Stella McCartney Lingerie Spring Summer 2012/13

Last week we were kindly invited into Lily and Louis to see the new range of intimates from Stella McCartney Lingerie Spring Summer 2012/13 collection. This season, rightfully entitled 'Stella', has moved towards a more 'everyday' and wearable feel, incorporating innovative and cutting edge technology to create the thinnest, lightest and one of the most invisible collections in the market.

Well, we were impressed!

Mareunrol's; The Latvian Rebel

The Black Magazine inboxes are usually filled each morning by submissions and look books from photographers, stylists and label's from all over the world. We do our best to at least look at each email out of courtesy. Occasionally something catches our eye, like Mareunrols. Launched in Riga, Latvia in 2005 by Marite Matina and Rolands Peterkops the brand has since gone on to win a number of fashion awards, was voted Kris Van Assche's favourite newcomer in 2009 and this year showed at  Paris Fashion Week alongside many of the world's great houses. Their latest collection 'Epizode 2' reflects their upbringing in the late 1980's when Latvia was part of the Soviet regime. Creative people were not really 'allowed' in the Soviet system and were seen as the "rebel's and gangsters of their time" giving rise to Epizode 2's use of a blind embossing technique used by the state to create clothes at the time and the deconstructed use of elements of 80's Latvian clothing. Poignantly, the hoods in the wind represent the 'resistance against a dominant force' and the twisted-looking 'splash' head pieces were derived from an old Latvian New Year's custom called the pouring of fortune. Thanks to the folks at Mareunrols for sending these through and adding a 'splash' of their culture to our Friday morning.

BLK #17: On set with Sean O'Pry by MIchael Schwartz

Michael Schwartz shot our second cover in New York yesterday with make mega model Sean O'Pry. Here is a behind-the-scenes shot from the day of Sean and his co-stars...

The Caker new Short Film, The True Love for Cakes

The Caker, aka Jordan Rondel, has just released her short film about the true love for cakes. A modern love triangle of guy wants girl, girl wants girl, surrounds the ultimate sugar fiend- who just wants cake! It's a mouth-watering, bite-sized piece of visual goodness. Featuring Jordan Rondel. Directed by Calypso Paoli. Hair by Sky Cripps-Jackson at Stephen Marr. Clothing by Stolen Girlfriends Club. Jewellery by Zoe & Morgan. Produced by Laura Barton. Behind the scenes images taken by Yasmine Ganley. Watch the new short film below!

The Caker now works out of 8:30am cafe on K.Rd. Make sure you stop in and try her daily bakings!

BLK #17: Behind the Scenes with Ashleigh Good

After a great weekend of shooting with the boys for our new issue BLK #17,  the Black team were lucky enough to be given the New Zealand exclusive on the exciting new face, Ashleigh Good, yesterday at White Studios with Charles Howells, just before she is flown off to NYC again!

Promising to not give away too much of the magic witnessed, we managed to sneak a few behind the scenes pictures for you to see. Photography; Charles Howells, Fashion Director; Rachael Churchward, Hair; Greg Murell, Make-up; Michelle Hurliman, Model; Ashleigh Good at RPD/KHM, Photo Assist: Ti, Fashion Assists; Hana Tutton and Rosie Ko. 

This issue is shaping up to be something else. It stares 'tough' in the eye, it has wit and attitude but always allows for pockets of the ethereal. One more month to go!!

Hello Loren!

In the true ANZAC spirit, ex-pat Kiwi Carla Robinson has teamed with Australian Stacey Lamble to create Loren, a 30-piece collection launching into the Australasian market this Spring. The pair will launch the brand under the burgeoning Nick Mascitelli Imports empire, home to numerous brands including Carrie Cooper's Beau Coops. Lamble's background; 6 years as a freelance stylist in Milan, and working in sales at Stella McCartney and most recently at Marc Jacobs is supplemented by Robinson's extensive history working in fashion here in NZ, and in Australia. The collection is described as "French chic styling with a feeling of sport luxe" and provides a number of wardrobe essentials: the silk trench, a boyfriend blazer, pencil skirts, silk shirts, floaty maxi dress and chiffon tops.  Here is the first image of the collection featuring NZ model Hannah...

We 'Quoth The Raven': NOM*d SS12/13

Living happily in NOM*d-land, Dunedin designer Margi Robertson and the talented clan of Robertsons she helms have revisited classic NOM*d undertones for their SS 12/13 collection 'A Raven's Tale'. Influenced by her own personal collection of vintage NZ souvenir scarves (we so understand) Robertson and clan manipulated iconic NOM-d design ethic to include the newfound 'NOM*d-land' signature. To 'quoth' Alan Parsons Project: 'And so I turned inside, once more. To my amazement, there stood a Raven'...

Popping up in Ponsonby: Barkers & Friends

It has become an integral part of the retail canon for most New Zealand designers and labels to open a pop-up store in addition to their existing long-lease retail experience. This offers different opportunities for both the brand and the buyer - as many of you will know; succinct collections on offer, lower overheads/lower prices, diffusion lines, end of line stock, etcetera. Iconic NZ menswear brand Barkers have taken the pop up concept one step further and invited a selection of friends along to their temporary store at 154 Ponsonby Road (between S.P.Q.R and Video Ezy) for the next 8 weeks. As a company Barkers has become increasingly collaborative with perfectly-fitting partnerships like 93-year-old Auckland company Parisien and the legendary Flying Nun Records reflecting the considered development of the brand overall, in recent times. Both of these colabs will appear alongside exclusive ranges from Timex, Converse and German notebook maker Leuchturm amidst a curated selection of Barkers and Little Brother of course. To give the outlet the appropriate Barkers vibe nearby Flotsam & Jetsam have helped with the fit out, in-store tunes will waft around on classic audio equipment from Retrotronics and next door neighbours Julep will provide a punch on Friday nights. So pop on down to the pop up and meet store manager Jake, pick up a copy of the Barkers/Lawrence Arabia colab, stumble across hidden surprises - a Nice Block (or Epic Beer if of age) - and enjoy the Barkers (and friends) experience.

NZ's Next Big Star? Ashleigh Good at RPD/KHM

Photo: Terry Gates

Since we shot Ashleigh Good with Charles Howells for the current issue of Black, the Mairangi Bay model has been on a whirlwind induction into the world of international modelling that shows no sign of abating. Rose Packard-Dube her mother agent, in partnership with KHM Models, has her signed to Ford in New York and Storm in the UK. The next month will see Ashleigh shoot twice for BLK #17, here in NZ with Charles Howells and Rachael Churchward, and in Australia with Thom Kerr and Bex Sheers. She will sandwich a trip to Shanghai in between before jetting off to New York again. No rest for the beautiful!

50 Years: The Rolling Stones, Views from the Inside, Views from the outside

St. Tropez, France, 12^th  May, 1971: Mick Jagger sits next to Bianca Perez Moreno De Macias during their wedding ceremony at the small fisherman's church of St, Annes. Watching in the background are (from right) french film director Roger Vadim, actress Nathalie Delon and photographer Patrick, Earl of Lichfield, Centre is Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richard with his girlfriend Anita Pallenberg

This month marks 50 years since The Rolling Stones began playing live, an auspicious rock'n'roll milestone if ever there was one. To mark the occasion, German based e-publishing house The Interview People/e People are producing a 2000+ page eBook in two parts that celebrates the history of the 'world's greatest band' by collating dozens and dozens of interviews, pictures and stories on the band. Edited by Swiss rock journalist and long-time Stones aficionado Hanspeter Künzler 50 Years: The Rolling Stones – Views from the Inside, Views from the Outside promises numerous, and often rare, interviews with everyone from girlfriends and wives to The Stones themselves, plus over 150 photos, many of which were never published in the US or UK. “It’s not only a journey through 50 years of The Rolling Stones,” says publisher Matthias Würfl, “but also the history and evolution of music, press and western society of the last half century.” Published in two halves, the first installation covers the first 25 years and we have a copy of that first eBook to giveaway over on our Facebook page. All images: Getty Images

THE KEEP, Lela Jacob's First Flagship Store in Auckland

THE KEEP is Wellington fashion designer Lela Jacob's first flagship store situated at 504 Karangahape Road, in Auckland. THE KEEP celebrates not only her own Lela Jacob's collection but brings together an array of artists, all working in different mediums, to be hosted amongst hand-picked curios such as Melbourne based WELFE Jewellery, Lela Jacobs Ceramics, The New Order magazine and Japanese Muji stationary sets.

Michael Whittaker @ Clyne by Damien Nikora

Having already made his impressive mark on the rest of the world, male model Michael Whittaker has been busy here at home, too. Michael recently teamed up with photographer Damien Nikora to make a great stop-motion video for his agency Clyne Management. Made up of thousands of still images the video shows off, not only Michael's energy, class and sartorial ease, but also Damien's raw and honest approach to the magic he makes behind his lens. Nice one you guys! Watch the video below!

Cedric @N Model Management by Infamous Duo

Not only is Cedric @N Model Management a great new face on the fashion scene here, there has also been a wee bit of hype too surrounding the mystery of the two people that have created these images together under the alias of "Infamous Duo". We are all fans of the power couples doing their thing overseas; Mert & Marcus and Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, who run their part of the industry at a very deserved level. So, with a nod to collaboration and joining forces we celebrate the Infamous Duo, still puzzled by who stands behind this title, however, their images here of Cedric have got our attention!

Photography by Infamous Duo. Model, Cedric Pasco @ N Model Management. Cedric wears Stolen Girlfriends Club clothing throughout. Let the mystery remain!

BLK Archive: Black Issue #1, 2006. MoTown by David K Shields

Back in 2006 when we launched Black Magazine, we contacted our good friend David K Shields who was, at that time residing in New York. He delivered three editorials and the cover for the inaugural issue, including this beautiful oh-so-New York shoot which we simply entitled MoTown. It looks just as good today as it did back then. Photography: David K. Shields. Fashion editor: Victor Vargas. Hair: Nikki Paton. Make-up: Robert Greene at See Management NY. Models: Hawa at NY Models, Jotasha and Sascha at Elite NY, Dorian at DNA NY and Armando at IMG NY.

"Sticks, Stones and Rocks" by Zora bell Boyd Collection Launch

Photo: David K Shields

Last week we partnered up with Zora bell Boyd and celebrated her passion for jewellery making with her "Sticks, Stones and Rocks" launch.  Having her jewellery placed inside the glorious world of Wunderkammer for the past six years, "Sticks, Stones and Rocks" confirms her first official collection. Precious gems and stones are sourced from South America and India, brought back to her home in Muriwai, on the West coast of New Zealand, to be welded, beaten and carefully handled into small pieces of "naughty jewellery". Mixing commercially cut stones with raw and found materials, and  playing with the pairing options of stones and metals (something usually frowned upon by traditional jewellers), Zora bell Boyd's "Sticks, Stones and Rocks" collection solidifies her signature style which is already adored by many.