STORY: GABRIEL CHARLES TYLER, VERONICA ROZE

Elizabeth Harper, the front woman for Brooklyn-based synth-pop trio Class Actress, is no stranger to the music industry. The budding Pop star has been around the block before, releasing a self-titled solo debut in 2004. Although years have past and Harper has traded in her acoustic guitar for a synthesizer, she has not left behind her substance

When asked to describe her transition from acoustic songwriting to dance music, Harper said, “It wasn’t hard. It was sort of the whole system of self-discovery, where I grew up dancing to dance music, I grew up listening to Hip Hop… that was what I loved. Then, I had this weird depressing phase where I was listening to Elliot Smith, so I learned guitar by learning his songs.”

In the age of the Pop machine, mastering the acoustic element of her craft gave Harper the tools she needed to distinguish the group’s sound from watered-down Pop acts who know nothing about songwriting.

“I’m into Prince. I’m into fucking forreal songs, and so I wanted to learn how people wrote songs.”

“I’m not trying to put down a lot of modern artists, but it’s such a lot of bleeps and blops, and I’m not into that. I’m into songwriting. I’m into Prince. I’m into fucking forreal songs, and so I wanted to learn how people wrote songs. So you have to learn the Beetles and all of that stuff just to learn how that works, and that’s how I transitioned,” Harper said.

Class Actress consists of Harper and producers/keyboardists Scott Rosenthal and Mark Richardson. Harper and Richardson crossed paths in 2009, transforming her previous guitar-based sound into a more synth-driven one, which consequently became Class Actress. Soon after, Rosenthal joined the group, and the trio released their debut EP, Journal of Ardency, on February 9, 2010 on Grizzly Bear member, Chris Taylor’s Terrible Records label. Like most things in Harper’s life, the name for the group’s debut EP just came about. “I was sitting in my friend’s art studio, and we were talking about who we were dating and I said, ‘So, who’s next in your journal of ardency?’ It was just a quip that came off the top of my tongue,” Harper said. Whether she wanted it to or not, Harper could not deny that Brooklyn influenced the sound of Journal of Ardency.

“Brooklyn helped. I hate to say it, but really I feel like I got caught in the zeitgeist and I’m really grateful for it.”

Harper moved to Brooklyn right at the end of the “Yeah Yeah Yeahs/Interpole phase,” and she admits she wanted to leave because she thought it was dead. However, a chance meeting with Richardson changed her mind. “I didn’t like a lot of the producers I was working with because they were sort of technical based, and I saw his band and he was dressed really cool,” Harper said. Harper admits it was Richardson’s look that first caught her attention.“He had a vibe about him that was quintessential. I thought this guy, no style is going to touch him, nothing’s going to touch him,” Harper said.

It is no surprise Class Actress’s debut studio album, Rapprocher, released on October 18, 2011 by Carpark Records, features a sound much unlike Journal of Ardency. Harper wanted to make the Pop music she had grown up loving. “It was a DIY Pop scene. We all wanted to make the music we grew up listening to. The ‘90s was N*Sync and Britney Spears, so we grew up listening to Pop, Pop, Pop,” Harper said.

Rapprocher is a capital-P pop album, and unapologetically so. On the album cover, Harper lies on white sheets, making seductive love faces to the camera’s lenses — it draws you in, just like the raw sexuality of the album’s tracks. “I think with Rapprocher, I wanted to be kind of less bookish because I was trying not to be so cutesy and clever. I was trying to make it more straightforward, but I think with the next record I might go back to my roots and take things a little darker,” Harper said.

Harper’s voice just fits with the synthesizer, especially on stage — as a ‘80s baby, she’s drawn to its sound. “The synthesizer in the ‘80s was the disgruntled youth, folk instrument. It was like in the ‘60s, how people had guitars and decided to sing about what they didn’t like. The ‘80s had the synthesizer,” Harper said.

Harper almost seems to have an old soul — she loves donning vintage furs. “I inherited a lot of them from my grandmother. I do have a lot of fur coats, and I hate to perpetuate the idea of fur because I think it’s disgusting. But I can’t help but love my vintage furs because I’m from California and I always wanted to wear coats, but I had to always wear a fucking bikini everyday because I was growing up in LA,” Harper said.

And, like the old soul she is, Harper does not shy away from the Madonna comparisons — she welcomes them. “God I love Madonna,” Harper said. “She has this quote, where she’s like, ‘I’m tough, I’m ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay.’”

www.twitter.com/classactress

www.soundcloud.com/classactress

Take Me Out: Chicago from Lynnette Astaire on Vimeo.

photo: Ashley Sky Walker

STORY: DIAMOND DIXON

The Elizabeth, NJ native has been non-stop in the fashion industry since 2005 with an innovative high-end menswear line along with a street wear line known for its vibrant and conceptual designs. He also recently collaborated with liquor brand Crown Royal Black where he designed a series of luxury bags for their 2011 marketing campaign.

Up next is the Panty Raiders. The Panty Raiders project was first introduced in his 2007 collection, Wood Valley High.

Panty Raiders Varsity jackets and hats

Although Panty Raiders was not a success back then, Wood decided to re-launch it in last year’s Spring ‘11 collection, Because We Feel Like It, which is described as “all about being care-free, fun, wild, and having an rebellious lifestyle.” It was a hit. Brian admits, “When we first released Panty Raiders, it was looked at a little odd and now it is embraced by women and embraced by a lot of people…it did very well.” Brian says that he is aiming for Panty Raiders to be a movement and with every release there will be a good message behind it. Brian’s never been one to leave the ladies hanging; he collaborated with Silivio Liu in 2010, a women’s evening wear house, doing double duty as designer and creative director.

“style comes through yourself, when you know who you are as a person you will find your style.”

(left) From Silivio Liu collection, (right) Lynnette Astaire in Silivio Liu

With such a resume, you would think Brian was blessed with perpetual swag, but the designer admits that he was definitely not a trendsetter back in high school. “I think if you see Brian Wood now you see a trendsetter,” Wood affirms. When asked what advice he would give to those looking to discover their own personal style, he encourages, “be yourself,” and promising that “it comes to you over time.” He continues “style comes through yourself, when you know who you are as a person you will find your style.”

Wood finally found his style while attending Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York where he learned everything he knows about the fashion industry and credits the college in paving the road to success. “I went into Pratt knowing nothing, nothing about fashion, nothing about the industry, nothing about anything,” he insists. But by graduation he had a number of new talents under his belt including creative thinking and most importantly — the idea of designing clothes that people want. Knowledge is power according to Brian and “If you want to get into this industry, go for it, but do it the smart way. Get educated, go to school, if you don’t go to school, take classes, if you don’t take classes, intern somewhere!”

Brian Wood collection

Brian’s talent doesn’t stop at designing garments and attractive t-shirt designs. He artist also has his sights set on film. “Filming is something that I’ve always wanted to do,” he says. He’s already done a few film projects including a horror short and would like to direct music videos in the future

For now though, Brian has his eye on the fashion prize and is navigating the best way to it. With any career there are challenges and obstacles to get through and Brian admits that financing has definitely been a challenge. “I am a self-financed company in a tough industry with a lot of competition,” Wood says. For what Brian lacks in capital he has made up for it with a loyal team which includes David Milliman and brand manager Joseph Hayes. “It’s all about the connection you have with people,” he says

For anyone with their sights set on the fickle fashion industry, Brian has two words: determination and consistency. “You have to deliver, people think that it’s easy…consistency is a very important thing,” he insists. “Determination is having that drive and having a love for it; you have to have love for the industry….it’s tough.” When asked if he has any dark times during his career he admits, “I cannot lie I have had definitely had dark times. I am a semi-dark person. If you look into my collection you can definitely see that”.

Nevertheless, the future looks bright for Mr.Wood; it’s all love for the thriving designer. “Know about the business and once you get that feel for it and if you love it go for it. It’s about believing in yourself and being educated.”

www.brianwoodonline.com

www.twitter.com/brian_wood_

In L.A? Stop by the Panty Raider pop up shop on Melrose with special guests Ninjasonik

January 26th 7-11PM

7665 Melrose, Los Angeles

Shop Soner On

Richie Rich, 2011
7 x 10″, 36 pgs
Offset printed
Edition of 500

$20

Shop Yoox

Download the app from the iTunes store for $2.99 USD.

STORY: NICOLE BRIGGS

Crybaby Presents is the brainchild of childhood friends and fellow RISD graduates Dakota Salt and Lisa Ziven. Estranged after graduation, the ladies were reunited when Dakota attended Lisa’s holiday party in Los Feliz. Their rekindled friendship has resulted in a much-needed addition to L.A.’s predictable retail and artist community.

Crybaby is a permanent travelling installation of art and design that will change locations each season. Their present home is at 171 S. La Brea, a hop and skip from niche shops like Union, Undefeated, and American Rag Cie. The clothing and accessories are undoubtedly hip and fresh from brands like All For The Mountain, Postalco and Wood Wood. Everything in the minimal space has its pulse on design and art with Areaware dinner plates by Jason Miller and original works by artists Leo Fitzpatrick, Adam Marnie, Glen Baldridge, and Kevin Zucker.

Design is a huge part of the aesthetic with custom built racks and furniture by designers The Haas Brothers, Sean Fabi and Maxim Jezek. You learn something too as I had never heard of “Touchables” until I saw and felt Jesse Greenberg’s assorted hand-held sculptures in different sizes made of plastic, foam, and rubber.

The aura of the Crybaby Presents shop is warm as Dakota and Lisa work the room themselves and share their product knowledge and overall vision with anyone that visits. They are a duo that wears many creative hats even producing their own line available in the store. The shop will make its move February 2012, bittersweet news leaving you sad but excited at what they will curate next. The ladies are committed to presenting something fresh and new always and that is nothing to cry about.

Crybaby Presents

171 South La Brea Avenue

Los Angeles, CA

323-936-0334

www.crybabypresents.com

$140 Shop Leaders

Pear Tree

Campo de Encanto Pisco
Pimm’s
Roasted pear and sage puree
Fresh lemon
Brown sugar
Gruet Blanc de Noir

Blackbird Orange

Current incantation is a version of a Bishop, which is a seasonal red wine punch
Rioja
New Orleans Cajun Spiced Rum
Clementine Juice
2009 vintage Rare Tea Cellars Sicilian Blood Orange Tea
Simple syrup
Fresh lime

Holly & Ivy

Beefeater Gin
Slow cooked cranberries
Chinese five spice
Egg white
Fresh lime