Posted by Penny Cropper on July 21, 2010
A celebration of the sung and unsung heroes we adore the guts out of. Gary Bigeni, as recommended by favourite folk #1 Tanya Stevanovic.
Dubbed “the one to watch” going into his debut at Fashion Week 2010, Gary Bigeni is turning heads in the Australian fashion world. Having previously designed for Josh Goot and already stocked at iconic Sydney boutique The Corner Shop – owned by his mentor, Belinda Seper – Bigeni is no stranger to success. But at just 29, he is eccentric, adorable and, in fact, only just getting started.
A Sydney native and graduate of East Sydney TAFE, Bigeni says designing is in his genes, and he has been doing what comes naturally for as long as he can remember.
“I was always creating things as a kid; I went from high school to design school then straight into starting my own label. I used to have a collection of Barbies that I used to design and make hand-sewn garments for – all day, every day. I was never happy with the options Barbie had. It has always been in my blood to create pieces for people to wear.”
Of his designs, Gary says his secret is in the detail.
“I design art forms that have their own clever structural secrets: soft but tricky hems, interesting panelling and intricate design techniques are present in every element of my collections. My vision is to create new shapes and interesting silhouettes. I draw a lot of inspiration from everyday life.”
Although the trademark Bigeni craftsmanship is present, as ever, in his SS-10 collection, Gary says the range is very different to previous years.
“I only wanted to offer colours in the collection and take out black to give it a fresh approach. I also introduce more woven and tailored elements to offer different textures and fabrication. The shapes are more to the body.”
gary bigeni, fashion week 2010, SS-10, design, fashion
Posted by Danni Le Toullec on June 1, 2010
A celebration of the sung and unsung creative heroes we adore the guts out of. David Jacob Kramer as recommended by favourite folk #2 Kris Moyes.
Co-founder of Los Angeles curated bookstore, Family, David Jacob Kramer found a way to step away from your typical mainstream, faceless book retailer.
Says David, “We didn't want people to walk past the store and feel like they knew what would be inside… We don't carry any books on tattoos, anarchist philosophy,bongs, transgressive sex stuff, graffiti etc. That shit is gross.”
Taking the opportunity to scour the market for the most stimulating material, Family is committed to bringing its customers stimulating reading matter that will keep them coming back for more.
The beauty of Family lies in its ability to bring together disparate items that somehow complement each other. Seeing a DVD alongside a certain record or a comic that has inspired a poster design, enables you to absorb the material through a different lens.
Joining forces earlier this month with Absolut Vodka and Spike Jones, Family curated Thirty Days NY from april 7 – may 7. The month-long event was an explosion of art and culture that saw a New York warehouse transform into a live gallery space. The event was a huge success.
Says David, “We've wanted Family to do something in NY for a while and this thing was really satisfying because we had the resources to do it on a much grander scale than our spot in LA."
Photo by Cali Thornhill Dewitt
david kramer, family, family bookstore, thirty days ny, absolut vodka
Posted by Danni Le Toullec on May 4, 2010
A celebration of the sung and unsung creative heroes we adore the guts out of. Kyle Abraham as recommended by favourite folk #2 Kris Moyes.
Dubbed the “best and brightest creative talent to emerge in New York City in the age of Obama” Kyle Abraham, professional dancer and choreographer, has been creating ripples in the industry for quite some time.
Growing up in Pittsburgh playing the cello and taking private art classes, Kyle’s creative drive eventually led him to dance.
Says Kyle, “I’ve always choreographed...That's actually what led me to dancing... [initially] I saw dance as this one thing that I couldn't study or expand upon in my room.”
From humble beginnings choreographing a BBD Poison routine for friends at church camp at 10 years of age to starting his own company, Abraham.In.Motion, Kyle says that choreography is “just something that's always driven me”.
After leaving his first touring company, Kyle took a break from dancing before returning to grad school. There he found a group of dancers willing to roll with him in his creative process. Their willingness paid off as A.I.M’s Fading into Something Tangible debuted in 2006 to great acclaim.
Using a diverse range of dance styles and exploring different patterns of movement, Kyle is making his mark on the American dance world.
Hopping from one city to another, his work has shown at The Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum, Japan, the Springboard Danse in Montreal, Fall for Dance Festival at New York’s City Center, Harlem Stage/Aaron Davis Hall in Harlem, New York and the Internationales Solo-Tanz-Theater Festival in Stuttgart, Germany.
kyle abraham, abraham.in.motion
Posted by Danni Le Toullec on February 9, 2010
A celebration of the sung and unsung creative heroes we adore the guts out of.
Since we profiled him for our film issue at the end of 2008, Sydney director Kris Moyes has been a very busy bee. He is currently working on a film for Sydney fashion label Romance Was Born as well as a personal animation project; perfect Favourite Folk fodder.
Having spent a few years as part of the exclusive LA-based Directors Bureau, of which Sofia and Roman Coppola are members, Kris has come a long way from making videos with friends as a hobby. He was a pivotal force in creating the visual identity of the Modular brand when it was just starting out, generating some amazing videos with limited budgets.
Says Kris, “My thoughts on small budget videos are that what you lack in budget, you make up for in creative freedom.”
Kris wasted no time in conquering the international music world. With the likes of Sia, Wolfmother, Beck, Franz Ferdinand, Hercules & Love Affair, The Presets and Architecture in Helsinki under his belt, he has a talent for creating original, artistic and at times kooky music videos. When he isn't getting muddy at the Agua Fria outside of Marfa Texas, his interpretation of music takes viewers on a journey from sparkly hand puppets in Softlightes video for ‘Microwave’ to a sign language break up on Sia’s ‘The Girl You Lost To Cocaine’.
While we wait with bated breath for his new projects to go public we will just have to make do with running his videos on repeat.
Do you know someone who should be Kluster's next favourite folk? Drop us a line at info@kluster.com.au. More...
kris moyes, modular, directors bureau
Posted by kluster on January 6, 2010
A celebration of the sung and unsung creative heroes we adore the guts out of.
Tanya Stevanovic has been one of Kluster’s favourite friends since day dot.
We remember the first time we stepped foot in Pretty Dog boutique in Sydney’s Inner West, in our overly casual ripped jeans and t’shirt (don't ask, it was years ago). We felt something akin to what could retrospectively be describe as a brain explosion. Never before had our fashion-adoring eyes been privy to such an array of flawlessly curated clothing, in one space, in Sydney.
You see, the way we figure it Pretty Dog is more than just a retail store. It's a gallery for edgy garb. You don't even have to purchase anything - although for the sake of prosperity, Tanya may well prefer it if you do from time to time – to appreciate the store, you just have to be cognizant of someone with the ability to select and pull together a fine collection of clothing. Like we said before: curated.
As you may have already gathered, our esteem for Tanya stems from her ability to fill her store with a never-dull, progressive selection of clothing (Lover, Romance Was Born, Tina Kalivas) season in, season out. For that, we love her.
Image by Dan Boud.
tanya stevanovic, pretty dog