV, llc  

III: carmela wingfield

accessories, music + travel director

[neonvmag]

| fashion |

V: how do you produce and distribute your designs?

  sr: i work with a factory in midtown manhattan to sew the production garments. i personally represent the sales team and press office for richards.

  V: do you scope out the competition, or are you so tailored in your aesthetic that it isn’t necessary?

  sr: i love to look at what other designers are creating, i think that is immensely important for anyone with creative output. you have to be aware of the dialogue to be a part of it.

  V: what lessons have you learned in your career, how have they changed the way you approach design today?

  sr:maybe it is cliché, but i have learned to go with my gut in terms of my designs. the only way i can promote and stand behind my output with complete assurance is if i am 100% behind it conceptually.    

  V: is there anything else you would like to add?

  sr: i love to post images that inspire my prints on my tumblr. i like to think of it as a public mood board and i am always happy to have fans of the brand check it out to see the inside of my visual brain! http://khlorophyll.tumblr.com/

  some people may be surprised to hear that sarah richards also did freelance design work throughout the year to support her a/w MMXIV collection. sarah richards is the epitome of everyday hustlin.

[neonvmag]

| fashion |

force of peculiarity part II/III

V: do you sketch or do you prefer digital?

sr: i sketch by hand when i am constructing clothing, figuring out seams and lining and such. when i am designing silhouettes, i occasionally sketch out the shape to figure out proportions. moreover, i have become very fast at sketching technical flats on the computer with illustrator, so this is always my final method. once i have a garment sketched up on the computer, i can play around endlessly filling it with various prints. this is a huge part of my design process. i fell in love with fashion by drawing and sketching by hand, so i do miss it sometimes, but it really would be a luxury at this point, not a necessity.

  V: i notice the use of graphics prints in your designs, are you a graphic designer? what other aspects of technology related to design are you interested in?

  sr: i am not trained in graphic design, but it certainly is a point of inspiration for me. 3d modeling and animation are of interest to me, and something i have explored a bit, but would like to experiment more with.

  V: what inspires you outside of work?

  sr: music is the most fulfilling diversion for me apart from fashion. it is something i immensely enjoy, but have no desire to make myself. in some ways, that makes it more pleasurable for me. 

  V: can you describe from beginning to end how a piece, let's say a dress, is made? describe: where the design concept came from, what influenced you, how you decided on the materials or color, how it was made, and by whom and for who; what processes did you employ etc.?

  sr: i start the season with an idea of the fabrics i want to work with and i source the [fabrics] with the mill that does the printing. i work on prints for a few weeks: culling together the images i am drawn to and creating compositions until a unifying aesthetic emerges. i then experiment with applying these prints on different silhouettes, all of which i do digitally. usually, i test-print a quilt of many patterns i am experimenting with to see them on fabric. once the collection’s designs are finalized, i order the fabric to be digitally printed at a mill in england. meanwhile, i am creating patterns and muslins for the clothing that will eventually be cut in the printed fabric. when the fabric arrives, i pretty much stick to the designs i have finalized, though there can be some slight changes. i work this way to minimize fabric waste and avoid indecisiveness, which can happen if you order fabric before designing every piece.

 click here to keep up with richards q + a session

source:

+ © neonV volume III: bare |MMXIV | neonV, llc                                           

V: kimee brown

fashion director  +

managing editor

[neonvmag]

 | fashion |

force of peculiarity

sarah richards, manhattan native, rhode island school of design graduate, and founder + designer of richards is an explorer of all things peculiar. from sarah’s use of fine fabrics, to her hyper-real graphic print imagery, richards eponymous collection creates an earthly + surreal extraterrestrial mood.

no stranger to design, sarah richards, has worked with a range of top fashion brands like proenza schouler, peter som, diane von furstenberg, and opening ceremony.

  V: so sarah, how was richards brought to life?

  sarah richards [sr]: i started working on the line a year after graduating from rhode island school of design [risd] in 2011. i wanted to continue working on the ideas that fueled my thesis, by translating the prints i was working with onto accessible silhouettes, as well as creating new print compositions. i started first with a silk button down and the collection has grown from there.

  V: what is the design aesthetic at richards?

  sr:  the look is always a bold one, and can tend to be on the surreal side. i am attracted to strong colors and symbols. there is often a pairing of the manmade and the organic in the images i am drawn to.

  V: how does the design team at richards work?

  sr: in terms of design, patternmaking and sample sewing, richards is a team of one. however, i am lucky to have a great number of people, mostly other risd grads, who have been generous collaborators and integral to the success of the brand’s endeavors.

  V: how important is the work space to your creativity?

  sr: i design the prints on my computer, so having streamlined technology is the best way to achieve a clear focus in that realm. patternmaking and sewing clothing is a completely different task, but one which i enjoy just as much. i work in a very tight space, so the design of my studio is purely functional. i have never been one to surround myself with many objects or images for inspiration in my space. my mood changes so fast; i would rather keep my thoughts cataloged on my desktop. 

  V: what is your favorite design tool to work with?

  sr: i definitely have a soft spot for photoshop, but i have recently fallen in love with blender, which i use to create 3d shapes.

1/3 | click here to keep up with richards.

source:

+ © neonV volume III: bare |MMXIV | neonV, llc                                           

V: kimee brown

fashion director  +

managing editor

[neonvmag]

|travel|

"silent tapes"

III. whoa, I love everything about both answers, very beautifully put! now, tell me about the klong-toei and dvaravi projects

fl: well, dharavi wasn't really a project. we were just travelling in india and looking for places to volunteer. klong toei was the first project that we actually worked, and raised money for. we plan to focus on a different slum each year, take photos, raise money through our works and events, and release a book that will give all the profits back to that slum.

III. very cool! with all adventures, there are ups and downs; what has been some of your most memorable moments, and rough or trying experiences, while traveling and documenting with silent tapes?

fl: mr. udom, who we photographed for the klong toei project, was really unwell and living in the worst corner of the slum. he couldn't speak due to his age and illness, and despite all of that he was one of the most welcoming and kind people we met. unfortunately, he passed away recently.

III: wow, and the picture of him is one of the most powerful pictures i’ve seen.

sl: the roughest experience was being robbed on a train journey in india. we were actually on the way to the taj mahal,a couple of days before leaving india for our wedding in thailand, and i had my wallet taken with everything in it. luckily, we weren't hurt. there was a really kind man on the train, that stayed on with us until we finally arrived in delhi, to help us report the incident at the police station. everyone had shotguns and were yelling at us in a foreign language! it was quite scary. eventually, we ended up going to the airport and switching our flights to leave that same night to bangkok, where we ended up marrying. so, i guess in the end, there was a happy ending to it all.

III. was there any specific instance where it was too difficult to document/perform your art?

fl: sometimes we have felt a negative vibe, maybe due to drug use, or nightfall, or we just get the instinct that maybe we should wrap it up for the day and leave. although, these instances are few and far between.

III. what is next  for you and the silent tapes projects?

fl: we've  directed a music video for an up and coming artist who we are really excited about.

sl: and we are also going to work in the favelas of brazil, in the spring, as our second year working for the silent tapes projects. we are provided a five week photographt workshop, empowering 50 children to share their own stories on growing up in the favelas of fortaleza, brazil. 

check out 50 kids 50 camera for details. 

III: very exciting! thank you so much for taking the time to talk about  silent tapes with me!

francis + stephanie lane are a husband and wife duo, who's photographic works join philanthropy + art to make the world a better place one shot at a time

source:

+ © neonV volume III: bare |MMXIV | neonV, llc  

+ © photos courtesy of silent tapes

III: carmela wingfield

accessories, music + travel director

[neonvmag]

|travel|

"silent tapes"

pictures are worth a thousand words, but the breathtaking photos from couple francis + stephanie lane’s silent tapes project—is bound to leave you speechless. silent tapes is a series of non-profit, photographic projects that document the lives of people living in slums across the world.

III: how did you two meet?

stephanie lane [sl]: we met at a club, in new york city, actually! haha! it's ironic, a club is probably the least likeliest place you would ever find either of us. we both happened to be dragged out by friends that night.

III. how did the idea, of silent tapes, come about?

sl: i used to tag photographs from our private moments, or portraits, on my personal instagram with #silent tapes a while back. i just felt that the name was appropriate, for those moments where words do not suffice, and a photograph sends a message louder than spoken words would. while travelling and volunteering abroad, we really felt compelled to merge our interest in photography with charitable endeavors. so, after brainstorming the start-up of our own project, francis conceptualized the initial idea for the name, and we decided to use the same name, silent tapes, for our charity.

III. growing up in the hood, and seeing  city of gods, i always tell people that when i travel i like to visit the hood, or the slums of a city. i believe  that is where the heart + truth of a culture lies.

what truth have you discovered, about yourselves, while traveling with the  silent tapes project?  what has been the most valuable lesson you've learned?

francis lane [fl]: there is nowhere to go. as in, there is no job promotion, financial gain, that is going to make you happier than you can be right now. stop waiting to get somewhere to be happy. happiness is now. you have to step out of your comfort zone to have new experiences, and only through this vast range of experience, will you realize what you truly like.

sl: growing up in a low-income family myself, i can relate in some way to being socially marginalized within my own community, lacking material, wealth, and comforts. as i became an adult, i became obsessed with climbing the financial ladder as a sort of "proving" to myself my own worth. i quickly realized that these things had no implication on who i truly was as a person, or where my heart was. now, i am focused on living every day only to continuously seek truth in myself and in others. 

+ keep up with the II part interview here

source:

+ © neonV volume III: bare |MMXIV | neonV, llc  

+ © photos courtesy of silent tapes

III: carmela wingfield

accessories, music + travel director

[neonvmag]

| health |


the green

"like it raw"

want to have glowing skin, and expose it all this summer? try this invigorating blend that will boost your energy, helping to reveal a new and brighter you! literally, you will have no choice but to feel the vigorous benefits after drinking from the fountain of youth.

you will need:

5-7 kale leaves

2 green apples

1 cucumber

2 celery sticks

1/2 lemon

½ - 1 inch ginger

serve the green chilled, or over ice, and seize the day!

tip: if you don’t have a high powered juicer, it is best to roll the kale leaves into a ball and push through your juicer with another vegetable.

the facts:

kale. is one of the most nutrient dense vegetables, high in vitamin a keeping your vision on trill.

cucumber helps to aid in weight loss and digestion. say bye-bye bloated belly!

apples whiten teeth while helping to prevent clogged arteries, which means antioxidants galore, cancer can’t post up here.

celery keeps body at an alkaline state, while lowering blood pressure. keep calm + stress be gone.

ginger is the powerhouse, acting as an anti-inflammatory, immune booster, and digestive aid. colds can kick rocks!

juicing is an all natural way to provide nutrients to the body.  worried about not eating enough veggies? don’t fret, drinking 16oz of juice will cover your recommended veggie quota for the day. boom.

______________________________________________________________________alex stone is the queen of leaving handwritten cards with residue of henny and kush in your mailbox.

  source:

+ © neonV volume III: bare | MMXIV | neonV, llc                                           

IV: michelle german

health + beauty director

[neonvmag]

| health |


                                      "look good naked"

just in case a mystic creature comes down and steals everyone’s clothing, leaving us all to walk around in the buff… they’d be okay

  + credits


creative director + photographer: quincy jones

  project manager: justin ward

  model: riqardo ali

  studio: laughing hyena tattoos

1454 park road nw

washington, dc  20010

www.laughinghyenatattoos.com

  deep space arts & union arts dc

www.deepspacearts.com

    source:

+ © neonV volume III: bare | MMXIV | neonV, llc                                           

IV: michelle german

health + beauty director

[neonvmag]

| health |


                                      "look good naked"

just in case a mystic creature comes down and steals everyone’s clothing, leaving us all to walk around in the buff… they’d be okay

  + credits


creative director + photographer: quincy jones

  project manager: justin ward

  model: darwin kemp

  studio: laughing hyena tattoos

1454 park road nw

washington, dc  20010

www.laughinghyenatattoos.com

  deep space arts & union arts dc

www.deepspacearts.com

    source:

+ © neonV volume III: bare | MMXIV | neonV, llc                                           

IV: michelle german

health + beauty director

[neonvmag]

| fashion |

don’t fear the nipple

we all love a good cleavage shot—women’s clothes are specifically designed to enhance it, men go crazy at even the slightest hint of a woman’s décolletage—but it's the bare breast, in particular a woman's nipple, that makes people a little uncomfortable.  when a woman exposes her nipple and we “clutch our pearls”; we’re now in x-rated/erotic territory?!?  how can we, as a society, be so obsessed with women's breasts, yet have such a great distain for the nipple?  the nipple is technically what makes a breast, a breast; so what are we afraid of?  this is the question anja rubik asked after her magazine’s instagram account was deleted by the social media giant, for posting images that “contained partial nudity,” namely a pic of rubik walking the runway in a sheer anthony vaccarello fall 2014 look that exposed her nipples.

as the fall 2014 collections were presented during paris fashion week, one trend seemed to pop up repeatedly: the exposed nipple, from anthony vaccarello to gareth pugh, nipples were everywhere. when a young kendall jenner strutted down the catwalk in a transparent marc jacobs top—bare breasts on display—there was a simultaneous gasp across the world.  the negative comments quickly surfaced, but many defended the fashion trend, warning against the sexualizing and scandalizing of something that should be considered art.  to make matters worse (or better depending on who you ask), rihanna snatched the trend “phresh off the runway” and sported a completely sheer bodysuit and pencil skirt to a balmain after-party following the fashion house’s paris show.  that’s a lot of nipple in one short week!   

with paris fashion week’s fall 2014 presentations behind us, we’re now left to reflect on an age-old inquiry: if a woman chooses to express herself in a sensual way (in this case by exposing her bare breasts to the world) is that female empowerment or sexual objectification?  in a past interview with style.com, rubik stated, “women shouldn’t feel like they need to hide their bodies.”  she argued that the type of negative reactions garnered by nude images of women “make us think that we should have some kind of complex about our bodies.  it sends the message that our bodies are unnatural and not beautiful, and […] women need to fight this.”  so that begs the question, how do we fight it?  by forcing our naked bodies onto the public?  while i agree women need to take a stand, i’m not sure this is the way ahead—apparently neither does rubik. when a journalist asked anja rubik if she would rock this daring trend on the street, rubik said, “no.”  when further questioned, rubik blamed society, claiming the world simply isn’t ready.  interesting.  however, rubik has a message for instagram and anyone else who fears the nipple and that’s to “wake up!” …instead of “moving forward and exploring our sensuality, we’re blocking all these things and making them shameful” and, in exchange, stunting our growth as a society in the process.  a woman's body is in fact miraculous.  it is a thing of beauty and should be celebrated, but this is not something we should leave up to society to conclude. 

_________________________________________________________________

+  amberalert123 is fashion. 

source:

photo credit for all three images: anton oparin/shutterstock.com

+ © neonV volume III: bare |MMXIV | neonV, llc                                           

V: kimee brown

fashion director +

managing editor 

[neonvmag]

| fashion |

                                                                  emotional undress                                

+ credits

photographer: xang ho

assistant photographer: john phan

model: soliel paden

stylist: kasha reavis

hair: ericka cherrie

makeup: felicia gray

nails: xang ho

keep up with this four part editorial spread here!

source:

+ © neonV volume III: bare |MMXIV | neonV, llc                                           

V: kimee brown

fashion director +

managing editor