When Avyn Wornette told me she wanted to do a photo shoot for issue 11 on her friend’s farm with a zebra named Marty, I was skeptical. While Avyn was sketching out looks with Marty lying complacently amid heeled and hair-sprayed models, I cautioned that she should plan for shots with the zebra wandering around somewhere in the background.

The reality of the shoot was somewhere in between. Marty behaved a lot like any horse I’d encountered… friendly and interested, but only on his own terms. He strutted and posed with the best of them, until he got bored and wandered off to hang out with the llamas. This was the most ambitious photo shoot we’d ever planned - the highest number of models we’d ever put in a shoot, the biggest change of looks in a spread, the farthest location (three hours away in Avyn’s hometown of St. Mary’s), the largest crew, extensive props, and, of course, a real live zebra. The day was long and exhausting, but extremely satisfying.

Model Sam using a ladder to get to a location over the electric fence.

Hillary Wornette frolicking through the waist-high brush. We were all soaked and covered in little bits of nature at the end of the day.

Art director and stylist Avyn hopping the fence and lookin’ cute.

Hillary Wornette helping set up the tent scene and also lookin’ cute.

Hair stylist and de-facto make-up artist Jamie Furie leading the models on a trek through the brush.

One of WORN’s favourite photographer’s Alyssa K. Faoro looking though her selects, and Marty hanging out and lookin’ cute.

- Serah-Marie

This is the very first issue of Vintage Magazine, and it is tempting to judge it by the cover. I was seduced by the huge watercolour Marie Antoinette and bold purple lettering radiating simplicity and beauty from the printed page. Since conventional wisdom dissuades us from judging books by their covers, I decided to take a closer look. Vintage is driven by editor Ivy Baer Sherman, who was inspired by the short-lived Flair Magazine that ran from 1950-51. Using different papers, inks and surprise elements in the layout, it attempts to recapture Flair’s absurdly artful presentation, which included die cuts and foldouts.

The articles are not only fashion-centric, for the publication aims to study the “impact of history on our present culture.” That said, I was more interested in the essay on Ferragamo than the one about Ferraris (about which I am not entirely surprised). The fashion-related pieces include musings on Barbie, a short history of hairstyles (with a flipbook feature) and an essay on Ferragamo’s invention of the wedge. The writing is interesting and provides some good synopses, but never takes a definitive stance. While it’s clear that Salvatore Ferragamo was forward thinking in developing the wedge (no less than a paragraph is spent namedropping his clients), the piece never seems to move beyond an inventory of material innovations.

Speaking of material innovation, Vintage Magazine aims to take print media to the next level. In a world where digital media seems to be eclipsing print day by day, this publication is aggressively tactile, providing an experience that cannot be duplicated online. Different paper weights are bound together by a red ribbon, with windows and flaps cut out. There is also a charming illustration spread where watercolour paintings are reproduced on thick textured paper. The most ambitious layout accompanies an article on record sleeves, with text written on pseudo-45 covers. The only problem is that these interesting shapes and sizes tend to, well, fall out of the binding. The flipbook feature, for example, which has cutout faces set into illustrations of hairstyles, loses its effectiveness when the images don’t line up properly.

Vintage Magazine is incredibly ambitious. While the debut issue did not blow me out of the water the way I had hoped, I eagerly await the follow-up. I was impressed by the attention to detail, even if it wasn’t executed impeccably. I would love to see these cut-out techniques applied creatively to a fashion editorial, but with such a broad subject matter, every issue is sure to be a surprise. The inspirational touchstone, Flair, folded because print costs were too high. At $20 an issue, I think the Vintage team have their costs covered. This mag is a fantastic experiment, and I can’t wait to see what else they will stitch together.

Vintage Magazine, by Ivy Baer Sherman, 2009
review by Hillary Predko

Artist Justin Tan contributed to issue 10 by creating a super cool reinterpretation of Don Cherry’s suit. His work combines crisp black lines with textured planes of colour; a style that can rival Cherry’s any day. WORN’s need for a fact-checker became evident when, after the copy was printed, I realized Justin’s name was misspelled - our sincerest apologies, Justin! I caught up with him to enlighten WORN readers of the work of a man who is, contrary to what may be printed in the magazine, named Justin Tan.

Do you remember your first impressions of Don Cherry’s style? Would you be interested to see more people emulate it?
The first time I saw Don Cherry was when I was a little kid watching Hockey Night in Canada. I wasn’t really interested in people’s style back then, so my impression of him was probably similar to Mr. Dress Up. Just an older gentlemen who dressed funny. I wouldn’t like it if more people dressed like Don Cherry. I really appreciate the effort he puts into his wardrobe, and that’s kinda his thing. If more people did it, then it would lose some of it’s appeal.

Tell me a bit about your illustration of Mr. Cherry.
Well, the idea behind my illustration is an ageless Don Cherry. From what I remember as a kid, Don Cherry looked the exact same when I was 10 as he does now. He doesn’t seem to get older or anything, I mean, can you picture Don Cherry wearing a track suit to go mall walking followed by bingo and 4 o’clock dinner? That picture just seems ridiculous; that would make a great illustration though. But for me, I had fun imagining Don Cherry being alive in a future where Hockey is played across the galaxy and there’s like one Earth team, and they play Saturn’s team or Mars’ team. Galactic Cup instead of World Cup. I’ve really been into space and the galaxy lately too, so this was a great way to work some of that great imagery into an illustration.

You used style to re-imagine Little Boy shoes, what role did clothing play in the branding concept?
Well I think the clothing that I chose for that rebrand project is key to the look and feel of the whole concept. If the clothing isn’t right, it’s just a bunch of people with toy guns, it looks cheap rather than simple and stylized. Clothing can say so much, there’s really only a few hints need to convey a utopian futuristic idea: which is shiny pants and matching turtlenecks. Super simple, but it just brings to mind all those old costumes from Logan’s Run, 2001 Space Odyssey, classic Sci-Fi. Drawing from key elements like matching uniforms and shiny silver, the clean white institutional look is all you need to sell the idea. The clothes really sell it.

How did you dress in highschool? Is it different from how you dress now?
When I was in highschool I dressed more or less like a skater. All my friends skated, and we all snowboarded and all that, so that was the look essentially. I kinda missed out on a lot of the fads in highschool because I just wasn’t too into the looks, or couldn’t afford the looks. There was this phase where people would wear Diesel jeans and Iron Maiden shirts…like the idea of rich metal heads is so contrary and hilarious, I guess that’s why it worked for people. Emo style was really big too, I’m really glad I never latched on to that. Though, my personal favourite style that I latched onto in a big way were the Adidas tearaway track pants in 5th grade. If you had those pants, you were the boss, you were in. I didn’t really start developing a real style until later in highschool around Grade 12, pretty much when hipsters and that whole indie Urban Outfitters look starting to come in. The great thing about this was clothing didn’t look expensive, it wasn’t necessarily about brands, it was more so about unique pieces of vintage or really classic looks. You didn’t need to have a lot of money to look good. Before that it seemed like the advertising message was about buying expensive clothes and letting people know it. Now it’s all about un-labeled, simple, almost un-branded clothes, I like that. That’s pretty much how I dress now, I don’t like the classification of hipster, but it probably is the closest thing to a style stereotype that would describe me. I don’t have any super ultra skinny jeans or anything, my legs aren’t thin enough, but I have numerous cardigans, haha, so does that make me a hipster?

How do you choose what the people you draw are wearing? Does it have anything to do with what you think their personalities are?
In my illustrations I tend to chose clothing that looks very timeless. I don’t want my illustrations to be dated by the clothing in it, for example, I would hate if someone could look at my illustrations and say something like “This illustration must have been done around such and such a date because that’s when this certain style of shirt was popular.” So I mostly draw really non-descript clothing that could be from like 1900 to now. Sometimes I do find that clothing can tell the story of a character, and in those cases I will pick specific styles, or palates to reflect that. Because my newer illustrations have a limited colour palate (often just greys with 1 or 2 accent colours), I choose colour for the whole illustration that communicates the mood I want to set, so I’m not necessarily thinking specifically that the coat will be red or anything like that. Colour is more of a broad decision rather than a specific choice.

What are some projects you have coming up?
Actually I’m on a bit of a break from taking new projects. By day I work at an interactive agency in Calgary called Critical Mass, and I’ve been loving my work there, so it’s been keeping me really busy and happy. I’m also in a season of my life where there’s lots going on in my personal world so I’m content to be more casual about the illustration work that I do. Right now I have the luxury of picking projects that I’m truly interested in, and at the moment, nothing has really interested me. I plan to do some art shows in the next year, but that’s all in the works. For now i’m just really content to take it a bit easy.

- Hillary Predko

The day we were assigned book reviews, I had just come from a lecture on electronic textiles. I took the fact that Fashionable Technology, a book all about electronic textiles and fashion, was up for grabs as a sign and decided I was chosen by a higher power to review it. While the book and I did not necessarily have a divine connection, it’s a fascinating volume. Fashionable Technology aims to be a comprehensive reference guide for students and researchers in the field, but it’s accessible to the layman. Over the past few decades, engineers and designers have been working together to create clothing that goes beyond ideas of style or warmth. Innovations in technology have allowed for garments that react to outside stimuli or receive messages via Bluetooth. The book features myriad creations by more than fifty designers and companies, from undergraduate students to Nike. The projects profiles are supplemented by a preface on what components you need to design your own electronic textiles, as well as comprehensive lists of blogs, suppliers and institutions that might lead you toward your technological dreams.

When a new medium emerges, bizarre things are apt to happen. Some of the projects featured in Fashionable Technology are downright baffling. I have no idea why you would need a wireless camera blogging your dog’s point of view or why your spray-on bikini should also help you quit smoking. That being said, even the strangest projects have a conceptual seed that could be fleshed out into something truly amazing. One artist, Donna Franklin, is working on a fermented fabric that grows on the body. Right now, it looks a little gross, but the idea definitely has great potential. Another favourite of mine is the Petal Pusher by Maggie Orth, which is a felt lamp that lights up when you touch conductive threads. The design is functional, and really beautiful. I also felt a swell of pride to see the amazing work that comes out of Canada: the work from the Hexagram Institute is stunning. Hexagram funds a burgeoning E-textiles scene in Montreal, providing funding to independent artists like Ying Gao, who makes delicate pneumatic dresses. The organization is also involved with grad programs at Concordia; Studio subTela and XS Labs have worked with Hexagram to make some amazing wearables.

One of the book’s weaknesses is inherent in its medium; movement is integral to many of the works, which does not come across on paper. Many pieces would be better enjoyed with a video. Because of that, I suggest reading this book next to a computer for Google tangents. For example, reading about Hussein Chalayan’s mechanized dresses will not make much sense without having seen them in motion. Some experiences are hard to replicate statically, so many of these descriptions left me wanting more.

Hussein Chalayan’s tech-heavy F/W 07 collection, as shown on FashionTelevision

Also, I would have liked to see a more comprehensive and critical engagement with the subject matter. Essays discussing how fashionable technology fits into a larger context would have rounded out the content of Fashionable Technology. The projects are sorted into categories like “electronic fashion” or “wearable explorations,” which to me came across as rather synonymous. I would have liked to see an essay accompanying each section, so the nuances of the interaction between “fashion” and “exploration” could be looked at more closely. I realize the goal was to create a reference book, but without context it falls apart and, structurally, it becomes a little monotonous. I think more writing could have made this book a little more accessible to people who aren’t necessarily going to engage more deeply with this niche community.

That said, Fashionable Technology really does provide an interesting array of work. The photos are stunning, and you can open the book up to any page and be captivated. Ultimately, it’s the kind of book you should keep around to open up to any page and read for a couple minutes, and without fail you will find something enthralling, charming, or perhaps just bizarre.

If you are interested in the subject, but aren’t sure you want to invest in a hardcover volume, check out this blog of a similar name, Fashioning Technology.

By Sabine Seymour, SpringerWienNewYork, 2008
Reviewed by Hillary Predko