Author Archives: Marina Zoukova

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Joe Dempsie: A Song of Modesty and Virtue

 

In this story, Joe Dempsie wears the John Varvatos Spring/Summer 2019 collection. The American designer’s latest tribute to rebellion, the range displays the label’s effortless cool and dedication to timeless luxury with an assortment of expertly crafted smooth leather jackets and tailored trousers, perfect for both the rock star about to take the stage and the free spirit just hitting the road and grabbing life by the horns. The SS19 collection is available in stores and online now.

 

It’s easy to forget when talking to Joe Dempsie that he’s not only an actor, but the star of HBO‘s blockbuster TV phenomenon Game of Thrones, as well as lead on EPIX show Deep State. The 31-year-old British star is down to earth, remarkably humble, and in a good mood because the sun is finally out in London, and his team has just defeated their biggest rival last night.

 

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Although Dempsie’s face is more recognizable now than ever before, there was a time when people used to know him as Chris Miles from Skins. But when he was recognized at a clothing store in New York, that’s when it really hit him.

 

“When Skins came out in the UK, it was bonkers,” he recalls. “It was everywhere, and it was much bigger than everyone thought it was going to be. [But even today], I get 16, 17, 18-year-old’s coming over and saying, ‘Mate, were you on Skins?’ And I’m thinking, ‘What? You would have been… 8 when it came out!’,” he laughs. And given Netflix’s acquisition of the show, Dempsie’s first big acting role has been granted an “almost indefinite lifestyle.” But his approach to acting has vastly evolved over the years.

 

He approaches each role separately; one thing at a time. He often finds himself cringing when watching acting footage of his younger self. “[I] think, ‘oh god, I wish I had the confidence then to be different,’ or to say to the director, ‘You know, I wouldn’t mind maybe playing with this line, or just changing it up a bit’,” he admits. Although sometimes, he finds himself overthinking his roles, so “bringing it back to basics” helps. “[I use] my instincts, rather than trying to perform in a certain way, or trying to be a certain kind of actor.”

 

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When it comes to instincts, however, Game of Thrones is not known for its predictability. What makes the show so compelling is its medieval epic fantasy setting of Westeros, its complexity of countless intertwining narratives, its major cliffhangers, and fickle lifelines of even the most nuclear characters. So playing the role of Gendry from an instinctive standpoint is something that Dempsie admittedly found difficult, initially. On a show of such caliber, “you’re confronted with the reality that you’re a cog in a huge, huge machine, all of a sudden. And because of that, when you’re playing a character that’s not one of the core few, you get maybe a scene per episode, if you’re lucky, to explore your character. And you’re getting the information often at the same time as your character is. So, you don’t really have much scope to change things,” he explains.

 

Dempsie’s character on the show was initially a peripheral one, who went through a three-season-long hiatus, after which he resurfaced in a much more central role, leaving fans infinitely more curious about Gendry’s plotline, and his anticipated crucial role in the final season. But when he initially auditioned for the show, Gendry wasn’t even in the picture yet. The actor first auditioned for the parts of Jon Snow, Pip, and Grenn. “And with every [part] I didn’t get,” he shares, “I sort of convinced myself that they must think I’m terrible.” Then, when auditioning for Gendry, Dempsie thought “they’re probably just sick of the sight of me now.” Although he’s modest (“somewhere, somehow I managed to snag [the part],” he says) he still talks about how wrong for the part he thought he was at first. Neither his hair color nor his height or weight matched Gendry’s description. Moreover, during Gendry’s three-season-break, despite the writers reassuring Dempsie of his character’s return, the actor couldn’t help but worry.

 

“I just sat around watching reruns of seasons 1 and 2, crying,” he jokes. “[But], I am kind of realistic about all these things, and I feel like I’ve been in this business long enough now to understand how it works. I know that it’s a massive undertaking for David [Benioff] and Dan [Weiss] to try and weave all these various narrative strands together to be coherent, compelling, and satisfying.” And had Gendry not come back, “I would have been disappointed, but I would have totally understood,” he says, humbly. He partially credits the slightly “obsessive” nature of Game of Thrones fans, who by default, ensure that “every line, every scene, every frame is picked apart and analyzed,” verifying that no conspicuous loose ends are left untied.

 

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Of course, the tying up of loose ends will occur in the upcoming eighth and final season of the show. Though much fan speculation has occurred regarding Gendry’s plotline (specifically about his relationship with Arya, the identity of his mother, and most importantly, his claim to the Iron Throne), the show will indubitably hijack and refute any conceivable guesses of fans. “There are many different groups of people on a collision course now. And we’ll find out if they band together to fight this common enemy, or tear each other apart,” Dempsie discloses.

 

As for what awaits Gendry in the final season, it’s evident that this is going to be his biggest season yet. “When Sir Davos came and found him [at the end of season 7], he signed up for that ill-advised expedition beyond the wall, without asking any questions whatsoever,” explains Dempsie. “I think he felt like his world had been opened up by his experiences with Arya, and the information that Melisandre gave him. And then, he had to go back to keeping his head down and living an incredibly low-key existence. He had a taste of how exciting the world could be, and he was just looking for meaning, [with] this innate feeling that he was maybe destined to be part of something bigger, more important. [After being] confronted with the reality of what’s making its way down from beyond the wall, I think he’s got a lot of soul-searching to do. There’s no way out, and there’s not going to be any escape. But rather than being comfortable with what he has to face now, he’s probably more terrified. And that’s where we find him.”

 

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When asked about whether he resembled Gendry in any way himself, besides an inherent difference in blacksmith abilities (as Dempsie learned from having to take several lessons: “They tried to get me to make a leaf out of a squared-off rod of steel, and it looked awful. You wouldn’t give it to your worst enemy,” he laughs), the actor admires Gendry’s strong moral compass, compassion, and kindness. “I’d like to think that I am like that.”

 

The end of the Game of Thrones era is going to be a notable time for both fans and actors. But for Dempsie, April is also a big month for his other TV show, Deep State. “[It’s] good for me that I get to talk about these two things at the same time, and they’re two very different projects.” But outside of that, for the first time in a long time, his next acting endeavors are undetermined, which is something he’s very excited about. “Who knows what’s around the corner?”

 

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Deep State season 2 airs 28th April EPIX. The eighth and final season of the Emmy-winning HBO Original series GAME OF THRONES airs Sunday 14th April on HBO.

 

Check out some key looks from the John Varvatos Spring/Summer ’19 collection above.

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Berluti’s Beach Capsule Welcomes Spring

Get ready for beach weather with Berluti‘s new Beach Capsule Collection. Since joining the French label, former artistic director of Dior Homme Kris Van Assche is expanding the designer’s presence on fun seaside amenities including inflatable donuts, lounge chairs, paddles, towels, and more in festive neon hues, a departure from Van Assche’s dark design style. It’s a pop-goth collection of beach goods that looks like what a Tim Burton movie would look like in Miami.

 

The Berluti Beach Capsule collection is available online now.

 

 

 

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Kith x Russell Athletic Drop 96-Piece Collection

Kith has partnered with Russell Athletic to create an expansive 96-piece collection. Available in 4 separate shade variations — primary, overdyed, pastel and vintage — the hoodies, crewnecks, and t-shirts come in six different colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and black. To further emphasize the color story,  Kith is launching each individual color category in a different flagship store around the world, based on the personality of the location – overdyed in SoHo, primary in Brooklyn, pastel in Miami, and vintage in Los Angeles. Equally, in order to celebrate the launch of their new flagship location at Selfridges in London, all four collections will be available at Selfridges in limited editions of 100 each.

 

Kith x Russell Athletic is available in select stores and online now. Check out some of the looks below.

 

Images: Kith.

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Ultimate Italian Skin-Care Trifecta Arrives in the US

Beauty Made in Italy, a luxury Italian beauty platform that promotes its products in the US has just announced new skin-care additions by Perlier, Skin&Co Roma, and Jusbox — an ultimate trifecta of Italian skin-care.

 

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The newest addition to Perlier, a brand that is renowned for its ability to derive beauty products from the most natural sources on the planet, is the Olivarium Ultra Rich Body Butter, made with 100% Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Not only does it contain anti-aging serums, but it also nourishes the skin.

Skin&Co Roma, in turn, renowned for the private truffle farms the company owns, harvests the exquisite Black Winter Truffle – a product which contains every conceivable nutrient and antioxidant. Consequently, Skin&Co Roma has incorporated the Black Winter Truffle into their newest Truffle Therapy Radiant Dew Mist. The Mist is created to add a breath of fresh air to your skin, soothe, and protect it, while simultaneously balancing the necessary pH for healthy skin.

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Lastly, Jusbox completes the trifecta with their new line of luxury fragrances that are inspired by music. Never-before-seen in US stores, the Micro Love fragrance stems from the world-famous music of U2, as well as 90s musical technology in general. Both electric and melodic in its essence, Micro Love is very lightly apple-flavored. The serves as a nod at U2’s Zoo TV Tour, which was staged in support of their 1991 Achtung Baby record.

All three products are now available online on the brands’ individual websites.

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Moncler Opens New Lavish Boutique in Copenhagen

Moncler has unveiled a new flagship store in Copenhagen, located at Østergade Street 36-38. Spanning just over 1,770-square-feet, the store design was overseen by long-time brand partner Gilles & Boissier. The flagship embezzled with premium materials and a palette of lights, that fits right into the design capital. The store is also intermittently accentuated by a selection of French artist Cyprien Chabert‘s original pieces.

The men’s collection, located on the first floor, juxtaposes the light and dark paneling of Bardiglio grey and Carrara white marble, along with brass and black metal accents. Additionally, womenswear and children’s collections are displayed among white wood, light walnut, and light grey color accents. The final room is reserved specifically for Moncler Grenoble – Moncler’s sporting, skiing, and outerwear collection, which is highlighted by the flagship’s floor-to-ceiling windows and natural lighting.

The Moncler store is open now at Østergade Street 36-38. Check out some of the photos of the flagship below.

Images: Moncler.

 

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Please Dial 1-833-HELL-YES Helmut Lang

Helmut Lang is continuing their “Logo Hack” series as part of the Spring 2019 Jeans collection, in collaboration with New York-based Russian artist and author Slava Mogutin.

For the new capsule, inspired by the uniforms of construction workers and mechanics,  the artist incorporated another one of his works, “Stock Boyz” into the line of t-shirts, sweaters, and sheer nylons. In addition to a “Helmut Go-Go” logo redesign (which was created with Jan Wandrag), the clothing also features a playful graphic print reading 1-833-HELL-YES (1-833-4355-937), inviting fans of the brand to call and listen to a series of recorded messages from Mogutin himself.

The Helmut Lang “Logo Hack” collection is available in stores and online now. Check out photos of the collection below.

Images: Helmut Lang.

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Luca Guadagnino Directs Zegna’s S/S ’19 Campaign

Oscar-nominated Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino (of Suspiria and Call Me By Your Name fame) directed “All The World’s A Stage,” the latest component of Ermenegildo Zegna’s ‘Defining Moments’ campaign for Spring/Summer 2019. The campaign consists of three short films chronicling the lives of three men in their journey of self-discovery on the streets of Milan.

Luca Guadagnino tackles the issue of identity with Zegna’s latest collection. The international cast includes American actors Boyd Holbrook (Narcos) and André Holland (Moonlight), and Chinese actor and singer William Chan, who’s also the global face of Ermenegildo Zegna XXX. Holbrook portrays the freedom that comes with Zegna’s everyday casualwear, Holland depicts the Su Misura look, and Chan showcases the collection and the juxtaposition of high-end tailoring with the variety of streetwear.

The Defining Moments films, along with behind-the-scenes content, are now available on the Zegna website, as well as on all social platforms. Check out some photos below.

 

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Tom Dixon’s Big Fat American Tour Is Here

British interior designer Tom Dixon has embarked on the FAT American Tour, a tour of the US and Canada starting this month that will introduce essential pieces from this year’s collection. The collections will be on display in Portland, New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Austin, Seattle, Toronto, and finally Vancouver later this spring.

“All too often, we have shown our newness in America, months or even years after European launches – this time we want to completely reverse the equation and preview our top secret innovations in the New World first,” said Dixon. “These will be the latest objects for 2019 and live prototyping for 2020.”

Each stop along the tour features FAT furniture (the new molded-foam-made upholstery for seating), OPAL lighting (a line of translucent, tinted, while “Opalescent” polycarbonate Tom Dixon globes), as well as parties, talks, and lectures. The showcase is not only aimed at architecture and interior design professionals, but fans and friends alike. Furthermore, Swedish music tech company Teenage Engineering is partnering up with Dixon for the project – so the party aspect of the tour is certainly accounted for.

Check out some of the pieces from the Big Fat American Tour below.

Images: Tom Dixon.

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Hedi Slimane’s First Celine Store Opens on Madison Ave

The new Celine boutique on Madison Avenue in New York is spearheading the subsequent launch of Celine boutiques worldwide. Designed by creative director, Hedi Slimane, the concept store combines natural materials with a sculpture-like interior – natural stones, reclaimed oak, Roman lava stone flooring, and Bianco Raffaello marble establish an earthy yet industrial atmosphere. The retail space also features pieces by several contemporary artists, including British sculptor James Balmforth, Mexican artist and architect Jose Davila, Canadian visual artist Elaine Cameron Weir, and American artist Oscar Tuazon.

The Celine store is open now at 650 Madison Avenue, NY 10022. Check out some of the photos of the store below.

Images: Celine.

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Givenchy Releases its Line of TAG Bags

After first revealing them during the Spring/Summer 2019 collection, Givenchy just launched their TAG accessories collection for men, which includes three styles: the TAG Duffle (a small and compact duffle), the Bum bag (which can be worn as a cross-body, around the waist, or held as a pouch), and the Messenger bag (a perfect in-between for everyday settings, with a bottom handle). The three bags are currently available in black and white, each with contrasting “GIVENCHY” bold lettering – and an expanded range of color options will be released in the fall.

The Givenchy TAG collection is available in stores and online now.

Images: Givenchy.

 

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Ermenegildo Zegna NY Global Store

Ermenegildo Zegna’s New Global Flagship Lands in NYC

Ermenegildo Zegna just opened up its newest global flagship in New York City, located in the iconic Crown Building. Designed by Peter Marino, the world-famous architect and long-time collaborator with the brand, the Midtown store encompasses over 7000 feet of luxury over three floors. The store will also feature elaborate art installations which will change seasonally, and exclusively carries the new Taccuino capsule collection.

The ground floor displays a wide selection of leather goods and footwear, and the mezzanine level, which is decorated in light tones and pastel wallpaper, is emblazoned with luxury furnishings — including designer Gio Ponti‘s Dezza 24 leather armchairs, which were designed for Poltrona Frau (1965). On the third floor (which is accented by a blue-beige-white patterned carpet and Gardella lounge chairs) customers are immersed in the space that showcases Sartoria, Luxury Leisurewear, Couture, and a personalization room with a master tailor.

The store is open now at 4 West 57th Street, NY 10019. Check out some of the photos below.

Images: Ermenegildo Zegna.

 

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Kim Jones Re-Envision Dior’s Saddle Bag

Kim Jones, the current artistic director of Dior Men after a stint at Louis Vuitton, has reimagined the iconic Dior Saddle Bag for the men’s 2019 Summer collection. The bag first appeared at the women’s 2000 ready-to-wear show, quickly becoming a staple of the French house with its iconic saddle shape and nod to the world of equestrianism. Made in Florence, the newest leather bag is emblazoned with a jacquard strap (adorned with a “Christian Dior” signature inscription), as well as an industrial-style metal “CD” buckle – for which designer Matthew Williams (the man behind Alyx) was commissioned by Jones.

The Dior Saddle Bag is now available online. Watch the video below to find out more.