Insta Fashion Week: Who Partied Where

September 7, 2014, 9:49 am

≫ Next: Dirty Dancing Without the Music Is REAL Weird

≪ Previous: Our Favorite Looks from NYFW: Day 3

$

0

0

Ladyfag and Seva Granik's Shade threw the afer-party for Alexander Wang, including a performance from Tyga and Miley Cyrus in pasties. All the deets on what went down here.
 
Fashion photographer Todd Pendu snapped this pic of Miley dancing with Alexander Wang.
 
Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner had a great, beautiful time at the party.
 
Chelsea Leyland and Brandee Brown were in the DJ booth at the Boom Boom Room for BCBG.
 

Kilo Kish and a friend were livin' on a prayer.
 

Dsquared's Dan Caten tried on Susanne Bartsch's high heels.
 

Lauren Hutton basked in Nicki Minaj from afar.
 
Nicki Minaj's instagram is also a portal to another dimension, in which Nicki Minaj and Nicki Minaj are always Nicki Minaj.
 

Kim Gordon and Die Antwoord went out to dinner.
 
Natalia Kills was in a very fancy elevator.
 
Petra Collins threw out her back and hung out with Cheetos at home. Sounds great, actually.

---

Dirty Dancing Without the Music Is REAL Weird

September 8, 2014, 6:30 am

≫ Next: Our Favorite Looks from NYFW: Day 4

≪ Previous: Insta Fashion Week: Who Partied Where

$

0

0

When "I've Had the Time of My Life" is removed from the final "Dirty Dancing" scene things get weird. [Uproxx]


If everyone was honest at job interviews. [TastefullyOffensive] House Lustrous Leg Hair October-May.  [Mlkshk]

Inviting this guy to our next tea party. [TastefullyOffensive]
 

Swedish artist and star of our 2013 art issue, Florentijn Hofman, put a giant floating hippo in the Thames. [Uproxx]


Make sure to channel this spectacular tiny dancer at some point today. Mondays need sparkle.
 Winky pug hope you have a great day, sweetheart. You look real nice in that dress.

Our Favorite Looks from NYFW: Day 4

September 8, 2014, 8:11 am

≫ Next: Insta Fashion Week Day 5: Who Partied Where

≪ Previous: Dirty Dancing Without the Music Is REAL Weird

$

0

0

Just like clockwork, fashion week is back and each morning we'll be rounding up a selection of Spring 2015 looks that wowed us on the runway the day before. See below for today's top picks.

We loved these DVF jeans. They have a big gold 'DVF' embroidered on the back pocket!


DKNY is on a roll as we see from this fresh black and white number.


Hood by Air is always the coolest show of the week.


Public School translates their uber cool menswear look for the ladies.


Chic expensive looking clothes are what Victoria Beckham is all about.


We're seeing a lot of African prints this season and love this botanical print from Thakoon.


Derek was feeling the '70s and we loved the color palette particularly on this look.


Donatella (along with designer Anthony Vaccarello) came to NYC and the result was a Versace x Vaccarello look that was black & white, sexy and rock 'n' roll.


Custo Barcelona is known for cuckoo crazy colors and this look was cuckoo to the extreme (in a super cute way).

Photo by Vogue.com

Spike Jonze and Jonah Hill wrote a play for Opening Ceremony's spring 2015 collection. It was performed by a star-studded cast at Lincoln Center. The curtain call was heavenly.

Insta Fashion Week Day 5: Who Partied Where

September 8, 2014, 9:30 am

≫ Next: All Our NYFW Party Coverage In One Place!

≪ Previous: Our Favorite Looks from NYFW: Day 4

$

0

0

Mindy Kaling took a photo in front of the fountain at the Met, where Opening Ceremony had its show last night. Lincoln Center's fountain is still exciting to Mindy Kaling, even though she has a million trillion dollars and is magic.




James Franco thought Jonah Hill and Spike Jonze killed it with their Opening Ceremony play.

 
Everybody chanted the "Anaconda" hook before hitting the stage at Opening Ceremony.
 
Bobby Cannavale in head-to-toe OC and Warby Parkers: #WOULD.
 
The Brant brothers ate mozzarella sticks with Joan Smalls.
  OMG.
  Miguel and Kim H. hung.
 

Kim Gordon and Olivier Zahm channeled Lucifer.

Ashley Smith got down to CHYNNA at DKNY's Max Fish after-party

A bunch of insanely good cheekbones -- a.k.a. Karlie Kloss, Alex Wek, Jourdan Dunn, Rihanna, Cara Delevingne and Naomi Campbell -- hung out at Dunn's "Cell For Gratitude" charity event.

The ATL Twins spent the night making, uh, art ahead of the opening of their debut show, "Tales From the Hood."

All Our NYFW Party Coverage In One Place!

September 8, 2014, 10:00 am

≫ Next: Miley Cyrus teams up with Jeremy Scott to Give Her 5-foot Bong its Own Art Exhibition

≪ Previous: Insta Fashion Week Day 5: Who Partied Where

$

0

0

From Rihanna partying with Donatella Versace to Miley going topless at Alexander Wang's Bushwick rave, scope all of our NYFW party coverage, below!

Versus Versace After-Party

Frank151 x DKNY Bash

Alexander Wang's Secret After-Party

Pharrell Presents 'Raw for the Oceans' the Collaboration Between Bionic Yarn and G-Star Raw

Essential Homme Party Featuring a Performance by Ja Rule

Chromat After-Party

Gareth Pugh and Lexus' Design Disrupted

Altuzarra X Target Party

GRANDPA STYLE Magazine Launch

BANKS Performs at Top of the Standard

VFILES After Party

Miley Cyrus teams up with Jeremy Scott to Give Her 5-foot Bong its Own Art Exhibition

September 8, 2014, 10:12 am

≫ Next: La Roux's New Video for "Kiss and Not Tell" is a Glorious Tribute to Landlines

≪ Previous: All Our NYFW Party Coverage In One Place!

$

0

0

Photo via V Magazine

From the moment Miley Cyrus took her crafting game to the next level with her infamous 5-foot bong made of dildos, we knew that she was blossoming into a true artist. Since then, she's been both smoking and hot gluing tons of weed to various, brightly colored objects -- all in the name of art. Cryus will premiere her deeply personal body of work, which includes a sculpture made out of a pineapple "on [a] dick with a bunch of babies," at Jeremy Scott's NYFW show on September 10th.

Photo via V Magazine

For the pop star, the Jeremy Scott collaboration is more than just a chance to prove how much she loves gluing weed to raver beads. "Jeremy brought a lot of peace and self worth to me because even though to some people, it was just me gluing some things together, to me, it made me not a fucking pop star dumbass," she told V Magazine.

And after the runway show, you can view Cyrus's oeuvre in V Magazine's studio at 11 Mercer. Fittingly, the exhibition is called "Dirty Hippie." 

La Roux's New Video for "Kiss and Not Tell" is a Glorious Tribute to Landlines

September 8, 2014, 11:40 am

≫ Next: The Biggest Trend at Fashion Week Is...Throwback Music Stars

≪ Previous: Miley Cyrus teams up with Jeremy Scott to Give Her 5-foot Bong its Own Art Exhibition

$

0

0

This NYFW, vintage phones are trending. Making a fashionable appearance at the US Open, Anna Wintour was spotted with an actual phone that flips (gasp!) and now La Roux's Elanor Jackson is taking us back even further in phone-time.

In the candy colored music video for "Kiss and Not Tell," Jackson montages 80's style infomercials and retro phone porn. There's a rotary phone, a keyboard phone, a lip phone, and a burger phone, of course. Play a game of retro phone bingo while watching the video for "Kiss and Not Tell," above.

The Biggest Trend at Fashion Week Is...Throwback Music Stars

September 8, 2014, 12:30 pm

≫ Next: Channing Tatum Teaches Us About the "Dick Graze"

≪ Previous: La Roux's New Video for "Kiss and Not Tell" is a Glorious Tribute to Landlines

$

0

0

(Photo of Ja Rule by Krista Schlueter; Photo of Mya by Madison McGaw/BFAnyc.com)

Luxe athleticwear and FKA Twigs-style hair might be buzzing this season but we're calling it now: the winners of fashion week are late-90s/early '00s music stars.

Ja Rule (whose comeback we predicted back in July), kickstarted this trend with a performance at Essential Homme's party at the Gilded Lily on Thursday night, which was quickly followed up by a set from Lil' Kim at MADE Fashion Week/Duh Fridays' bash at Up&Down a day later. (And let's not forget that it was actually Opening Ceremony who was ahead of this curve, booking Lil' Kim to play at their epic 10 year anniversary party back in 2012). Last night Mya performed at DKNY x Frank151's fiesta at the newly re-opened Max Fish and we kept hearing people talking about Remy Ma sitting front row at the Hood By Air show yesterday morning. It seemed as if the rapper and ex-Terror Squad member, who was released from prison back in early August after serving a six-year sentence, *may* have even overshadowed the massive dog that walked the HBA runway with Boychild. 

When you look at the economics of this trend, it makes sense: performances at private parties are a good way for artists to make an easy buck, become associated with a cool brand or magazine, and get press from outlets that might not otherwise cover their work. Even sitting front row often guarantees that your photo will at least pop up in a few places. For magazines or brands throwing these parties, booking a throwback artist is a good return on investment, too. They often command more reasonable fees than a pop star or rapper with more current releases and, unlike the up-and-coming artists the fashion world loves to rally behind, these guys actually have an entire set's worth of hits that many of the twenty-and-thirtysomething editors/buyers/designers in the audience all remember and want to vibe out to after guzzling five glasses of champagne.

Or, at least, we want to.

---

Channing Tatum Teaches Us About the "Dick Graze"

September 9, 2014, 7:30 am

≫ Next: Our Favorite Looks from NYFW: Day 4

≪ Previous: The Biggest Trend at Fashion Week Is...Throwback Music Stars

$

0

0

Channing Tatum enlightens us to the "dick graze" -- a little-known male greeting ritual -- in a clip in which he gives us Fred Durst vibes (and also wears a fedora). Keep an eye out for a Diplo cameo, too. [via HuffPo Comedy]

The Tonight Show played a round of Family Feud with The Roots family facing off against the Fallon family (Jimmy, Higgins and guest Jason Segel). A+. [via Tonight Show]

"Why Starbucks Spells Your Name Wrong" = excellent. [via Tastefully Offensive]

Scope these cool illustrations by Michele Moricci that re-imagine NYFW as the first week of school, showing off models/editors/designers wearing this season's latest looks and causing trouble in the halls (or, in this case, the girls' bathroom). [via Swagger NY]

[via Knusprig Titten Hitler]

Words to live by. [via F Yeah Dementia]

Happy Tuesday! [via Afternoon Snooze Button]

Our Favorite Looks from NYFW: Day 4

September 9, 2014, 8:07 am

≫ Next: Insta Fashion Week Day 6: Who Partied Where

≪ Previous: Channing Tatum Teaches Us About the "Dick Graze"

$

0

0

Just like clockwork, fashion week is back and each morning we'll be rounding up a selection of Spring 2015 looks that wowed us on the runway the day before. See below for today's top picks. 

Libertine was an Op art extravaganza.

Rag and Bone went back to their denim roots.

Rosie Assoulin to the sweatshirt and khakis into high-fashion style.

More chic than ever at The Row.

Zero + Maria Cornejo kept it young and modern.

Thom Browne is always the mad genius of NYFW.

If this was Project Runway Zac Posen would be the winner.

So nice to see some leopard print from Ohne Titel in an otherwise solid colored day.

3.1 Phillip Lim knows how the fashion girls want to look.

Tommy Hilfiger went Full length '60s sparkle.

Insta Fashion Week Day 6: Who Partied Where

September 9, 2014, 9:00 am

≫ Next: "Is That a Zebra?": LA Laker Nick Young Shares His NYFW Diary

≪ Previous: Our Favorite Looks from NYFW: Day 4

$

0

0

Cara Delevingne got some A/C and had a pajama party (we think?) with David Guetta, Ellen von Unwerth, and Die Antwoord.

Rita Ora snuggled up to her stuffed bear after a night performing alongside Iggy Azalea at the CK Reveal party.

Meanwhile, Iggy snuggled up to her bf Nick Young.

Ciara shows off her custom Polo shirt...

and Kendall Jenner shows off her leg.

InStyle Editor Ariel Foxman hung out with Paper Beautiful Person/Orange Is the New Black star Laverne Cox at the mag's 20th anniversary party. (Oh hey, HBD!)

Hilary Rhoda, Chanel Iman, Karlie Kloss, Lily Aldridge and Karolina Kurkova pose for a snap at Ralph Lauren's Polo for Women event in Central Park. (Unfortunately someone tried to use the red eye tool on Chanel and Lily and...they look CRAZY.)

Georgia May Jagger and her friend went shopping for junk food. Good call going for the Cheetohs.

Allison Williams lets her hair down after the rag&bone show.

Karolina Kurkova says "Whattup" and "Why not?" while hanging out with Tiësto.

"Is That a Zebra?": LA Laker Nick Young Shares His NYFW Diary

September 9, 2014, 9:45 am

≫ Next: Danny Bowien: Food's Wild Child

≪ Previous: Insta Fashion Week Day 6: Who Partied Where

$

0

0

Lakers star Nick Young left the City of Angels this weekend for a trip to the East Coast to attend his first-ever NYFW. Here, he recounts his favorite shows, parties, and run-ins with a zebra...(or maybe it was just NBA superfan James Goldstein!). Read on!

Good morning NYC! Had to stop by the Hood By Air show to kick off my fashion week. One of my favorite brands meshing high brow and low brow to make something really unique.

More from the Hood By Air Show... ran into my homie JR Smith and is...that a zebra or just James Goldstein? The one and only James Goldstein! True NBA fan...[he's] at every Laker game!

Next stop... Tim Coppens show. Backstage with Miguel... We were seated next to each other at the show.

Got to meet the legendary André Leon Talley and Fran Lebowitz. Swaggy P will be on the cover of Vogue soon enough!

With my boy Doug  as we head into the Versace Versus show. That show was CRAZY! Had to step up it up for this one with the Versace Versus jacket... Didn't take any pictures inside because the show was too REAL.

Had to have my brother T and Adrian with me for the Versace after party.

Stopped by the Zegna x Maserati studio to check out my new ride. I NEED one of these... very, very rare vehicle.

Ending the night turning up at Opening Ceremony's party. Hit the show and the after party. One of my favorite stores in NYC!

Danny Bowien: Food's Wild Child

September 9, 2014, 10:27 am

≫ Next: Herbie Fletcher and Pat Tenore: Surf Heroes

≪ Previous: "Is That a Zebra?": LA Laker Nick Young Shares His NYFW Diary

$

0

0

Starting a pan-cultural haute-meets-Haight restaurant is bold; starting said restaurant in the kitchen of another restaurant is an act of wild genius. Ever since Danny Bowien co-opened Mission Chinese's San Francisco location (he also holds down a Mission Chinese pop-up and the Mexican based Mission Cantina here in New York), he's been adored and envied for his ethics, his inclusiveness and, most of all, his beyond-delicious cooking.

Personal OGs: David Chang for his wisdom and his trailblazing approach. Daniel Boulud because well he's Daniel Boulud.

Who are the people who have been most inspirational to your career?
My mother, Jeannie Bowien, and my wife, Youngmi Mayer.

What's the biggest obstacle you had to overcome in your career?
My biggest obstacle thus far has been getting past the critics, and believing in myself. With success comes skepticism, and it can be very difficult to live up to the hype. Ultimately you have to remember what got you the point at which you are and never doubt yourself, ever.

Have you ever felt truly hurt or shaken by a criticism of your work?
I left San Francisco three years ago to focus on opening a Manhattan outpost of our restaurant, Mission Chinese Food. After a very successful opening, a San Francisco food critic unleashed not one but two reviews of the San Francisco restaurant, saying it had fallen off and gave us a less than favorable review. I believe that the essence of the criticism was the fact that I wasn't living in San Fransisco, cooking in the kitchen,when the reality was that we have had the same staff cooking there for the past for years and I never actually cooked a dish for him in the first place. We were dropped from the top 100 restaurants in San Francisco as a result of those reviews.

What is the best thing a fan has ever given you or done for you?
I think that the fact that people support what we do is so amazing. Something as simple as someone saying hello or thanking us for a great meal is extremely rewarding.

How do you deal with the business side of your career? Do you care about that part of things?
Learning to run a business is the biggest challenge of my career thus far. Anyone can cook. Cooking is challenging, and to cook well is difficult. Managing a business is much harder.

Is there anything that you've seen recently that you think is completely radical? Something that shocked you?
I was recently in Oaxaca for 24 hours with Rene Redzepi. After dinner at Hartwood, we walked to the beach and looked at the stars. I've never before seen a sky so wide open. Sometimes you just need to look up.

BACK TO ORIGINAL GANGSTERS  

Herbie Fletcher and Pat Tenore: Surf Heroes

September 9, 2014, 11:21 am

≫ Next: Richard Branson: The Ethical Tycoon

≪ Previous: Danny Bowien: Food's Wild Child

$

0

0

Surf folks everywhere bow down to surf legend Herbie Fletcher, the flamboyant, punky surf star from back in the day. He's also been a longboard shaper, inventor, video producer and art star with a 2013 show at the Hole NYC, a role as surf mentor to his BFF Julian Schnabel and an appearance in a Bruce Weber film.

Personal OGs: My father-in-law Walter Hoffman, who was a great big wave rider; Phil Edwards for his innovative surfing and design ideas; and Joey Cabell, who started the Chart House restaurants.

What do you consider to be the biggest success of your career thus far?
I've filmed all the greatest surfers, created the Wave Warriors film series in the '80s, invented the tail patch that helped revolutionize contemporary short board surfing and I've gotten to make art with one of the world's greatest artists (my longtime friend Julian Schnabel).

What were you like as a teenager?
I dropped out of high school, went to Hawaii and surfed my brains out. My wife ran away with me as a teenager and we lived an extraordinary surf life.


---

Also known as "the Medici of action sports," Pat Tenore founded the legendary surf/skate brand RVCA, busting open the SoCal action sports mindset by pioneering a broader, more diverse cultural sport community than OC had ever addressed. His sponsorship of young artists, musicians and creatives connected to surf and skate via RVCA's Artist Network Program was a radical new strategy that changed the streetwear industry.

Personal OGs: Shawn Stussy who made me my first custom surfboard when I was 13-years-old. And Casey Zoltan (aka eklips) of Known Gallery in Los Angeles and  The World Famous Seventh Letter Crew. Gene Krell and Louis and Jack Shannon from NYC of  the Luck  You Collective.

What has your experience been like with your supporters?
It's nice to see people recognize what you are doing and even better when people realize we are all in this together -- regardless of if you are creating it or enjoying it -- it's a lifestyle we are all a part of.


BACK TO ORIGINAL GANGSTERS

Richard Branson: The Ethical Tycoon

September 9, 2014, 11:29 am

≫ Next: Kim Gordon: The Queen of Noise

≪ Previous: Herbie Fletcher and Pat Tenore: Surf Heroes

$

0

0

The world's most fun-loving ethical tycoon is a true maverick and has been a disruptor ever since he started a mail-order record business in the crypt of a church almost 50 years ago. These days, it's hard to find an industry in which the Virgin empire hasn't planted its flag. And with his latest ventures in publishing (his book The Virgin Way: Everything I Know About Leadership is out this month) health care, clean fuel, stem cell research and space travel, Richard Branson is leading once again.

Personal OGs: Nelson Mandela is a guiding light to anyone with a vision in the face of adversity and to those who seek purpose in life.

Influences: Sir Freddie Laker who started Britain's first no-frills airline and gave me essential early career advice. My mother and father.  You're never too old or young to listen to advice. The guidance of older people is a free and wonderful resource not to be squandered!

Have you had to face any set-backs in your career that left a lasting impression?
I had to sell Virgin Records in order to keep fighting British Airways during its 'dirty tricks campaign' against Virgin Atlantic. It was just terrible to have to sell one baby to save another one. I found myself walking the streets of London holding a check for a billion dollars with tears streaming down my face. That gorgeous baby is now 30 years old -- and getting better with age.

What made you succeed when many other pioneers did not?
Entrepreneurs accept failure and know that it is part of the path to success. "The wound is the place where the light enters you." That's by Rumi, the 13th century poet.

What were you like as a teenager? 
When I left school at 16 to start my first venture, Student magazine, my headmaster said I'd either become a millionaire or go to jail. I did both.

What do you consider success to be?
Success is to have fun, do good and share wealth.

BACK TO ORIGINAL GANGSTERS

---

Kim Gordon: The Queen of Noise

September 9, 2014, 11:41 am

≫ Next: Andre Balazs: Hospitality's Revolutionary

≪ Previous: Richard Branson: The Ethical Tycoon

$

0

0

It's impossible to talk about downtown culture without referencing Kim Gordon, whether it's her three-decade stint in Sonic Youth, her alterna-teen streetwear line X-Girl or her boundary-pushing visual art (like her recent paintings of Lena Dunham's tweets). Agelessly sexy, with a take-no-shit voice and a pioneering lo-fi aesthetic, Gordon is the proto-riot grrrl who's led the way for generations of creative misfits.

Personal OGs:  Joan Didion, Kathryn Bigelow, Chloë Sevigny, Kelly Reichardt, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, Kathleen Hanna, Lena Dunham, Mary Gaitskill, Claire Denis, Catherine Breillat, Nina Simone, Isa Genzken, Lucio Fontana and Sigmar Polke.

Inspirations: Tony Oursler, John Knight, Jutta Koether and John Kelsey.

What were you like as a teenager?
I was very shy and quiet. I felt pressured to be happy and free even though I was too young to be a hippie.

Have you ever felt truly hurt or shaken by a criticism of your work?
When we first started playing in England, the critics were harsh and mean as "guitar music" was considered old fashion.

Do you ever trust other people to help you? Do you like to collaborate?
Yes I learn things from collaborating and do things that I wouldn't ordinarily do. It depends on the person, though.

Do you consider yourself to be a control freak?
I think all artists are control oriented, but I think "control freak" is a term that works best on reality TV shows. 

As a creative person, how do you deal with the business side of your career? Do you care about that part of things? 
Sonic Youth were always very hands-on with our management. But I like dealing with it as much as I like going through junk mail.

How do you define success? What do you consider to be the biggest success of your career thus far?
Success is having opportunities to show and do work and I'm happy that those keep unfolding for me. And, of course, that means having some kind of audience. I remember always being amazed at seeing young teenagers at our shows and thinking, "How does that happen?"

Photo assistant: Paul Teeling.
Hair and makeup by Liz Washer at Ennis Inc. for Face Atelier.


BACK TO ORIGINAL GANGSTERS

Andre Balazs: Hospitality's Revolutionary

September 9, 2014, 11:54 am

≫ Next: Chef Jesse Schenker On Drugs, Cooking and How to Make a Bed When You're Homeless

≪ Previous: Kim Gordon: The Queen of Noise

$

0

0

The hospitality world was never the same after André Balazs converted the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood in the early '90s and opened the Mercer Hotel in New York in 1998. When he launched his first Standard Hotel, that same year, he pioneered the idea of super cool affordable hotels, which has now taken the world by storm.

Personal OGs:  Andy Warhol and his appreciation for the high and low culturally. He was famous for saying, "Oh wow!" passing no judgments. I find that remarkably refreshing. I try not to judge. The other is Marina Abramovic. She is kind of, "take it on, it's all good."

Who has been an inspiration to you in your career?
Professionally speaking, my hero is César Ritz, as in the Ritz Carlton. He was alive in the 18 and 1900s and built three hotels: the Ritz in Paris, London and Madrid. He brought social life out of the private home and put it in a public setting through the hotel world. That revolutionized society and the way people meet in public.

What were you like as a child?

I was an oddball. My parents were very unique -- my father is a scientist; my mother is a jazz pianist. He's 94 and she's 93. She still plays in a band and he still runs a laboratory. They lived in Sweden for years after leaving Hungary. I grew up in a house in Cambridge, Massachusetts. That was probably the most modern house. When they moved to Cambridge in the early 50's, they brought along their design sensibility, the Scandinavian, Swedish design and which now everyone collects and is the coolest furniture but then it was considered wildly radical. I'm not sure I was the coolest, but I was a very different child.

Do you consider yourself to be a control freak?
I'm not a control freak. I'm absolutely obsessed with detail. Meaning, every detail matters to me. Controlling them all does not.

Do you consider yourself to be a creative person? 
I'm defiantly an entrepreneur; I'm not an artist. I see myself trying to figure out an end result, which is creating an environment that makes people happy. That's about doing whatever will make that work, whether that's obsessing over paint color or dealing with the bank. Same thing.


BACK TO ORIGINAL GANGSTERS

Chef Jesse Schenker On Drugs, Cooking and How to Make a Bed When You're Homeless

September 9, 2014, 12:00 pm

≫ Next: Cindy Sherman: Every Woman

≪ Previous: Andre Balazs: Hospitality's Revolutionary

$

0

0

Jesse Schenker, 31, the gifted chef behind Recette in the West Village and The Gander in the Flatiron District, has a wild memoir due out at the end of this month, All or Nothing: One Chef's Appetite for the Extreme (HarperCollins). He details how he began smoking pot at 12, lost his virginity at 13, got arrested at 14, then went from heroin to halfway houses to redemption. When we caught up with the Florida native he was at The Gander fueling up on a double espresso.
 
How long has it been since you cleaned up?

I was 21 so I just celebrated 10 years.
 
To support your habit you wrote about pawning your mother's Rolex. Did she get it back?

She got back the Rolex but there was a lot of other stuff she didn't get back.
 
Your parents are well off and kept bailing you out of trouble and in your book you criticize them for not making you pay the consequences. Now that you have kids and they do something wrong, are there consequences?

It's hard for me to discipline them but my son is only 3 and my daughter is 10 months old. My son gets away with stuff but I'm making a conscious effort to be stern and on the same page with Lindsay, my wife. My daughter is going to give me a run for my money.
 
How are things with your parents now?

They were strong enough to let me go and hit rock bottom. Now we have a better relationship than we ever had.
 
When they finally kicked you out, what was it like to end up homeless?

At first I would stay with friends and drug dealers. The first night I was actually homeless was in a park by the beach in Boca Raton. I tried to sleep in an outdoor bathroom on this really dirty concrete floor. I couldn't get comfortable. I eventually ended up in the sand. Moving forward, I learned little tricks like drinking four beers really fast to knock me out. I found a little area behind a park that had mulch and I'd steal stuff from donation boxes at Goodwill, blankets or whatever, and set up my own little room. I'd lay down Burger King fry boxes, then blankets over that to pad the ground. Ultimately I would wake up to sprinklers or gardeners poking me with a rake or bug bites all over my face.
 
How long did it last?

For about eight months to a year I was legitimately homeless.
 
Cooking seems to be what saved you.

It was my lifeline. I'd wake up with the sun and go to Burger King to panhandle and take a makeshift shower in their bathroom. I'd go to a church for a comb and toothbrush and razor and work the lunch shift at a sub shop. I still took pride in what I did because I loved food. Even filling a soda, I did it with passion. I worked in fine dining restaurants at night and would try to see a movie between shifts. I'd eat throughout the day where I worked and then go back to my makeshift home behind the wall in the park. When my paycheck came, instead of getting an efficiency or hotel room for a week, I'd find the dope man and get my drugs and chain smoke all night and wake up with burn marks on my chest. The disease of addiction is very powerful.
 
Since Recette is in the West Village, did you ever see Philip Seymour Hoffman?

Recette is down the street from where he lived so I saw him all the time. If I knew he was suffering I would have taken him to a meeting or lent him a helping hand. He came in for dinner and did takeout, even though I don't do takeout, but I did it for him. It definitely sucked when he died. People who overdose are always found alone. Your breathing stops and you turn blue. There's no one there to smack you out of it, walk you around.
 
Since you used your wiles to trick people into giving you money for drugs, how do you react now when someone begs you for money?

I tell them they're full of shit. I'll give them something to eat if they want it. I'll go into McDonald's and buy someone a supersize meal, call them on their bluff. I don't play that game.
 
How did you end up writing your book?

I went to my doctor, an internist, when I moved to New York and went over every detail of my health for 40 minutes. I divulged everything. He had been to my restaurant and said, 'You've got to write a book.' My father had said it, too, and my friends had said it. Then I went to the weight loss doctor Stephen Gullo and when he heard my story he hooked me up with a book agent. She was going to reach out to me about doing a cookbook, then said, 'Whoa, this is even better.' Mark Chait was my editor and said, 'Don't change a thing. It's fucking awesome.' He compared it to Breaking Bad meets Kitchen Confidential with a little Blood, Bones & Butter.
 
So how are you coping these days?

I'm still stuck with myself every day but my energy is going into restaurants. I'm not going to lie and say I'm content. I don't know how to live in the moment. I try. When I'm with my kids it's a lot easier. They keep me focused and centered. There are great moments when I'm with my wife and we can celebrate accomplishments or milestones. I can breathe and say, 'That's done.' The next morning it's the same thing, this idea I gotta stay on top, keep moving forward. On a daily basis I try to basically hold on.

Cindy Sherman: Every Woman

September 9, 2014, 12:08 pm

≫ Next: Shane Smith: Vice of Truth

≪ Previous: Chef Jesse Schenker On Drugs, Cooking and How to Make a Bed When You're Homeless

$

0

0

A conceptual art icon, Sherman has taken on various representations of women -- be they clowns, garish plastic surgery housewife-types or art film muses -- to shed light on the ways they are both exalted and limited in pop culture and art. Cindy Sherman is every woman.

Personal OGs: Bowie, the Sex Pistols, Joy Division, Lena Dunham, Ryan Trecartin, Borges, Bierce, Rei Kawakubo, John Waters.

What is the biggest obstacle you've had to overcome in your career?
Male artists.

What do you think it was that made you succeed when many other pioneers did not?
I'm not afraid of failure.

Have you ever felt truly hurt or shaken by a criticism of your work?
There was a 10-page review in The Nation that was so negative, the only thing I could do was go through it line by line and analyze why they were saying what they were saying. I came away from it realizing that he just didn't agree with my sensibility, and then I was OK with it.

What do you think made you the person you are?
Being the youngest of five children in a family that was already a unit when I came along.  I took care of myself. 

What were you like as a child and a teenager?
Quiet and reserved, as opposed to shy.

Do you like to collaborate?
No. When I collaborate, I acquiesce too easily and feel like I've made all the compromises. Plus, I'll push myself harder than I would someone else. That's why I work completely alone.

Do you consider yourself to be a control freak?
I'm not a control freak, but I prefer being in control. Whenever I've given in to a makeup person or photographer taking my portrait, thinking that I'll just let them do their thing without adding my two cents, trusting their expertise (because maybe I'll learn something), I've regretted it big time.

As a creative person, how do you deal with the business side of your career? Do you care about that part of things? 
I don't care and I don't participate in it.

Hair and makeup by Bruce Dean Lindstrom at Artists at Wilhelmina Image Board NYC.

BACK TO ORIGINAL GANGSTERS   

Shane Smith: Vice of Truth

September 9, 2014, 12:26 pm

≫ Next: Watch Julian Casablancas + The Voidz' New Video, "Where No Eagles Fly"

≪ Previous: Cindy Sherman: Every Woman

$

0

0

Call him Citizen Shane, the media mogul of our time. Love it or hate it, we've all pawed through countless issues of Vice since Smith cofounded it two decades ago, glued to the sexy, scuzzy underworld it depicted. These days the focus has shifted from Do's & Don'ts to smart, hardcore, risky dispatches from Sudan and North Korea. And although HBO and Fox have climbed on board, Smith shows no signs of losing his affable, half-insane edge.

Personal OGs: Tom Freston who built MTV created a revolution, established the world's biggest youth platform and then left when it became shitty. Kelly Slater is still killing it. He's the Michael Jordan of surfing.

Who has inspired you in your career?
Tom Freston for sure. John Reid who used to run Island/Def Jam and would let Suroosh and I sleep on his couch when we came to New York in the early days. Spike Jonze because he is the best at whatever he does, be it music videos, commercials, TV or feature films because he gives a shit. Ben Anderson who is in my estimation the best conflict journalist alive today. Errol Morris, Suroosh Alvi, Suroosh's mom and my mom.

What made you succeed when many other pioneers did not?
The answer is very simple: fear. I grew up with very little money, then left home at 14 so my fear of poverty pushes me. Poverty makes good discipline in that it forces you to work harder than everyone else.

What were you like as a child and teenager?
As a child I was happy as fuck. A bit of a momma's boy and an all-around nice kid. It all went to hell when I turned 13, got a mohawk and got into drugs, booze and general skullduggery. My teen years can be summed up as, "There but for the grace of God go I." Lucky to be here. If I hadn't grown up in Canada I probably wouldn't be.

What has your experience been like with your supporters?
 I used to say that fame is only good when you start out because you actually give a shit about what your peers think. When we first started in Montreal and our buddies at Le Bifteck (a punk bar where everyone hung out) loved us, it meant so much. It meant we weren't shitty. But now I think that when we try something new like VICE NEWS and get 100s of millions of video views right out of the gate it means something more. It means that we are doing this together. We feel a close kinship with our audience.

What do you consider to be the biggest success of your career thus far?
Working for myself for the last twenty years and doing whatever I want and getting to do it with my best friends. That is an unbelievable gift. To love your job is a blessing. The rest is all gravy.

You are a very creative person. How do you deal with the business side of your career?
I think that every creative person has to know about business; otherwise you leave yourself open to being exploited by lawyers, managers, agents and various other sundry MBAs. No one should let other people drive their brand, be it personal or professional. You have to take responsibility for how it's run or, in my experience, it will be run incorrectly. 

BACK TO ORIGINAL GANGSTERS