NO MORE I LOVE EWES
by flaunt
THEY GOT THE WRONG KINDS OF BARS IN THERE
If Bukowski were alive and a Californian photographer, we’d call him Anthony Lepore. Lepore is the type of sarcastic, jaded artist that inspires extreme reactions- in our case, a reaction of absolute adoration. Lepore is debuting his new series 'Bikini Factory' (aptly titled, considering it was shot entirely in his father’s bikini factory) at the Francois Ghebaly Gallery in L.A. this Sunday April 26.
CROCODILE P*SSY TEARS
The Chinese government, already overwhelmed by their continuous need to squash free speech, is now facing a new uprising from an unusual source: funerals. Apparently, it has become common practice for Chinese citizens to hire funeral strippers, in order to drive traffic to the deceased one’s interment. Aptly termed “mournography,” the practice is hardly a new phenomenon, however, since photos of a stripper-infused funeral began to circulate online, the government has decided to put an end to it once and for all.
JOT THIS DOWN, PIMP
Fashion is having a documentary moment. Following Dior and I, we now have The Artist Is Absent, a short film about the life and work of Belgian designer, Martin Margiela. The designer has been incredibly reclusive and low-profile throughout his career, refusing to be photographed, remaining backstage at his shows, and rarely acquiescing to interviews. All of which, of course, has made him even more alluring. The documentary premieres this week at the Tribeca Film Festival, and you can watch the trailer here.
HERMÈS HEIST
Turns out The Bling Ring was oddly prophetic. Six professional thieves made off with over a million dollars worth of Hermès purses this week. Approximately 500 of the costly handbags were stolen from a Parisian packaging facility, and as of now have still not been recovered. While this may mean a longer wait for those awaiting a Birkin, those willing to go through slightly less legal channels may get a hell of a deal.
HEY BOY, I LIKE YOUR STYLE
Why you standing over there with your face screwed up? Mark Grotjahn, a Los Angeles-based artist known for his thick layers of impasto paint and distorted facial features, will be exhibiting his latest collection of “face” paintings at Culver City’s Blum and Poe gallery starting on May 1. The fifteen large (50x40 inches) canvases are brightly colored and feature Picasso-esque elongated eyes and noses. The series will be on view until June 20.
I’LL INTRODUCE TO YOU MY EYES, MY LIPS, MY HAIR TOO
Looks like Sia has moved on from watching Dance Moms to the Victorias Secret Fashion Show. Her new muse is none other than supermodel Heidi Klum, who stars in Sia’s new video entitled, Fire Meet Gasoline. Klum frolics through green fields and romps around under the covers with Game of Thrones actor Pedro Pascal. If you can get over the image of Pascal (Oberyn Martell) having his eyes squashed out in GoT, the vid is pretty sexy. Watch it here.
KINKY COLLABS
If you’re looking to furtively pen your dirty thoughts, there’s an app for that. Kink allows writers to collaborate with each other (under pseudonyms, of course) in composing romantic/adult fiction short stories. Users can both socialize with each other and promote themselves within the app. But if you think you’ve got what it takes to write the next Fifty Shades of Grey, watch out: Kink has the exclusive right to use and profit from anything you publish on it, allowing individual or collaborative authors a 20% royalty of any money that might be made from their writing.
HARAJUKU BABY
We didn’t think anything could top Starbucks’ seasonal Pumpkin Spice Latte, but it turns out a Starbucks fashion show in Japan just did. The show was put on in honor of the new "Fruits-on-top-yogurt-Frappuccino®" and featured adorable models in high-fashion, taking cute little sips of what is sure to become the new Starbucks sensation. Tokyo designer Taro Horiuchi created the outfits and playfully incorporated the ingredients into his designs. You can watch the show and attendees thereof delightfully sipping on the new frappes here.
A BOY’S BEST FRIEND IS HIS MOTHER
The Bates Motel is most commonly known as a TV show or, to old timer Angelenos, perhaps as the seedy landmark that bears an eerie resemblance to the motel in Hitchcock’s Psycho. Now, however, the decaying building has been turned into a sparkling public art piece called Projection. French artist Vincent Lamouroux spray painted the entire building, as well as the palm trees surrounding it in eco-friendly, sparkling white. The installation will be open to the public for two weeks starting April 26, and the Bates Motel will be demolished this summer.
DINING IN PLACES WHERE ONLY WOMEN SERVE
Print isn’t dead, it’s just dying. Women’s Wear Daily, the 105-year-old iconic fashion newspaper, will no longer be releasing daily print issues. Rather, the institution has announced that they will be publishing articles 24/7 online, and will have a weekly print paper. Those hoping to pay homage to the end of a century of print fashion, can grab today’s paper, the last daily one that WWD will ever release.
NO FLEX ZONE
Kurt Cobain hasn’t been in the news this much since, well, his death. The latest, is that the Los Angeles apartment the musician shared with Courtney Love in the early ‘90s is now for rent on Airbnb. The one-bedroom is going for $290 a night and is located in the somewhat pricey Fairfax neighborhood. According the pics, the apartment has come a long way since the debauchery of Cobain and Love—a transformation that, though good for visitors looking for a charming place to stay, will surely make for a less “authentic” experience.
HUNDRED DOLLAR BILL FOR MY AUTOGRAPH
Beef between rappers is usually loud and uninhibited. But confusing, mercurial, surreal… these are not usually words we would attribute to such public displays of anger. That is, they weren’t until the release of Yung Thug’s latest album, Barter 6. Titled Carter 6 until just days before its release (following the threat of a lawsuit from Lil Wayne and an ironic Instagram post from Yung Thug about Lil Wayne), the album is an impressive, and ultimately wholly unique piece from the young rapper. Despite the influence its title might suggest, Barter 6 showcases Young Thug’s singular talent and aesthetic.
A DOUBLE NEGATIVE MAKES A POSITIVE
Pucker up, Burberry has released a new lip and cheek bloom to give you that outdoorsy flush. Don’t worry about frolicking through the fields of rural England to get a Lizzy Bennett-like rosy glow, though; Burberry has you covered. Famous for “bringing British back,” the brand’s makeup lines are as classic as its trenches—clean, understated, and timeless.
Curated by Elaina Ransford.