Face The Unknown

Meet Natasha Tylee a.k.a Tasha! This super talented lady recently shot a fashion film featuring my brand- JaneMow. Imagine my surprise when this video landed in my inbox while on vacay! Yes…I was meant to be lying in the sun, sipping cocktails but I couldn’t resist to sneak a peak & plot my first post for CK. Check it out & read on as I try to pick her brains in a few short questions!


Best way to describe yourself in quick three lines?

I am an aspiring fashion videographer/photographer originally from the small farming town of Feilding, New Zealand. Currently residing in Brisbane, Australia, freelancing and working for FashionOne Television.

Thanks for featuring JaneMow in your fashion film! What was the
concept behind this film?

Originally I suggested the building in which the film was shot for a music video by one of my closest friends. The building itself is quite mysterious, a monsterous gloomy concrete and brick building, that
stands far back from a road in the middle of nowhere, a place called Halcombe. Through asking my father I found out that one of his best friends part-owned the building, which was very lucky as not many people can gain access to the building. Next thing I was being shown around the building, where I instantly fell in love with the untouched and sad beauty of the place. It was so untouched that there was actually a mummified cat leaning against one of the walls!! It is also one of the last standing freezing works of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere a reason that made me want to shoot it even more due to its unknown future, and lack of historic documentation. 
For the film I wanted to show as much of the building as possible. This lead me to come up with the concept of a girl being chased through the building. I didn't want the storyline to be too overwhelming as I am mainly a visual type of person. I also wanted whatever she was running away from to be unseen to add to the mystery of the film. 
I currently love everything dark and slightly sombre and I really wanted to use a designer who would portray this well. I had recently worked with JaneMow (you) for filming a behind the scenes
video on a shoot that you styled, learnt that you’re also a designer and loved your garments. So naturally I contacted you about featuring you in the video, and everything just fell into place from there.

You have an amazing eye for fashion film & photography! What made
you go into this?

Funnily enough I actually went to film school wanting to make documentaries to bring attention to global issues and make a difference. Somehow I was sucked into the complete opposite side of film, fashion. A side that was perhaps not respected quite so much at film school! I instantly loved it, I have always been very much a visual person, I often do not remember the plot of films I watch but instead remember things such as the color palette and camera movements. Recently I am starting to become more interested in the photography side of things. Most people start with photography then move onto film, but I always seem to do things in reverse order!

It's summer (here in New Zealand)! Tell us about your best summer? the best memories?

That's a tough one. I do have some very fond memories of growing up on my farm. We had a beautiful gully that wound its way through our farm that my sisters and I would get lost in and would ride our ponies through. There were so many cicadas that it was actually deafening. It also had glowworm caves and the giant red toadstools with white spots you would find in picture books. It was really quite magical being a child there, and I suppose it has led to my childlike imagination I still possess.

And to sign off....what are we to expect from Natasha Tylee in 2013?

Big things I hope! I really want to explore the photography side of things this year. I have a friend Talia Uamaki-Mu of Ven Beauty who is a brilliant makeup artist who I will be collaborating with alot on some more personal projects. Getting all paid work is not my priority at the moment, I really just want to do things that I love and grow as an artist. I'm thinking of studying photography part time, interning with a few photographers and doing lots of really unique photoshoots. I will keep the film side of things going as well, hopefully I can make a few lookbook films and film Australian Fashion Week. Whatever I do i'm sure i will have a great time!


You can see more of Tasha's work here... and follow her here. 

Jane Mow
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Culture Keeper

At The Shore With Oliva Deters

Last week on a foggy and rather drippy winter day I set out with

Ricky Cohete

,

Joanna Perry

, and my cousin

Olivia Deters

for a photoshoot on the shore of Lake Michigan. It was freezing cold- but that did not stop Olivia from taking off her shoes and jumping into character. We had a great time, and I am glad to say, Olivia survived the near freezing temperatures in the stunning purple gown her mother created especially for her. It is inspiring to shoot with Ricky because he has an endless supply of ideas and can create the most fantastic images from what would ordinarily be a mundane setting.

Photography- Ricky Cohete- Styling- Jonathan Randall Grant- Styling assistant- Joanna Perry- Model- Olivia Deters

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

In The Forest With Friends

 




E V E R Y year a few creative friends and I gather at a monastery in the forest to talk about what we have been working on, to read, to be among trees, and to catch up on each other's lives. This year the retreat involved lots of sleep and cooking glorious meals together. Every evening we would gather round the table to debate and drink wine. These discussions were punctuated by dance breaks and night hikes around the lake. I was thrilled that my friend Calvin Walterhouse was able join us this year. Calvin currently lives in Brazil, so it is a rare occasion to see him. We talked endlessly about the surfboards he builds and about his life as a traveler and writer. I always find him inspiring. When I journeyed out into the woods one day with Ricky Cohete to take a few pictures we ran into Calvin... believe it or not- this is actually what he was wearing- so dapper for a hike! We had to include him.



Jonathan Randall Grant
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Culture Keeper

Reading List #11


The Kingdom at Hand

C U L T U R E  Keeper has not presented a reading list in quite some time... but here are  a few gems I  could no longer keep to myself:

1 //  Now and then I stumble across somethings that takes my breath away. That is exactly what happened when I first saw The Kingdom at Hand. To say that it is the most beautiful collection of images I have ever seen would be a terrific understatement.This blog is also a fantastic example of great curation. The collages on this page are from this beautiful site.


2 // Piter Blog is a Spanish fashion blog with a new logo I  absolutely love, and photos that are always beautiful and fresh. 


3 // Of course you are already reading L'Insolent Magazine but I  figured we would remind you anyway. Have you seen their latest issue? It features some great styling by Editor Francois Castrillo, and an editorial by up-and-coming photographer Asna Diani. 


4 // My Belonging is another Men's style blog I like to read from time to time. I particularly enjoyed this recent look.


5 //  A Blog Named Scout is the charming creation of my (also) charming friend Jenn Elliott Blake. I cannot recommend it enough. Jenn is one of the most adventurous people I know, and her blog reflects that. Stay tuned for more about Jenn on CK in the future.


6 // This autumn I had the opportunity to collaborate with Denise of Home is Fun on a 5 day creative workshop for expatriate youth in Paris. It was great to work with her and get her insights into kids and activities and life abroad. Those are also the key topics of her wonderful blog! Home is Fun is a collection of essays and ideas to help spice up your kids' lives and enjoy the process. 


Jonathan Randall Grant
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Culture Keeper

One Mustache - Four Characters

This editorial was the brain-child of Ricky Cohete- who pulled from my collection of vintage clothes, and insisted that I grow a mustache. I have to admit that I was hesitant to grow a mustache, but after seeing the pictures I am convinced it was the best way to go. Some how it helped me get into all of the characters we dreamed up. There is something singular about a mustache. I won't be keeping mine- but it was a fun experience. 

Jonathan Randall Grant

Ricky Cohete

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Culture Keeper

Hannah Wegmann - Vagabond Boots

I T  seems silly, really, to love a pair of boots this much.

After graduating from college, I packed up and moved to Paris to live The Dream, the tiny-apartment-in-the-Latin-Quarter-dream, The Dream that has lured Americans to Paris forever. In The Dream, I would wander museums with my sketch pad, bite the ends of baguettes and follow them with hunks of brie and good wine, and develop a sense of almost overwhelming superiority to the swarms of tourists who were “just there for a visit.” I would read poetry on rooftops, walk through snowy tree rows in the Luxembourg gardens, and attend as many ballets as was humanly possible. I would cultivate that certain

je ne sais quoi

of Parisian womanhood, that grace, fashion, and poise that they carry off so effortlessly. 

All of these things did in fact happen.

But before they could happen, there was the period of Reality, the one where the French Education Nationale lost all of my paper work twice and didn’t pay me for teaching for three months. I remember standing in the grocery store rolling the 20 Euro bill in my hands, knowing that it was the last one for an indefinite period of time. Obviously, I was far from destitute, as I had any number of friends and family who would have helped out if I had asked, but I was trying desperately to exert my independence. I wasn’t the first penniless dreamer to wander the streets of Paris, and I certainly won’t be the last. 

And so, in lieu of the many Parisian attractions that require money, I walked. For hours on end I would wander the streets of that elegantly aged city, letting myself get lost, and finding things that only the lost have the luck to find. I wore through two pairs of shoes in those first months, American shoes not meant for the endless hours of walking I did on uneven French streets. 

I knew what I needed: boots. I was the lone sneaker-souled ballet flat in a sea of leather boots. From November till April, the Parisian women wear them like a uniform, taking on the cold weather and long days with fashionable practicality. They were in every store window, an ever-present reminder of my momentary poverty. Sometimes I would make a list in my mind of what I would buy if I ever got paid: the name brand Nutella, the mustard colored pants, and boots, THE boots, if ever I could find them. I would go into every store I passed and examine their selection, trying on the rare pair that was available in my size (most French women aren’t 5’11” with big feet), and running my hands over the supple leather. Someday soon, I would whisper, I’ll be back. 

Finally, I was paid, and I was off to buy some boots. I agonized over this decision, buying several pairs only to return them a couple days later. But one day, as I was trudging home from work, I saw them. They were in the window of a little boutique in Saint-Michel, a store so unnoticeable that I can’t even remember the name. The same for the boots themselves in fact, just a perfect pair of no-name leather boots that fit like a glove. The boot search was over.

Sometimes fashion means the putting on of something, the donning of various articles of clothing. But other times fashion defines a period of our lives, or a place.  We become what we wear, or what we wear becomes us. That is what happened to me and my boots. I wore them all the time, allowing them to define my wardrobe and establish my own Parisian style. They became that winter for me. In those boots I explored that city on foot, making Paris a city that was no longer foreign. Those boots took me on pilgrimages across the entire city, down hidden rambling streets, and across every graceful bridge. Several times a day they climbed the eight flights of steps up to my tiny studio overlooking the city.  They gave me a sense of belonging in the stylish throngs of the metro.

It didn’t stop in Paris. The boots carried me across other parts of France, from Nice to Bordeaux, to little villages in the country. They boots were there as I wandered in England and in Italy. In those boots, I found belonging in wandering.

Since returning from France, the boots have taken me to work in Kentucky, then explored the streets of my newest home in Washington, DC. They are my go-to for a perfect outfit, my fashion necessity.  But a lot has changed in the past six months. I got married. I decided to apply for a doctorat. I put my passport in the back corner of my desk. And the other day, I looked down while I was studying in Starbucks and say that the leather has been completely worn through on the side of my foot. 

Would you judge me if I admit that I cried a little? These were my vagabond boots and their time is over.

In French, there are two words that describe wandering. The verb

flâner

means to stroll about, to amble along, to idle. This is a pointless sort of wandering. But the verb

vagabonder

is different. It means to wander, to roam, without a specific destination, but still with purpose. The last three years have been my vagabond years, my years of wandering, my years spent changing addresses, changing countries, changing states, and finally changing names. A lot has been uncertain over the past three years, but one thing was very clear: there is a sweet joy in the wandering life. 

Still, you can’t do it forever. Eventually, the boots wear out. You stop wandering, look around, and realize that you’re home, you’re

there

, a there that you wouldn’t have found if it wasn’t for the wandering. And you’re happy to be there, so glad, but you can’t help but shed a little tear that those deliciously uncertain years of wandering are over because they were so full.  

I’ll buy new boots of course, eventually.  They will most likely be objectively better than that last pair, and they will certainly last longer, as my daily mileage is substantially lower these days. But they won’t hold within their leather the streets of Paris, the beaches of Nice, the fields of Chartres. They won’t have been there the night I thought I was getting engaged only to be disappointed and trudge home in the cold. They won’t be the boots that helped me challenge the dress code at my first real adult job, or feel at home in front of a room of disinterested college students. They won’t be the boots that helped me wander my way to where I am now, a place so much better than I could have ever imagined.  They will never be my vagabond boots.

It seems silly, really, to love a pair of boots this much. But I do. 

HANNAH

//

Culture Keeper

(Read more of Hannah's parisian adventures

here

)

Dori at night



A few of my friends and I retreated recently to and old farmhouse in the forest. Most of the time was spent reading, sleeping and cooking wonderful food... but we did get around to a few creative projects. In the coming weeks I will be writing more about our adventures there- but I could not wait to post this shoot. Ricky Cohete was on hand, so we dreamed up this shoot with Dori Walterhouse. As it grew dark one night we set out down a country road with our friends Calvin and Caleb. We threw lots of snow at Dori while Ricky photographed. Dori never flinched. I was shocked by the results.


Jonathan Randall Grant
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Culture Keeper

Early Christmas Treats


This year Christmas has come a bit early with gifts from some of my favorite places. Ursul Paris sent me a Gold Manchette from their embrace collection. I featured it recently in Hey Mr. Tough. I love the unique design of their jewelry, and the fact that they are all made in France. You will probably be seeing this piece in lots of upcoming shoots as I plan to wear it constantly for he rest of my life. 


Ella's in Traverse City gave me this vintage french notebook- which I love. I already have someone in mind to give this to. (so I hope posting this does not spoil the surprise). I love the classic design, and practicality all rolled into one.


Sara over at the Threadbare Supply Co. makes some pretty cool stuff. I first noticed her work on Pinterest. She is one of my favorite people to follow, and we are constantly re-pinning each other. Check out her hand-made jewelry and accessories. She was kind enough to send me this cozy knitted cowl just in time for the cold weather. It fades from black to blue- so seriously I can wear it with anything, plus it is well constructed and has the perfect texture. She also included two pins- so I can scrunch it to all sorts of shapes. loving this. Check her site for more goodies.


I have known Peter J. Hochstedler for several years- basically as long as I have been listening to his music. This Folk-singer grew up in Istanbul Turkey and will be featured on Culture Keeper several times in the coming months. His music is profound and beautiful- in a way that unfolds gradually. Head over to his Bandcamp site and check it out. Just yesterday I received two of his records in the mail. I absolutely love the packaging and I cannot wait to open them up and listen. His work has always impressed me in the past and I know that these new ones won't let me down. 


Jonathan Randall Grant
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Culture Keeper

Hey Mr. Tough


This is the second installment of the photo-series I did in Paris with Ricky Cohete. Ricky loaned me some of his clothes from which we created a series of outfits. The style shown here is totally not my usual style- but pushing boundaries has shown me more of my capabilities. We shot around the Canal St. Martin- a very hip area that I had never really experienced before. Do go check it out next time you are in Paris. It was extremely cold that day, and rainy... but the neighborhood was buzzing with life and it was fun creating a scene.



 When I was going through this shoot I kept thinking of this song by Yo La Tengo.



The really exciting part of this shoot was getting to feature my new machete (cuff) from Ursul. I met their designer/owner at a blogger meet up a few weeks before and was excited to feature his work. Do check out more of their bracelets. They use great materials and every piece is simple and modern. I love the fact that it was made by craftspeople in France... and I will be featuring their studio in the coming months.

My new nose-ring is by Dean Rizzo at Eurotribal Tatoo near Bastille. He was Austrailian and charming and I had such a great experience there. I had been plotting a nose-ring for quite some time- but it literally took Jenn Eliott Blake coming along and holding my hand through it all. So much for being Mr. Tough.

Stay tuned for the third installment in this series... it is the weirdest!



Jonathan Randall Grant
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Culture Keeper

Independent Fashion Blogger's Links A La Mode

Sienna Miller by Mario Testino via Aesthete
Culture Keeper is honored to be featured on IFB's weekly round-up of their favorite fashion blog posts.  This week's selection runs from high fashion to street style and how-to's... be sure to check them out. A lot of you who follow CK are also fashion bloggers and I highly recommend you join the IFB community, or at least follow them on twitter. They always have great articles on the art of blogging.

Strictly Fashion
Edited By Taylor Davies 
This week’s round up is seriously savvy. From pre-fall collections to runway shows, the submissions you all contributed this week were highly high-fashion-focused. And you know what? I love it. Last week we delved into some deep topics, and it’s nice to change things up with some thoughtful consideration of clothes and designers as well, don’t you think? Whether you want to know how to style this year’s Pantone color of the year (emerald green) or a little about the life and times of Diana Vreeland, you’ll get your fix from this week’s round up.

LINKS À LA MODE: THE IFB WEEKLY ROUND UP: DECEMBER 13TH



If you would like to submit your link for next week’s Links à la Mode, please register first, then post your links HERE where you see “Links a la mode  next week’s date (official)”. The HTML code for this week will be found in the Links a la Mode widget on the right side of the blog, and will be published later today. ~ Jennine

Coming Soon: Zach Stone's Adventures in the Levant


Zach Stone has recently returned from the Levant where he has been adventuring with his father, and  has graciously promised to regale us a few travel tales. The preview above is from the treasury at Petra- a place I have personally always dreamed of visiting. Stay tuned for Zach's stories, as well (I am sure) as some anecdotes from his current studies.

Jonathan Randall Grant
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Culture Keeper

An Afternoon with Zuhair Murad

I used to wonder how couture brands developed loyal followers among the realms of citizens who would never wear couture clothing. Of course some fans are born of hype, the result of celebrity attention; red carpet strategy winning the hearts of the masses. I could never be one of those fans. Most collections fail to excited me, and when a collection does capture my imagination, it is probably based on the two or three pieces I liked. Recently I discovered another way that designers develop loyal followers… or rather how I was made a fan. This is the story of how I met

Zuhair Murad

.

Asna was visibly disappointed. Solemnly she explained: "oh, honey, I won't be able to attend the presentation on Saturday". Her voice was emphatic and sincere. "And Zuhair is my FAVORITE designer"… she elaborated for a while on how much she loved his gowns and how he was simply the best dress-maker alive. I listened attentively. (but not altogether convinced) We talked for a while about his dresses and who had worn them. Then she got my attention by asking if I would go to the Presentation and cover his new pret-a-porter collection for her. I could see it meant a lot to her- and she had a gentle smirk, knowing that it was my first fashion week and I was eager to see and experience everything. It was she who was actually doing the favor. I eagerly agreed and she added me to the list of attendees. I was excited for the adventure of it, and the chance to help out Asna's Magazine-

L'Insolent

. 

In a Fashion Week that was rather rainy, this saturday stood out as a surprise. The sun shone warm on the Portico of the Hotel Crillon asmodels basked in pastel gowns. The Place de la Concorde below was bright, and bustling. Inside the ballroom, Zuhair himself greeted the dozen or so guests, each visitor with champagne in hand pacing the floor. The gilded room was filled with models. A sheik pawed contentedly at a rack of dresses. The editors of Spanish Vogue were tweeting away in the corner. 

"You know, of course, that he has fifty craftsmen at work in his Beirut atelier, don't you?" I heard this over and over. Rumors and details spilled out of the guests between sips of coffee… drips and details that my google research had failed to divulge. "They are responsible for his extensive beadwork". This was the kind of gossip one could verify right away. With my own eyes I could see the beadwork… extensive was putting it mildly. Some of the gowns looked as if they were made entirely of beads. I lifted the train of a gown hanging nearby, its weight was staggering. 

The benefit to a preview rather than a runway show was tangible exploration. I carefully examined every garment: the beadwork, the construction, every detail. On the hanger each fell somehow short of how they looked on the models. As they strolled around the room you could look nowhere else. Light caught and refracted through every piece of tulle. The models were not wearing dresses so much as they were transformed by them. I was mesmerized. These were not just gowns, they were masterpieces. 

ZM's press secretary Andree stood nearby in a simple black dress. We chatted for a while about her work. When pressed for her favorite Andree selected a feathered and sequined dress. It looked like it could belong to Bridget Bardot, or Twiggy, or Josephine Baker… or perhaps all three. Anyway, it was fantastic. "I could wear that one… anyone could wear that one" she said. …she was right. "That is the thing about ZM's gowns" Andree went on: "they are made for every woman" I was a bit skeptical, but she was insistent. "any woman could walk off the street and put on one of his dresses. They are absolutely flattering". 

"Let me introduce you to him" she said blithely. We stood drinking champagne next to a rack of bright red dresses. A few minutes later she was back. A man who was obviously ZM was at her side. Introductions were made. He asked me a bit about who I was and what I did. He politely examined my necklaces and asked about them. As soon as I worked up the courage I plied him with a cascade of questions: "Which is your favorite piece? Who is the woman you imagine when you design?" He answered each one patiently and warmly all the while complimenting my scarf and ordering us more coffee from the waiter nearby.

Zuhair's assistant came and whispered something in his ear. "Look at this" Zuhair said as he took a gown from among the others. A cascade of beadwork followed. "Its like a tattoo".  He handed over the garment and a few minutes later the room paused and gasped as a new model entered the room wearing the dress. 

We chatted for a while longer. When I had exhautsed my questions- Zuhair began asking me about L'Insolent Magazine, about my blog, and then casually about life in general. With a warm handshake I freed him to greet other guests. I wandered around for a while longer before leaving for other shows.

Often I used to wonder how couture brands develop fans. Some fans are perhaps born of hype, the result of celebrity attention. I was made a fan of Zuhair Murad, because of a few minutes of conversation and the time it took to explain a collection. I have heard that not all designers are this approachable, or easy to talk with. I can imagine that most don't have time for bloggers… so I am all the more impressed. Zuhair Murad now has one more loyal fan, and you can be assured that

L'Insolent

will be featuring his gowns in upcoming shoots.

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

109 Monroe Street South Bend, IN

Open each weekend:

Friday 11-6

Saturday 11-4

Sunday 12-3

With special events the first Friday of each month

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