Classiq - An online journal that celebrates cinema, culture, style and storytelling.

29 April 2015

Interview: AMO Denim

Jeans are one of the few pieces that reign unchallenged as a wardrobe perennial. And they continue to conquer the world. I don’t think I will ever get tired of singing their praises. But what makes a great pair of jeans? And how do we find that perfect pair that makes us look our best? In that regard, I have turned to two denim experts and fashion industry veterans, Kelly Urban and Misty Zollars, to answer some of the questions I’ve always wanted to ask about denim and to walk us through their brand new denim line everyone seems to be talking about and that, I assure you, is here to stay: AMO Denim . And given the way Kelly and Misty feel about jeans, no word would have been a better choice than amo (the Latin root word for love) to name their brand, nor would I have found someone more appropriate to talk to about one of my favourite style subjects.

AMO set forth to create the perfect pair of jeans, one that feels you’ve worn it forever, that is comfortable and timeless, and that gets better with every wear. The debut Spring 2015 collection is composed of 5 styles, each vintage-inspired, but an up-dated vintage that fits well and is flattering in all the right places, that looks cool and undeniably modern. They are made in Los Angeles, from the finest quality denim, with an uncompromising approach to craftsmanship. So should be our approach to our jeans: uncompromising, settling for nothing but the very best.

Why jeans? Why not something else? Why is AMO different than all the denim brands on the market?
Jeans are what we love, what we always want to wear and ultimately what we base our whole outfit around. When we design, it always comes back to what we would want to wear with the perfect pair of jeans. That is really how AMO was born, we couldn’t find the jeans we wanted to wear in the market, so we set out to design and make the perfect pair of jeans that we wanted to wear ourselves. We have both been designing denim for over a decade, so it is truly what we know and love. We feel AMO is different because we have found a way to make our jeans look vintage, authentic, and cool, but with a feminine and modern approach. We design from a woman’s point of view.

How should a great pair of jeans make you feel?
Your jeans should make you feel like the best version of yourself – fearless, beautiful, and ready to take on the world.

What makes a perfect pair of jeans? Why is it so daunting to find that perfect pair? How are you addressing this at AMO?
Fit and fabric are everything! We understand how daunting it can be to find the perfect pair and that is why we started AMO. The perfect pair should flatter in all the right places, and from all angles. We’ve taken great care in selecting the perfect fabric with just the right amount of stretch, and our signature washes give each pair an authentic worn in look. As far as fit, back pocket placement and slightly forward facing seams give the wearer a long, slim silhouette and a reason to smile when you look in the mirror and turn around – always a good thing!

And once you have found the perfect jeans, what is the best way to take care of them? Should you just follow the instructions or is there any secret to it?
With AMO, the intention is your jeans should become more beautiful over time. The more they are worn and lived in, the better they will get. A general rule of thumb is to wash jeans inside out in cold water and let them air dry, but we do machine dry ours from time to time when there’s not enough time to air dry. Also try to not wash them too often, once every 3-4 wears or so is plenty.

Which AMO style is your personal favourite and why?
Kelly: BABE- It’s the only high waist jean I’ve ever felt like I could pull off, because the fit is so flattering.
Misty: TWIST- It is a versatile jean that can truly be worn with any shoe and I love the ankle slit detail.

One of the things that define AMO Denim is an uncompromising approach to craftsmanship. How can you shop mindfully when it comes to jeans? What details prove that your jeans are well crafted and what are the factors you should always consider?
When shopping for denim, look for “MADE IN USA” on the label. Los Angeles is known as one of the very best places in the world to manufacturer denim, we wouldn’t make our jeans anywhere else! Here in LA we are lucky to work with some of the very best denim factories and wash houses and we believe that long line of expertise and craftsmanship shows through to our end product.

Materials are also very important! We use only the very best quality denim, and that makes a huge difference on how a pair of jeans feels on your body as well as how long they last. As we’ve said before, a good pair of jeans should get better with each wear!

Any do’s or don’ts when it comes to finding a pair of jeans that’s flattering to your butt?
YES, it’s all about the butt! Pocket placement and size are so important. You want your butt to look lifted and well… perky! Pockets that are too small can make your butt look bigger than it actually is.

What’s the first word that comes to mind when you think about your jeans?
Love! AMO, simply defined, is the Latin root word for love.

Where should the hem hit for different styles?
BABE and TWIST are slightly cropped, so they should hit at or slightly above your ankle. The TOMBOY you can cuff once or twice or not at all – we love how versatile it is. STIX is a traditional slim fit, but we’ve seen women cuff this fit too and it’s very cute! And everyone who wears KICK looks like their legs are a mile long due to its elongated inseam and gradually widening leg opening.

You manufacture locally, in Los Angeles. What are the perks and challenges of being a socially conscious brand?
A very important perk is that we get to be hands-on with our product everyday, which we love to do! We are able to meet the people cutting, sewing, and washing our jeans. There is a true connection when you can be involved in each step of the process. We can ensure that our product has the integrity we envision.

A challenge is being price competitive with other denim brands in the market that manufacture overseas. Although it may be more expensive to produce in the States, we choose to because we want our jeans to be of the highest quality.

Who, in your opinion, has ever worn jeans best?
Kelly: Jane Birkin
Misty: Kate Moss

What do you see happening in denim today? Should we ever take into consideration trends when it comes to jeans?
We see a lot of super stretch denim leggings happening in the world today and we have purposely taken the opposite approach. We love the look of authentic jeans, like the jeans you find at vintage stores, or that our parents wore back in the 60’s and early 70’s. Of course there are details that we wanted to change about those vintage jeans too. We wanted a great fit and a little stretch for comfort, but didn’t want to sacrifice that vintage overall look. With AMO we set out to offer authentic, vintage inspired denim that is also modern, feminine, and comfortable.

What is next for AMO Denim?
We are playing with a few new fabrications, new fits and new ash treatments. We’re always testing out new ideas to see what works. At the same time we like to keep the collection very focused. We approach AMO like we are building our ultimate denim closet and continually ask ourselves – What do we need? What are we missing? What can we not live without? If we both absolutely love an idea, and feel like it’s missing in the denim market, then we know we’re on to something really good.

What does style mean to you? And which is your go-to daily outfit?
Kelly: My style is a work in progress, it’s always changing and evolving. I do love classic pieces with some special detail or little twist, even if it’s hidden. I’m also a big fan of mixing masculine and feminine, like wearing a pair of slouchy TOMBOY jeans with lipstick and heels.

Misty: Style is an expression of your individuality and feeling comfortable in your own skin no matter what you are wearing. My go-to daily outfit is a pair of AMO’s, a shrunken white tee, flats, and vintage jewelry.

Where would we find you when you are not working?
Kelly: With my family- at home, at the beach, on a hike. We love to be outside.
Misty: In my backyard spending time with my fiancé and my children (aka my two dogs).

One thing you can’t start your day without:
Kelly: Coffee!
Misty: Coffee!!

What makes you happy at the end of the day?
Kelly: Reading to my son, Logan, before bed.
Misty: Everyone in my life being happy & healthy.

photos: courtesy of AMO, AMO Denim and Facebook/AMO Denim

Posted by classiq in Fashion, Interviews, Style | | 3 Comments

23 April 2015

Interview with Adina Grigore, Founder of S.W. Basics

Their mission is simply this: to help people have healthier skin naturally. S.W. Basics is an all-natural, five-ingredients-or-less, sustainable (the bigger goal is to make products that contribute to supporting family farmers, small American manufacturers and value-driven partners) skincare company based in Brooklyn, the kind of company that’s still very rare to find and that I, for one, am finally relieved to put my complete trust in to deliver simple, real, active, whole ingredients that are as good to put on your body as they are to put in your body – yes, those very ingredients that you find in your kitchen. That’s exactly how founder Adina Grigore started out: by getting rid of all her make-up and turning not to a pharmaceutical counter, but to her kitchen cupboard to help her sensitive skin.

I have reached out to Adina to learn more about her inspiring story and brand, and to pick up a few beauty tips that you don’t necessarily find in a beauty jar. That’s what I love so much about Adina: she is just as passionate about creating her products as she is open to sharing DIY recipes and letting you reap the awards by encouraging you to make them yourself. The even better news? She has put all her natural beauty secrets into her new book, Skin Cleanse: The Simple, All-Natural Program for Clear, Calm, Happy Skin.

What prompted you to start S.W. Basics?
I have really sensitive skin and a background in holistic nutrition. I felt like so many beauty products on the market are super complex and full of unknowable ingredients. I wanted to make something simple and completely natural that would work for my skin, and decided to sell it so that people like me would have an alternative as well.

What does beauty mean to you?
It means feeling good about yourself. I think beauty is about so much more than how you look (or how your skin looks), and we should all be making each other feel more beautiful.

How is S.W. Basics different from any other organic skincare brand on the market?
Every product is made from 5 ingredients or less, and all of the ingredients are super wholesome, gentle, and potent. Nothing is in our products for the sake of the product, it’s all there for your skin.

Healthy, glowing skin is lying in your kitchen.
Adina’s book, Skin Cleanse: The Simple, All-Natural Program for Clear, Calm, Happy Skin
is a simple guide to switching to an all-natural skincare regime
and to developing healthy habits that will last a lifetime.

You started your company by quitting make-up and turning to the organic ingredients you had in your kitchen to give a new life to your face. What is your philosophy towards make-up now?
I’m 30 now and have started feeling the pressure to wear makeup in order to seem more professional. I think that’s an unfortunate reality, though I resist it as much as possible. I think wearing makeup sometimes is really fun though. I don’t wear any most days, but I wear some mascara on the weekends, and foundation or BB cream for big meetings or events.

Do you have a favourite ingredient you use in your products? Why?
These days I’m really loving the rosewater in our cleanser because it’s so cooling and soothing, but usually my all-time favorite is shea butter. It heals virtually all ailments. It’s magical.

If someone decides to go green today, what is the first product from your line you would recommend? Why?
The makeup remover for being the most affordable, or the cream for being most versatile and healing.

Left: S.W. Basics make-up remover (organic sweet almond oil,
organic extra-virgin olive oil, organic jojoba oil)
Right: S.W. Basics cream (fair trade Shea butter,
organic coconut oil, organic extra-virgin olive oil)

What do we need to look out for when we buy organic Skincare products to make sure we get the real thing?
Check the ingredient list. Can you read everything on it? Or are the ingredients translated so you know what they mean? Is there a lot of “derived from”? (If so, skip it.) Is the natural ingredient at the bottom of the list or the top? Aim for products where you can really tell what’s going on.

Can we make our own skincare treatments? Would you care to share with us two recipes we can mix up in our own kitchen?
Absolutely! DIY is by far the best way to control what goes into your products and to make sure your skin likes them. Here’s a couple of really easy ones:

1 T coconut oil
1 T honey
Mix well until they combine, and apply like you would face wash, then rinse with warm water and a soft washcloth. You’ll feel clean and dewy!

2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup warm water
Take this combo into the shower and let it run over your scalp, hair, and face to help balance your pH, deal with flakes, and leave a fresh rosy look!

Any beauty secrets you can let us in, the kind we don’t find in a beauty jar?
Drink more water. It is the fastest way to improving your skin.

Are we what we eat? Your products are made from five ingredients or less. What are five foods that should be part of our beauty routine?
Absolutely, 100%. Dark leafy greens should top your list, followed by avocados, fresh fruit like papaya, coconut oil, and fermented foods like sauerkraut.

What is the most common mistake women make when it comes to their beauty regime and that they don’t even realise?
Using too many products without stopping to see if they’re actually working (or alternately, making their skin worse).

Can you share a few stress-free skin tips for the summer?
Moisturize often, remove your sunscreen and your makeup, and cut back as much as possible. Let your skin breathe and show!

S.W. Basics exfoliant (organic oat flour, organic almond flour, sea salt)

How do you feel about aging in today’s society (especially the American one) obsessed with staying young at all costs?
I understand the pressure and think it’s terrible that it’s so suffocating, but I think it defeats the purpose to judge women making very personal choices for themselves (like to get Botox or plastic surgery). I will say that our hate for wrinkles mystifies me, but I’m not there yet, so I’m probably not one to talk.

Who and what inspires you?
My family, my hubby, my coworkers, and all of the people we get to interact with each day thanks to the brand. People are fighters, and they work so hard. I’m constantly impressed and inspired.

The most important lesson you’ve learned:
To be patient and resilient, and to meet people where they are. I’ve learned to listen and that it’s best to permanently withhold judgment.

One thing you can’t start your day without:
Music.

What makes you happy at the end of the day?
My couch!

You can find the S.W. Basics products here and you can also purchase Adina Grigore’s book, Skin Cleanse: The Simple, All-Natural Program for Clear, Calm, Happy Skin, also available here.

photos: S.W. Basics and Pinterest/swbasics

Posted by classiq in Beauty & Beautiful Living, Interviews, The Makers | | 3 Comments

9 April 2015

Interview: Fashion Designer and Humanitarian Treana Peake

When I think of fashion with a greater purpose, there is quite a number of brands that spring into my mind. But there are very few of these that are transparent enough to gain my undivided trust and lighten my heart at the thought that they are indeed engaged in doing good. Obakki is at the forefront of these selected few. Treana Peake is the founder and creative director of the Vancouver-based fashion line and for years I have been admiring her beautiful design work, her clean, classic styles that effortlessly translate into staples for the everyday. But Obakki was also innovatively designed to bring the fashion world closer to people and to their real stories.

Through Obakki, which was founded in 2005, Treana started The Obakki Foundation in 2009, a humanitarian effort to help communities in Africa, focusing on providing clean water and education. 345 million people in Africa live without water and many children can’t attend school because they’re in search of water or are ill as a result of water borne ailments, diminishing future opportunities for growth through education. To date, the Obakki Foundation has provided over 700 water wells and built 12 schools in South Sudan and Cameroon, positively impacting the lives of over 750,000 people, and this support subsequently leads to self-sustainable growth in those communities. A creative mind, avid traveller and leading humanitarian, Treana is my guest of honour today.

It all began with a white envelope of money. Watch the moving story behind the Obakki Foundation:

Through its philanthropic counterpart, the Obakki Foundation, your company, Obakki, admirably uses fashion to generate funds and awareness in order to provide clean water and education for communities in urgent need in Africa. What is the most challenging part of being a socially conscious fashion designer?
The most challenging part is continually jumping between the two juxtaposed worlds. Some mornings I am developing strategies to support the emergency crisis situation in South Sudan, and in the afternoon I’m designing pieces for our new Obakki collection. One supports the other and ultimately that is what drives the passion at the end of the day.

You are an inspiration for design with a purpose. But who and/or what inspires you? Is there anyone in particular who has significantly influenced your life and your work?
I am constantly inspired and influenced by the strong individuals I meet on the ground in these remote regions of the world where our water projects are implemented. I’m on the ground a lot in the villages we support and it is the faces of these real people that pop into my head when I’m at home designing. I do what I do for them and for no other reason.

Scarves for Water. For every 500 scarves sold, a water well is built in Africa. Each scarf is packaged with tags and material about Obakki Foundation’s programs for clean water and information about the community that will benefit from your purchase.

Who do you design for? Who is the Obakki woman?
The Obakki woman is a strong, independent woman who seeks out contemporary clothing that is both modern and effortless.

What was the inspiration behind your Spring/Summer 2015 collection?
Spring / Summer ’15 inspiration came about as I was taking my family to visit the Himba tribe – an indigenous tribe found in the remote regions of northern Namibia. As we flew over the Namib Desert I was entranced by the weaving landscape textures found below us. I incorporated my photography into the collection – featuring digital prints taken while on the trip.

Is there any piece in your collections you hold most dear to your heart?
While I have a lot of favorite pieces each season (from a personal style perspective), it is the pieces that tell a story that I hold most dear to my heart. I use fashion as a platform for change & in all of my collections I try to bring a piece of someone else’s story into the garments.

Obakki Spring/Summer 2015 collection

Which is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from Africa?
I was taught as a young child (through my white envelope experience) to give without expecting anything in return. Africa has simply reinforced & solidified this life lesson for me as I continually see the exponential results / influence our actions can have when given from a place of absolute kindness, without expecting anything back in return. Something magical happens between people when given a gift that doesn’t have any strings attached.

How do customers feel about buying something that has some good attached to it? Have you sensed a change of mentality? Are customers becoming more socially conscious, too?
I believe people are tired of not knowing where their money is going on the charity side, and that people are wanting that extra layer of connectivity and social responsibility on the fashion side. Our customers come to us for both.

100%of donations received by Obakki Foundation go directly to their clean water projects across the world.

You wish people appreciated more:
I wish people would appreciate (or even notice) the power of their own actions. Sometimes you see an immediate influence and sometimes you don’t, but just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Someone donated every year (anonymously) to my family, teaching me what it is like to give without ever expecting anything back in return. That small, yet incredibly meaningful action influenced my life so that now I am able to influence others. I bet that person has no idea that their selfless act of kindness has led to over 700 water wells in South Sudan with over 750,000 people affected. Our actions can and do create change, we just don’t always get to see it.

Your favourite moment of the day.
Lying in bed at the end of the day with my kids, husband and dog. They ground me, support me and inspire me everyday to be better. Not just for our family, but for the world in general.

A little over a year ago the village of Malith had no water. Watch how water has impacted Malith and brought change to their lives.

photos: Obakki / The Obakki Foundation / Facebook/ObakkiFoundation / Facebook/Obakki

Posted by classiq in Beauty & Beautiful Living, Fashion, Interviews | | 7 Comments

7 April 2015

Anna Karina’s Chanel-style Look in Vivre Sa Vie

Jean-Luc Godard’s movies are among those you will not find in the pages of Classiq Journal, simply because I am not a fan of his work. Without getting too much into details, I will just say that one of the reasons is that, when watching his films, my impression has always been that he has made movies for the critics. Ingmar Bergman put it very bluntly: “I’ve never been able to appreciate any of his films, nor even understand them… I find his films affected, intellectual, self-obsessed and, as cinema, without interest and frankly dull…”

That said, let’s go back to what this post is all about: this particular look of Anna Karina’s, who was Jean-Luc Godard’s muse and wife at the time of the film Vivre sa vie (1962). The French New Wave is one source of inspiration that gets revisited by fashion designers time and time again. The realistic approach of the Nouvelle Vague films didn’t have much concern with fashion, many of them resuming to the basic styles of the times, the actors usually wearing their own clothes on screen, never demanding costumes and trailers as they were happy just for making the film. I think it’s the nonchalant attitude of the heroines of these films that has had just as much influence on fashion as the actual clothes that they wore. And isn’t it the attitude that matters most?

Danish born Anna Karina was one of the style figures of the French New Wave. In Vivre sa vie, with her porcelain skin, feline eyes, Louise Brooks hair style and chic outfits, always smoking, she is a young woman of Paris. In her effortlessly thrown cardigan, knee-length skirt, boucle coat and kitten heels, and especially with that careless poise, she channels the Chanel look more accurately than an ad campaign for the brand. An interesting fact is that a chance meeting with Coco Chanel was what made her change her name from Hanne Karin Bayer, resulting in the Anna Karina we know today. Anna’s style, both off and especially on-screen, represented a girlie, distinctly French style which would become synonymous with the youthful freshness of the 60’s, and especially with the 60’s New Wave fashion movement.

More Style in French New Wave films: Jean Seberg in Breathless, Jeanne Moreau in Jules et Jim, Catherine Deneuve in Mississippi Mermaid

photos: movie stills, Vivre sa vie | Les Films de la Pléiade, Pathé Consortium Cinéma

Posted by classiq in Film costume | | Comments Off

4 April 2015

“The Women” (1939): The Fashion Show

In the first part dedicated to the costumes in The Women, 1939, created by costume designer Adrian, I talked about the characters. Today is reserved to the fashion show sequence in the film. Many of Adrian’s films included a fashion show. Unlike the rest of the film, this was shot in colour. A great occasion to see the magical touch Adrian had with rich and vivid colours. An unforgettable parade of fashions. The presenter of the show states in the movie: “Here is our little peek into the coming season and, a glimpse of the future too.” How right she was, as Adrian’s designs have helped shape the world of fashion ever since.

The military green coat and hat, the fur jacket with knitted sleeves (stills above), the beautiful brown palette (next two stills), the long, elegant gloves, there is so much fashion inspiration to be seen in these day-looks.
c

c
Picnic time: the striking white and orange stripes on the first dress below – my favourite detail in this part of the fashion show. Adrian had a fascination with stripes, which led him to use bold stripes and stripes of extreme subtlety, sometimes even together.
c

c
The evening gowns. Glamour and grace.
c

Look at the stunning white and scarlet gown with a cape on! Does it look similar to something you’ve seen recently? That would be Gwyneth Paltrow’s Oscars gown designed by Tom Ford, who listed The Women among the films that shaped his work.
c

c
The neckline cut of the black gown! Simple, yet dramatic.
c

c
Red gown with a medieval helmet-styled hat and gold crown. The bordeaux cape with purple lining help create an amazing colour palette. The dolman sleeve is well seen on the gown in the second still below: a favourite Adrian feature, named for a Turkish garment and featuring a deep-cut armhole starting nearly at the waist and tapering down the arm to a tight wrist. Adrian had designed dolman-sleeved gowns for Norma Shearer beginning in 1929. The March 15, 1941, issue of Vogue showed a photo of a model wearing “that important newcomer, the dolman sleeve.” The magazine didn’t credit Adrian for his contribution. But Adrian was reluctant to claim credit for any fashion trend, saying that no style could be brought about unless its natural time had arrived.
c

A taupe gown with a wrapped midriff, green gauntlet gloves and a headpiece scarf.

c
Films provided perfect showcases for the fashions, especially when Hollywood found ways to incorporate fashion shows within the film plot. Director George Cukor did not support the fashion show scene however, saying later that the front office made him do it. After The Women, he downplayed the importance of fashion in film and, which would lead to Adrian’s departure from MGM.

Images: stills from “The Women”, 1939, photo credit MGM
Editorial source: Adrian: Silver Screen to Custom Label, by Christian Esquevin

Posted by classiq in Film costume | | Comments Off