Light Space Art: Acne Studios LA

March 23, 2018

Light space art design. These four foundational traits that went into the all-new Melrose Ave Acne Studios flagship. Following suit in the style of all Acne Studios stores, the brand’s latest location has been deliberately to draw attention to the area— West Hollywood.

The pavillion-style structure, which has an almost entirely glass exterior, hearkens to an open-plan gallery— an aspect truly accentuated by the addition of abstract site-specific sculpture by LA-based artist Daniel Silver.

Splayed across the store’s interior, Silver’s sculpture is a strange, awe-inspiring amalgamation— with an anatomy of aluminum aggressively blackened, draped in adversely delicate cashmere cut-outs. The futuristic structure also functions as fitting rooms.

Text by Anna Zanes
Images courtesy of Acne Studios

“I love that in LA we have the space and light to make Daniel Silver’s work the focus of our new Acne Studios store. His structure feels alive, and sets the mood for the whole location.” – Jonny Johansson, Creative Director Acne Studios

Alongside the installation, Acne has brought two more long-standing collaborators— Max Lamb, who created custom seating and displays for the space, and Benoit Lalloz who has built the brilliant, bulbous light fixtures. In celebration of the store opening, Acne Studios has released an exclusive collection of graphic t-shirts, featuring Daniel Silver's prints— 100 of which the artist will sign, to be sold exclusively at the West Hollywood location.

See the new Acne Studios for yourself, at 8920 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, Los Angeles.

Culture

Tokyo Travel Diary

And the past week I spent in Tokyo really was a dream. Walking along the streets of Shibuya felt cinematic — the narrow winding alleys are bustling, yet still somehow quiet, each person a main character in their own story. I was beguiled by both the peaceful stillness and the energetic hum that defines the city.

I tried to squeeze in as much as I could. A fourteen-hour flight isn’t for the weak, but knowing what was waiting for me on the other side of it made it seem a lot sweeter — I even enjoyed the traditional meals served to us while flying over the Pacific Ocean. Joined by other fashion friends, we passed the time with rich meals and steaming cups of tea. We visited Daigo, a fourth-generation tofu house near a traditional temple, CENSU, a relaxed Izakaya, and I couldn’t leave without trying conveyor belt sushi. I think if we had more time we’d have stayed there summoning salmon rolls for hours.

Maybe the most intriguing part of the trip was observing the fashion trends that have taken wind in Tokyo. Young girls congregated in groups of three or more, all sporting preppy, collegiate garb. Pleated skirts and Mary Janes seemed to be their chosen uniform. In the more whimsical Harajuku region, ruffled midi skirts and bomber jackets were spotted on every other person, and tote bags or backpacks were adorned with tons of charms — smiling Hello Kitty’s, cute Miffys, and tiny Totoro’s were just as abundant as tourists. Colors were commonplace in this area, while the most common through-line across the city was distinct tailoring and monochrome, neutral ensembles. Charles and Keith, a popular brand within the region since it has circulated from Singapore and beyond, outfitted many passersby in metallic shoulder bags or elegant monogrammed crossbodies.

The architecture of the region was just as varied as the fashion tendencies. Colored tiles warmed from bright cyans to rusty oranges, reflecting the sinking sun as the days melted away. Some strolls were reminiscent of leisurely Parisian alleyways while other busy streets — like the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing, fondly reminded us of New York’s Times Square.

As this trip came to a close, I was reminded of the privilege of “time traveling” (being thirteen hours ahead of my customary time zone confused the body but enriched the mind). I got to step into the anime, movies, and snapshots I had only before consumed from a distance, and even across the world, I was reminded of how connected we really all are.

See Tokyo through my eyes below.

Culture

Magic in Mexico

We walked around paradise with an off duty Chef Paco to tell us a bit more about his new venture and opening weekend.

What was the highlight of the opening weekend for you?

Chef Francisco 'Paco' Ruano - A highlight of the opening week definitely was seeing the joy of our entire team vibing together, putting in all the incredible effort that it took to make it all possible.

What’s your favorite ingredient?

My favorite ingredient is sour orange; I love it because it's something we have a lot of in Guadalajara.

How do you source your ingredients?

Wherever we go with our food, we contact as many local producers as we can. We don’t have any issues finding the best, even in Mexico – Baja California, Durango, etc.

What makes your partnership with The Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai special?

I feel very flattered and fortunate to be involved in this project and to have the opportunity to collaborate with other amazing Latin American chefs, like Thomas Bermudez. Riviera Maya is also very close to my heart, so that makes this opportunity even more special.

Would you say you have a signature dish?

I would say that our signature dish at KI’IS is the stuffed pumpkin with macadamia nut ricotta - it's something that gets stuck in your mind and reflects a lot about my style of cooking and the local culture.

How would you describe your culinary philosophy and style?

I would describe my culinary philosophy as dealing with simple things and trying to make them perfect. Not overcomplicating, but showing that we are focused on what we do – something understandable and universal in terms of flavor and presentation.

How does your food tell your story?

My food tells my story in the way that I try to cook a reflection of my life. So, my menu is always changing. Sometimes, you'll see references from other cuisines. If I travel, I try to get as much inspiration as I can from the meals during that trip. You can tell by the food in the next season what it looks like.

What advice do you have for aspiring Mexican chefs looking to make their mark in the culinary world?

The advice I have is to create something that allows them to be themselves and rise with their own self. We're looking for hard challenges; we never take the easy way. So, in the long term, always, always, always challenge yourself.

What would be your last meal?

Quesadilla with avocado – very simple.

Your recipe to a great life.

My recipe for a great life is a kind of tricky question, but I would say that it is to focus on the joys of life, try to be present, and be grateful for little things.

Check out Mexico's newest playground below. All images in slideshow supplied by EDITION.

Culture

LỰU ĐẠN's PFW Pool Night

Walking in, I see La and his colleague Jonas starting up a game at the orange pool table with Gia and Lindsey; La’s life partner Léa Dickely sits on the red table watching. I go over to the bar, order spring rolls and a plate of beef fried noodles, and sit at the entrance with Jesper who also orders spring rolls and a pint of beer. Aleali May is getting her picture taken.

La comes over and compliments what I’m wearing: “It fits you so well, I could actually see you wearing that.” Earlier that day, I stopped by his showroom and picked out a bomber and wide-legged jeans from LỰU ĐẠN’s FW24 collection, titled ‘DO OR DIE.’ Getting dressed to head out, I thought the same thing. It wasn’t what I’d typically go for, but it fit me.

I knew that La had spent a few years living in Paris when he worked for Balenciaga, so I assumed that he had known about M8 for years, but he tells me that it wasn’t until the Mahjong night in September when he first stepped into the neighborhood favorite. That night, his friend Bobby convinced him to go to M8 to play pool, and upon entering, he immediately fell in love. “After an hour, we brought in our crew and took over the place — put on our music, cheesy 80s Vietnamese karaoke, and gangster films on the screen. It just took on its own life.”

Tonight, everyone would arrive in character, looking like misfits straight out of one of those gangster films. Character-driven world-building is as central to LỰU ĐẠN as its community. Between (pool) shots, I ask La why a pool night as opposed to a show or a dinner. While he appreciates Paris Fashion Week for its appeal — taking everything to the next level — he says that “the rules of the game are still very conservative.”

“You do a show, you do a party, you do a cocktail, you do a dinner. What’s great about the other fashion weeks is that people aren’t afraid to mix it up a little more.” Instead of adhering to the same old Parisian routine, La showcases his collections through nights like this, which feel more like celebrations than debuts. Clearly La’s onto something, because his events keep people coming back. Blake Abbie and Susie Lau, who killed it at Mahjong last season were among the familiar faces that trickled in the venue over the next couple of hours.

To tell the collection’s story, La brought together Jiman Casablancas, a seasoned Malaysian punk rocker turned activist and lawyer, Hao, a DJ from Chengdu who he met at a party during his first trip to Shanghai, and James, a reformed bad boy hailing from the Philippines. La tells me that in Malaysia, “the punk rock scene is still rooted in those American punk anthems and that look, but then it's like these dudes are from Malaysia. They're tan. They have a different flavor.” He recognizes that all over the world, outside of the West there are little pockets that inject a local energy to what are originally American influences. Growing up in D.C. LA always recognized an East meets West mentality, and now he finds that these interactions come full circle.

As much as tonight is a celebration, it is also a tribute to Jiman, who passed away earlier this year. To honor him, La donated proceeds to SEED Malaysia, a trans-led non-profit organization that supports Trans, homeless and other marginalized communities in the country.

By 11pm, all of the pool tables are full. Mark, the cobrasnake, walks in rocking a short-sleeve button down from the collection that really suits him. He says to me, “I thought this was a pool party, I wore my speedo." Already having a good time a few minutes in, he adds on, “All of Gia’s parties are always on my list.” I go over and sit down with star photographer Neva and reflect on the never-ending game we played with Lindsey and Jonas — 30 minutes of shooting around the blue solid, blue stripe, and eight ball around before giving up. She comments on the lighting, and she’s right, it is good — if only she brought her camera.

I chat with record producer Pi’erre Bourne as the party winds down, “This is nice, I mean there’s pool, you know? A lot of other shit is more forced, in comparison. This wasn’t like that.” I also met Ava Pearlman who was standing with Annabelle Weatherly and Matt Weinberger in the corner by the purple table. They both got in last Tuesday. Ava tells me that on the first night of her trip, she already hated Paris. Tonight she likes it, especially because, in here, she can’t tell what city she’s in.

The crowd stuck around well into the night, so much so that the bar staff kindly had to ask all to leave – we’ll say it was one for the books. Leaving that night, one thing was clear: Hung La doesn’t want to fit into anyone else’s world, he’d rather create a new one.