ANDREW SPEER

T-Shirt by J. Crew | Jeans by Levis | Underwear by Versace

In 2013, Speers and his business partners Ryan Hopkins and Albert Matheny, opened Soho Strength Lab in order to help others find their inner Olympian, and since then the facility has become the headquarters for Manhattan’s elite to train and strengthen. Speers now spends his time training his private clients, running Soho Strength Lab, and is one of New York’s Top fitness models with Wilhelmina Models working for brands such as Adidas, Under Armour, and Saks Fifth Avenue. We caught up with Andrew in-between training sessions to discuss training and the fitness.

What is your educational background in regards to personal training?

I actually studied Marine biology at University of Miami, so I was always interested in science. I put that science background towards training after college when I dove into education through certification courses, seminars, and books. Currently I am a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and SFG Level 1 kettlebell Instructor. I have also been certified as a Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA), a USA weightlifting Level 1 coach, an RKC-1 kettlebell instructor and Martin Rooney’s Training for Warriors Level 1 instructor.

What is your favorite part about training others?

Being able to coach, guide, and motivate someone to reach their goals, overcome barriers, and have an “aha!” moment. Clients have different goals whether it’s a rope climb, a marathon, or reaching a certain body fat percentage. The common ground is achieving something you once thought out of reach. When I see the look of “I did it!” or “ohhhh, that’s how you do it!” on someone’s face, THAT is my favorite part!

Did you have this athleticism from birth, or was it not until later that you discovered your passion?

I was a competitive gymnast from age 6 to 16. I wrestled and ran track in high school, and then went on to compete for University of Miami in the pole vault, so I’ve been involved in sports my whole life. Throughout my athletic career I always loved being the leader and motivator on the team. I may not have been the best athlete, but I always found a way to push myself and my teammates during practice. That attitude carried over into life as I was training friends and family members just because I loved it, then I began my journey as a personal trainer. I was a skinny, awkward looking kid growing up and I found solace and belonging in sports. I wasn’t the football quarterback by any means, but I excelled in unique sports which gave me the confidence I needed growing up.

Jeans by Levis | Underwear by Versace

Who did you look up to growing up?

I definitely looked up to my gymnastics coaches as well as Olympic gymnasts and later Olympic track athletes like Sergei Bubka and Micheal Johnson. Ricky Henderson was my favorite baseball player because he was so fast.

How would you help a client who has very little athletic experience? What’s a good way to get started?

The best was to get started is to get help from a professional. A good trainer can assess you and identify imbalances and weaknesses and outline a strategy or program to reach your goals. Having a plan is crucial for getting a healthy, fit body as soon as possible.

If a trainer is not an option for you, then find a friend to begin your journey with. Accountability is key. And set achievable goals. Going from working out zero days a week to five days a week leaves a huge margin for failure to meet that goal. Start with one or two days at the gym. Do this for a month or two, then add more once it’s part of your routine.

What are three areas of focus that a trainee should know in their journey to a perfect body?

1) Movement quality – This means adequate mobility, flexibility, and coordination to move in life and the gym with confidence and without pain.

2) Strength – This is a relative term for each individual. Getting stronger in a few basic movements (squatting, pull ups/ row, push ups) will be able to carryover to every other aspect of health and fitness.

3) Aerobic base / Conditioning – Challenging your cardiovascular system at varying durations and intensities is crucial for a well balanced body. Don’t over do it with the cardio, do at least 1 strength or movement workout for every cardio session.

Obviously, getting a body you are proud of is more than just exercise, what dieting advice do you give to your clients?

I’ll keep this simple: Drink more water – 2 liters a day. Eat more vegetables – 5-6 handful size servings. Eat more protein
– 3-4 handful size servings. Eat more healthy fats – Coconut, avocado, olive oil, fish oil. Eat 1- 3 servings of clean carbohydrates ( potatoes, rice, whole grain). Eat less (or none) processed sugars, wheats, foods. Avoid processed carbohydrates, added sugars, and drinks with sugar. This includes fruit juices, even the fancy organic ones, it’s still liquid sugar! This is a good place to start. Again, keep it simple. Focus on what you CAN eat, not what you cannot.

What is it about training and working out that gets you excited, inspires you, and keeps you coming to SSL everyday?

Any type of physical challenge inspires me. Physical expression is a huge part of my life. As a kid i climbed trees, went cliff jumping into rivers and lakes and found every opportunity to be active. This desire has stayed with me my whole life. Being active and challenging physical barriers builds my confidence. As I get older I am more conservative with how I challenge myself, as overall health and well being are my priority.

Have you had any great success stories in training?

Sure, I’ve had a client lose over 30lbs of fat and gain 15lbs of muscle during our time together. One client smash hit a personal record in an Iron Man Triathalon. One of my clients has run several marathons, to raise awareness for her non-profit, improving race after race. I’ve trained models for huge photoshoots with great success. Many male clients have dropped to single digit body fat percentages while maintaining lean muscle and great physiques. My DVD The Anarchy Workout has many great success stories, I am incredibly proud of those people who self motivate and workout at home and see these amazing results. I’ll tell you that the small successes you make every day are the best. Success isn’t made overnight. Watching someone day after day putting in the work, the small steps towards the end goal is the biggest success for me.

What do you have in store for the future of Soho Strength Lab?

SSL is growing and will have a new larger space in 2017. Our training team is second to none and our elite client list is growing daily. We look forward to continuing our mission to provide the best physical training experience possible.

How does Soho Strength Lab differ from any other gym?

SSL is a unique space in downtown Manhattan with the highest quality personal training in a fun and dynamic atmosphere. We curate every program specifically to each client. We have room to move, jump, climb and run. We have an excellent Olympic lifting area where you can drop big weights if that’s your thing. SSL can handle any situation from post surgery to high performance. Every member of our teams loves coaching, motivating and lives the embodies the physical lifestyle.

Underwear by Versace

YAYOI KUSAMA

Born in 1929 in Matsumoto, Japan, and coming of age during the dev- astation of World War II, Yayoi Kusama began her formal training in traditional Japanese-style painting (nihonga) at the Kyoto Municipal School of Arts and Crafts in 1948. Feeling constrained by the conser- vatism of mainstream art in Japan, she departed for New York City in 1957, where she became amongst the foremost innovators of her generation. Often associated by critics with both Pop and Minimalist currents in the 1960s, she broke down boundaries between traditional studio practices, performance, and installation art through her radi- cal command of space and her direct engagement with her audiences. Kusama returned to Japan in 1973. While choosing to live in seclusion, Kusama maintains her studio in Tokyo, where she continues to write and make art.

Recently named one of TIME magazine’s “100 Most Influential People,” Kusama has worked in an expansive array of media since the 1950s, including painting, drawing, sculpture, film, performance art, and design. Her infinity rooms—environments lined with mirrors that confound viewers’ perception of spatial limits—are among her most beloved works, and are the focus of the exhibition, Kusama: At the End of the Universe. Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity, is an intimate space illuminated by an array of golden lights that ignite and then fade into darkness. Viewers enter and stand in the center of the room, find- ing themselves enveloped by a seemingly infinite horizon and then confronted by an equally infinite void. This newly acquired piece by the MFAH, reflects the artist’s fascination with the intangible, while Love Is Calling emonstrates Kusama’s engagement with our physical

environment. Love Is Calling greets viewers who pass through the room with glowing, tentacle-like forms that shoot up from the floor and hang down from the ceiling, covered in the artist’s signature polka dots, these soft sculptures constantly change color. Further amplifying the experience is a sound recording of Kusama’s voice as she recites a love poem in Japanese, which echoes through the installation. The exhibition is also supplemented by one of Kusama’s monumental yel- low and black polka-dotted fiberglass pumpkins, which will welcome visitors at the entrance to the gallery.

“We’re especially thrilled to welcome Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity to its permanent home so swiftly following its acquisition this spring,” said MFAH director Gary Tinterow. “This exhibition will offer visitors to the Museum this summer a chance to experience its magic for the first time, in contemplative counterpoint to the exuber- ance of Kusama’s Love Is Calling.”

– Louis Liu

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
1001 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77005 (713) 639-7300

Love Is Calling, 2013, wood, metal, glass mirrors, tile, acrylic panel, rubber, blowers, lighting element, speakers, and sound, courtesy of David Zwirner, New York

Following spread: Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity, 2009, wood, metal, glass mirrors, plastic, acrylic paint, LED lighting system, and water, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by the Caroline Wiess Law Accessions Endowment Fund.

Image © Yayoi Kusama. Courtesy of David Zwirner, New York.

BY THE SEA

Jacket, Sweater, Pants and Shoes by Billy RiedShirt and Jacket by MissoniTurtle Neck, Dress Shirt, Pants and Shoes by PradaJacket and Shirt by Dior HommeTurtle Neck, Dress Shirt, and Jacket by PradaJacket, T-Shirt, Pants, and Sandals by Coach 1941Sweater by Billy ReidJacket, Tank Top, Pants, and Boots by John VarvatosShirt and Pants by Canali | Sneakers by Billy Ried

Photography by Chad Davis

Styling by Marc Sifuentes | Art Direction by Louis Liu | Grooming by Bruce Dean @ Wilhelmina using Mac Cosmetics on Skin and Aquage for Hair | Casting and Production by XTheStudio | Model Adrian John Hurtado @ The Lions

PAT CLEVELAND

Dress by Alexander Wang Ring | Earrings by Sarina Suriano

She is a woman who has danced with Dietrich and Warhol, was a muse to the genius Yves Saint Laurent, became a favorite to photographers Irving Penn and Richard Avedon, and was one of the first African American models to walk the runways in Paris. Pat Cleveland is an icon that has the same vivacious, exuberant spirit that helped build a career which has spanned over five decades.

To call her simply a model would not do her justice. She is a star. Former Vogue editor-at- large Andre Leon Talley once called her “the first black supermodel, the Josephine Baker of the international runways!”. Even with all the fame, traveling the world, dancing on tables, and living the glamorous life with an eccentric and famous crew of famous friends. A tour through the South modeling for Ebony Fashion Fair, exposed her to the nation’s racial divide on a first hand account. Confrontations with the Ku Klux Klan, and later with the American fashion industry’s incessant bigotry, led Pat to flee to Paris where she soon became the house model for Karl Lagerfeld. Since then, she has traveled the world, shot with some of the biggest names in history, was a fit model at the atelier of Christian Dior, and immortalized the colorful characters of her life via her new memoir, Walking with the Muses.

What is it about the fashion industry and modeling that inspires you and gives you passion for the work?

Fashion gives you an open runway, like a runway for an airplane. You get ready to take off and go to another world with all these people that you meet. The designers and all the visionaries, like the photographers who are so technically talented, they make you look better than you could ever imagine.

Can you tell us how you first started working for big designers like Halston?

Halston was one of the first designers to see me in a fashion show in Chicago, and I did not know who he was at the time.. He was introduced to me by Stephen Burrows, the designer, and he told me, “that’s someone you should know and work for” but who knew he would become what he became. It was the green part of his career, the early beginnings and luckily enough I was there. He was so gorgeous, so confident, and such a gentleman. To be with him in a room he would give you confidence about yourself by just being in his presence. And there I was, right off the Fashion Fair, and Stephen Burrows introduced me to Halston. Jump to sitting there with the other ladies in his New York salon on 68th street. The Getty’s and the Berenson’s and all these amazing people like Naomi Sims and Elsa Peretti and Anjelica Huston.

Dress by Reem Acra | Earrings and Bracelet by Sarina Suriano

What part did the late Yves Saint Laurent play in your career?

He was so important and so young and so beautiful and such a free spirit and untouchable by many. He was so playful, and to my career he was everything an artist should be because he could teach you how to totally evaporate yourself and be in that space of being in love with something other than yourself. He was friends with my friends, like Antonio Lopez, and it was like a big love fest and we would go out and dance all night. Everybody was young and gorgeous and free. It was like a big flirtation, and I was just thrown in there like a sandwich with the boys floating along with the rest of the swans.

What was it like to be a fit model for the legendary couturiers of Paris?

Being pinned into couture…what an honor! Now there is a whole new way of producing things, with everything done by computers. But the draping! If you can see a couturier drape a dress, then you have gotten to the art of fashion. It’s like a dance you can see them throw the fabric and I remember seeing Halston doing that and Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent. Like one time I saw Halston taking a bolt of fabric and just throwing across the floor and just start cutting into it rapidly. He just worked out of faith, he just knew it was going to be good. The confidence they had was important.

What were those first fashion shows like for you?

It was a different time. We used to walk down the salon with cards with numbers in our hands so clients would know what dress to order. He had jazz bands play music, but it wasn’t like the big shows they have now; it was the beginning. I mean, the big show was the Fashion Fair and we had commentary like, “This is a sensuous woman walking down, imagine having this outfit from Dior” or something like, “Imagine yourself in this Valentino, wearing this to your debutante ball”.

Dress by Joanna Mastroianni | Fur by Georgine | Earrings by Sarina Suriano

Do you remember the change in the production value as in the runway shows from what you described to what they are today?

Well, I think Hollywood had a lot to do with it. The director Busby Berkeley, putting on a show, being in America, the funky sounds and music and dancing, and this crazy time started exploding in every culture. I remember going to Paris and it was just a small room full of socialites and countesses and princes sitting in a beautiful salon having tea and looking at us models in the dresses and touching the fabrics. Back then the music was setting the pace and they got the black girls to move to the music and then you HAD to move. I started dancing like a dancer on the runway and then the audience would feel good and it was contagious.

In your book you describe your first big fashion experience with the Ebony Fashion Fair and you talk about the traumatic experiences with racism in the South. How did that affect you?

Thank you for asking that question. I think it’s just a divide of narrow mindedness when people are not well educated. I think that was a time when people had a lot of fear because social things were changing. There were some very well educated black people who were coming up and getting these wonderful jobs and they were the audience of the Fashion Fair. Doctors and judges and professors and other affluent black people who were donating money to send black youth to college. That was the whole reason for the Fashion Fair. Mrs. Johnson (co-founder of Ebony magazine) would go off to Europe and, being a black woman, she was not even allowed to come in and buy the couture! She spent large, large amounts of money in these design houses and they finally had to let her in, and she brought all that fashion back from Europe. She introduced the masses to the type of high quality garment that would just knock your eyes out! Paris was couture; that’s where real fashion started. We were the wild, up-and-coming couturiers of America.

All of the young designers no longer had to sit there and dream about one day being in Paris because Paris came to them! I was wearing Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Christian Dior, Balmain all the french designers and I wore those clothes for a nineteen city Fashion Fair tour, on a bus, hungry, at night, being chased by the Ku Klux Klan. Watching my beautiful innocent self grow thorns, because of the behavior of the people that I thought were stars. I saw a lot, but all of it helped me toughen up. That’s where I learned to walk the runway, by doing those Fashion Fair shows. We had this wonderful jazz musician and in between shows we would dance while he played the piano and that’s how I started developing my walk. A lot of the time it was a small venue that we showed in with all of those elegant clothes. And the ladies that came dressed so beautifully with their fur stoles and their gloves and their church hats. They were marvelous people it was a wonderful experience.

With Yves Saint Laurent backstage after his show, 1972. Afterward, we went to the top of the Effel Tower. Courtsey of Roxanne Lowit.

How did you first get the inspiration to get on that Fashion Fair bus and start modeling at 15?

My mother and I were just going along on that bus like a band. I was just happy to get out of the house! It was so astonishing, like an answered calling. My mom said “you can be a model” and I loved Colleen Corby, Donyale Luna, Veruschka. The big models. I just thought, “who me?” I just wanted to be a designer or a painter. I used to walk around with my hair sticking out and no makeup on, and my mom used to say, “If you don’t put on any eyeliner you’re going to die an old maid!” and boy did I rush to put that eyeliner on. The first time I did, I got discovered in the subway. I had my homemade clothes on and I was looking good and someone saw it. I must have been like a lighthouse or something reaching out for help like “HELP! I DON’T WANT TO DIE AN OLD MAID!!” (laughs)

Before you were a model you were designing your own clothes and it was partly for that reason you were discovered on the subway in New York. Who was the person that discovered your designs?

It was Carrie Donovan’s (Editor at Vogue) assistant at the time, she was from London. I guess she had a different kind of eye. It was Vogue’s own boutique and they discovered me, and I started designing for them and Henri Bendel and Tiger Moss. I started making clothes when I went back to school and selling them and I did very well. I got my first picture in Vogue as a designer double page spread thanks to Carrie Donovan.

It is not every day that a young black girl from Harlem becomes a legendary supermodel, what would you a credit this amazing success to?

It’s not you by yourself, it’s the people that love you, that put you there. It’s those love stories of what their vision is and when you arrive, that’s the story. I was blessed to arrive at the right time for who I am and what I am. (whispers) Actually I think it all happened for me because I looked just like this boy that used to be a drag queen and since they couldn’t use him for Vogue they used me instead. But nowadays I wouldn’t stand a chance because they would actually just use the guy. (laughs) So that was my good fortune.

Photos taken by Antonio lopez, images curtercy of Mao PR.

How did you get your first meeting with Avedon? What was it like to work with him?

I remember I tried to get a meeting with him and I couldn’t so I just went straight into his studio. I was met by a secretary that said, “LEAVE right now, who sent you up here?”. That’s when I first started going around and trying to get meetings. Then by chance I started working with him through editors who booked me as a model for Vogue. At first it was just simple things like stockings. Then he took notice and he asked if he could photograph me, and he did photograph me for Vogue. Oh, one time he even invited me into the darkroom to watch him develop and process film! I was in school taking photography classes and I got to experience him working in the dark room, and I saw the magic that he did when he was developing and processing. I wasn’t the girl next door; I was too exotic. But he would still use me as much as he could and we would travel to far locations like TV commercials in Japan where they wouldn’t need the typical girl next door, but someone more like me. So we became friends and my agent at the time was good friends with him so he would invite us to his home. Then I moved to Paris and I didn’t see him that often. So many people didn’t like me or told me I couldn’t model for certain magazines but that was ok because if you don’t have the challenge you’re not going to be the best horse in the race.

You have a quote that says, “That flaw is your best feature”, can you tell us more about what that means to you?

It’s always that you have to find a some kind of something, for me I guess it was my bow legs and fuzzy hair that gave me that walk and gave me something to flit around with like butterfly wings. It may not work now, but back then people were intrigued like “oh what’s that? Let’s fix it up!” I was like an ostrich with no feathers and then they glued them on me.

In this issue of Iris Covet Book we also have a feature on photographer Irving Penn. Could you tell us about your first experince working with him?

My first big time picture in Vogue was with Irving Penn. I wasn’t exactly sure of who he was but I knew he was a Vogue photographer and I came into the studio and they said now go downstairs and wait. So I went downstairs and there was a big room with a big white block in the middle of the floor. He came into the room and he says “go sit on the block” and so I sat on the block and I started figiting like crazy and he says “can you sit still please” because you know I move a lot. But he taught me a lot with just sitting still. He said ok now I just want you to use your eyes and look over there and look at something. I was watching a bug crawl down the wall and I was watching it and he screams “That’s it! That’s it! You got it!” and I was like, well I’m just looking at this bug on the wall. We worked a lot together, he photographed me a lot. I guess it’s because I learned how to sit still. (laughs)

The artist Richard Bernstein created this cover for Andy Warhol’s interview magazine July 1972 issue. from a photograph taken by Berry Berenson. Courtesy of BMP Holdings, LLC

Throughout your long career as a model, can you tell us about one of your most memorable shoots?

One time with Guy Bourdin, I was in England out in the middle of the North Sea in January, nude and painted blue, and he had me balancing on this little stand in the water in the freezing cold and I had to do a physical thing where I stretched out like a swimmer while balancing on my stomach on a little thing the size of ipad so you wouldn’t see it. The entire team was on the beach and I was the only one out in the water freezing and waiting and where was he? He was the only one not there.

He was known for showing up on set and just taking one photograph, but he would show up so late and you would be there waiting and waiting. I think the only reason I was able to hold that stretching pose for so long is because I was frozen in that position! That was for Max Factor and they ended up never using the picture.

Andy Warhol was also a fixture in your career and in New York City at the time, what was it like to be friends with such an interesting and famous man and his Factory group?

My god he came out of that world where he took things and just made it his own. I asked him once, “how come you always draw those soup cans?” and he said, “because my mom abandoned me once in the grocery store and I was hungry and I just remember seeing soup cans.” So I guess it had meaning for him. And then pop, there you go! Pop goes the weasel and the weasel goes pop. He took everyone along with him for the ride and all of these people were hungry to be stars and he’d say “Let’s make art!” No one really knew us at the time. Then we started growing and everybody started getting famous and then we were superstars.

We even had Marlene Dietrich in the mix. Going over to her house to give her clothes. Oh, and Karl (Lagerfeld) made her lingerie and he decided to give it to me so I wore it out to go dancing one night. When we walked into the club, everyone stood up to look at us and my dress got caught on something, and I put my arms up to get loose, and then I was nude just wearing a feathered g-string and the champagne was popping, and we were in Paris, and we were stars! We were a gang; we had the latin beat. We were Americans!

Dress by Zach Posen | Earrings by Sarina Suriano

With so many great stories to tell, why did you choose to write your memoirs now?

Because everybody is torturing me “When are you doing that book? You’ve been writing it since you began a hundred years ago!” I said, “Well you know I’m a turtle.” I always thought, “It’s not ready.” Writing became nice and juicy and greasy and I didn’t have time to draw because drawing takes time so I started scribbling words. Then the words turned into sound which became like poetry which was my first book. I started writing these stories about myself from my diaries, and I took all my information and I had like fifteen boxes with thousands of pages of writing which is not in the book. Would you take a giant piece of marble from southern Italy and just put it up there as art? No, you gotta chisel away at it! So I kept on chiseling away until finally I realized I needed some help to chisel. Then everything came into place thanks to the universe and I got an agent and a publisher, Simon and Schuster, which I felt so comfortable with.

Can you describe to us how editing down all of your memories and giving voice to your life experiences was for you?

It’s like a dream come true God says “just do it!” and you start doing it. You’re up at night and you’re writing and you ask yourself “Why am I doing this? Who even cares?” and then you know what you start to care about? The people you write about in your own stories. I was like, “hey wait a minute. That person really meant something to me and they are not on this planet anymore; I better leave something about them!” You know it’s not always just about the most famous people, it’s also about the people who definitely did step into your life even if it was for a moment but made you realize something. So I heard voices and I wrote it down because that’s what you do when you write. You listen and you allow it to happen and that’s why I did it. For the experience. The process of writing in that way has been quite a gift to me because now I know how to do it. I didn’t know before; it’s like learning to walk.

Dress by Alexander Wang | Ring and Earrings by Sarina Suriano

So now do you feel you’ve told your whole story?

That one is done, but now I have the fever and I’ve got a lot more to give. I don’t know what direction it’s going to go in yet, but I like to try new things out. Oooooh, what I’m going to do next! Ooooooh, I can’t even tell you!

What do you think is the key to your longevity?

Health. Your friends, they give you a lift up. I guess sometimes this kind of longevity thing it is so strange. I guess it’s just the time. People want to live longer and they feel that your stories are important and want to know things “How do you this? How should I do that”, and I’m a storyteller right now. And I’m like, “Hey if I can survive the wear and tear, YOU can do it too!” I don’t know everything, but I’m finding out.

What was one of your favorite things about writing this book?

Words are very precious, and reading stimulates you because you get to see things maybe nobody can imagine. When you read something you’ll see it your way and hopefully you’ll see it my way too. So I hope people enjoy my words. Everyone has been so supportive of me writing this book. I think it’s just like the good o’days when we would jump up and have some fun and show off and do stuff. I’m still the same person, you know. I just want to recreate a little bit of now. (laughs) recreate now. Isn’t that kind of what we all are doing? Recreating now?

What part did you play in your daughter Anna becoming a model?

It’s not like she didn’t do it when she was 10 days old. When she was 10 days old she had the duchess of windsors pearls in her mouth that I was wearing around my neck which the editor said “let her swallow those pearls and let’s go to Brazil” I said, “No way this baby is 10 days old!” She traveled with me and my son and husband and she got to see the inner-workings of the industry from early on.

What is some of the best advice you would give anyone entering the fashion industry?

On the way up is on the way down (laughs) This industry is like a trampoline. Who do you think you are bouncing up? You’re going to bounce down too, you know.

Do you feel the same now as you did in your 20’s?

Oh yeah, just a different kind of horny! (laughs)

Dress by BreeLayne

Photography by Johnny Vicari | Styling by Marc Sifuentes | Art Direction by Louis Liu | Interview by Marc Sifuentes

JEAN-PAUL GOUDE

Slave to the Rhythm, New York, 1986

Jean-Paul Goude worked for Esquire Magazine as their art director for 7 years, collaborated with the ultra-fabulous Grace Jones to make her the creative genius and superstar she is now, and most recently has been credited with the infamous spread and cover for Paper Magazine’s story on Kim Kardashian titled “Break the Internet”. Goude’s work has become synonymous with an extreme attention to detail, drama, and art and has given rise to countless influential and famous photographers and designers today. Culture and style has always been at the forefront of his artistic philosophy, and it is clear that his work has become a whole niche of culture and style in its own right. Goude’s language and imagination teleport us into a world of color, vibrancy, light, and surrealism that can only be described as magical. Each of Goude’s images are cloaked in a mystery, sensuality, and emotion that resonates with the viewer and marks his art as undeniably modern, even futuristic. On view now at Milan’s Padiglione di Arte Contemporanea.

Carolina, New York, 1976

Photo Courtsey of Jean-Paul Goude and Padiglione D’Arte Contemporanea © Jean-Paul Goude | Article by Benjamin Price

CHILDREN OF SPRING

All by CoachLeft – Top, Jacket, Trousers, and Fanny Pack by Balenciaga
Right – Sweater and Dress by DiorDress by BCBG Max Mara | Belt by Alexander WangJacket and Dress by Saint LaurentTop, Trousers and Sneakers by Calvin Klein CollectionDress by DKNYTank Top and Skirt by Michael KorsDress and Blouse by SoonilBlouse by Versace

Photography by David Urbanke | Styling by Marc Sifuentes | Art Direction by Louis Liu | Models : Evangeline Endres, Kristin Zakala and Barbara Valente @ Wilhelmina

Makeup by Bruce Dean @ Wilhelmina | Using Mac Cosmetics | Hair by Michael Fernandez @ Wilhelmina | Using Evo Hair Product | Casting and Production by XTheStudio

TEDDY SINCLAIR

Sunglasses by Karen Walker | 70s Vintage Beaded Dress

Teddy Sinclair is the British born front-woman of Cruel Youth, a three- piece girl band tipped to be one of the hottest new sounds of 2016. Their first single, Mr. Watson, has already racked up over half a million plays, and with their “The Ronettes on Oxy” narcotic noise, it’s hard not to get hooked. Cruel Youth, whose debut EP is set for a summer release, is the creation of both Teddy and her husband, artist/producer Willy Moon.

Already a successful solo artist (formerly known as Natalia Kills), she has recently penned songs for the likes of Madonna, Alicia Keys and Courtney Love. And by co-writing Rihanna’s forthcoming single, “Kiss It Better”, from the smash album, ANTI, it’s no surprise that Teddy is becoming one of the most in-demand songwriters of today.

Did you always want to be a singer/songwriter?

Not exactly. When I was about twelve, my Dad was in Wormwood Scrubs prison in London and I’d write to him in between visits… letters, poems, stories… whatever, really. I wrote all the time, even though I didn’t mail everything. I think that’s how I learned to write songs.

Your single ‘Mr. Watson’ is a love song to Oxy. How did that all start?

Back when I lived in West Hollywood and I was about to go on tour for the first time, I was doing the dishes and a cheap Ikea glass broke and sliced my thumb, clean, through the bone, nerve, tendon. Blood everywhere, spattered on the ceiling, sprayed on the fridge, dog drinking it off the tiles. I ran out of money and had no medical insurance so couldn’t afford general anesthesia. I did the surgery awake. They had to go into the elbow to retrieve the nerve and tendon, pull it down, stitch it back together, all on the joint of the knuckle of my thumb. It was like being in a scene from Saw. They sent me home with a bottle of 30 x 5mg Roxicet. I took off the hospital gown, put two in my mouth and threw back a shot of water from the paper cup… Fifteen minutes later, in the car ride home, I suddenly for the first time in my life felt like myself. It was beautiful.

Blouse by Miu Miu | Vintage Hat from Hollywood Mirror in Chicago

When you work with artists like Rihanna, Madonna, Alicia Keys and Courtney Love, what is it like?

Madonna was the first artist I wrote with on an album that wasn’t my own. She said she was a fan, we wrote about eight songs, talked about boys, sex and God, and ate cookies. You either make a connection or you don’t. It’s like dating. Then you write the songs. That’s the sex.

In early 2015, you and Willy were the center of a viral media storm that seemed like a publicity stunt gone wrong. Let’s set the X-Factor record straight once and for f**king all.

I am still not allowed to talk about it.

Oh really? But what happened?

I’d have to ask my attorney, but their contracts are air tight so I don’t think I’ll ever be able to tell the truth about what happened. Too many people would get in trouble or lose their jobs. They messed up… I mean, the whole thing was a mess. What’s weird is, after the show, we all hugged. It was all high-fives.

No one expected the public to react the way they did, and I guess everyone had to cover their own asses. The thing I found most bizarre about it all was that for a minute there, the whole world suddenly forgot “reality tv” was not real. It’s amusing…it’s confusing…But I thought everyone knew that all TV is planned, edited and scripted, right?

What were the following few months like? Was there an “oh f**k!” moment? Most people would be scared after becoming so infamous.

A couple of weeks later I was with Rihanna in LA working on her album. Bad girls stick together.

How did you and Willy meet?

Willy and I were both signed to Universal Music Group and my manager took me to see him play a show in New York. Less than forty five minutes after he got off stage, we were horizontal in
his hotel room. The first twenty of those minutes I spent stalling in the bathroom. I mean, I was covered in post-cosmetic surgery bandages from the knee all the way up to the chin, and I still had sutures in. I remember thinking what a cute white boy he was as he kept trying to put his hands through my hair not knowing it was weave. I saved my number in his phone as “Baby Mama” and a few months later we got married.

How did you guys start Cruel Youth?

I met Willy right as my second album was coming out. It seemedas though the people working around me had forgotten who I was, where I came from and that my record even existed… And it seemed as though everything that everyone else was trying to change about me were all of the things that Willy liked about me the most. He liked that I always played live with an all-female band, that I look like Ronnie Spector on a bad day, that my voice was whiny and my lyrics were direct, sometimes to the point of degenerate. He wasn’t trying to make me whiter, prettier, Walmart- friendly, or more approachable. And Cruel Youth is a cocktail of all of those truest bits about me.

You’ve dropped the stage name ‘Natalia Kills’ and are about to release the Cruel Youth EP on your own label. When you were making Cruel Youth, was it just you and Willy?

Yeah, pretty much. We hardly left the studio [where we live] for almost six months. You gotta understand that before I met him I had people I worked with trying to say shit to me like “Okay, go kill it in this interview but remember, don’t be so English, don’t be so black. You’re gonna seem aloof and unapproachable… no one likes that. You gotta be more likable, smile, act happy.” And I wasn’t having any of that. Now, writing songs with Willy… I write what I want, say what I want, do it big and have a proper laugh. It’s not beautiful, it’s not aspirational, it might not get played on the pre- school bus ride… but it’s real and it’s what I wanna hear, and that’s all I care about. Silver Velvet Slip Gown Custom Designed and Made for Teddy’s Wedding by Autie | Black Mesh Dess by American Apparel | Vintage Rings, Bracelets and Necklaces from Cartier and Tiffany

Photography by Luzena Adams @ Balloon Agency | Styling by Marc Sifuentes | Art Direction by Louis Liu |Interview by Alex Catarinella

Hair by Anthony Joseph Hernandez @ Artmix using Oribe | Makeup by Daniel Avilan @ Wilhelmina | Manicur by Narina Chan @ Wilhelmina | Photographer’s assistant: Robert Perez Booking | Shoot Production by XTheStudio

IRIS WOMAN – MARIANA VALDES DEBES

Mariana Valdes Debes photographed with her dog in her home in Houston, TX | Dress by Helmut Lang | Shoes by Marni | Earrings by Cartier | Behind her, Painting by Rodolfo Morales and Sculpture by Javier Marín

Who are your favorite up-and-coming artists on your radar at the moment?

I would say the mexican multidisciplinary artist, Nacho Rodriguez Bach, and the international critically-acclaimed Danish artist, Olafur Eliasson. Rodriguez Bach is
an artist I have been promoting and representing for several years. He is always reinventing himself.

What kind of art are you drawn to?

I am most drawn to art that is congruent within an historical context. The art that shows me other possibilities of reality, of feeling, of thinking, or being.

For you, is it an emotional / intuitive process or is it a more objective approach when you are deciding artists to collect?

Both. I am first attracted and seduced by an art piece or a body of works, then possessed by it. Before I make a final decision, I get to know the artist and establish a relationship with him or her. I believe this is most important. By doing this, I get to understand the artist’s body of works from another perspective, and allow myself to make a connection with it.

Do you have a favorite piece that you have collected?

Yes, I acquired a painting 10 years ago called La Romeria by the Mexican artist Alfredo Gisholt. Like every painting,
it has a beautiful story behind it. I love it because of it’s amazing power, but also because it was included in the first exhibition I curated for the opening of my gallery in Mexico City. It tells a story from my country through the eyes of an artist who lives and works in Boston. At the same time it is a remarkable painting for the artist itself. It’s just one of those paintings that takes your breath away.

Can you describe what your curatorial process is like when doing an exhibition? What helps you collaborate with the artist?

I always take into consideration that it needs to be eloquent within the context that we are living. Most of the time I don’t follow an established process or a rule since each project is different and is curated for a different audience. I am very spontaneous in the way that I bring up an exhibition, and at the same time I am a perfectionist in every single detail. I prepare with as much information I can obtain and then I allow myself to create a bridge between the artwork and the public for which it is being created, like an alchemist.

Are you working on any upcoming projects to look out for?

The contemporary art world has been transforming rapidly over the past decade. It has expanded its boundaries, making it almost indescribable, yet understandable. There are more collectors and art fairs, but at the same time there is a gap between the art and the its audience. This is the reason that for the last few years, I have been providing art knowledge to a select group of collectors and art enthusiasts called Sensei: “Art Promotion Through Experience”. Through thematic and curated experiences that involve all of the senses, Sensei has as its mission to establish a connection between art and the person, that promotes the development and understanding of artistic values and self awareness.

Are you involved in any upcoming charity events or galas?

Yes, my husband and I have been involved with the gala for St Jude’s Children’s Hospital for the past several years. It is a fantastic organization with a beautiful mission.

What advice would you give to young women who are seeking a career in the arts?

To explore, investigate and renovate constantly looking for their own artistic proposal.

Would you say that it’s important to invest in the arts?

Art enriches your life. It has the unique ability to evoke so many different emotions. A painting can make you happy or sad. It can make you introspective or thoughtful. For this reason alone, I believe that it is very important for our cities and our communities to invest in art. On an individual level, one needs to know that not every artist nor every piece of art will appreciate in value. But if it brings you joy, isn’t that the best investment of all?

Photography and Interview by Dustin Mansyur | Styling by Marc Sifuentes | Art Direction by Louis Liu Hair | Makeup by MakeupByDiego

IRIS MAN: DR. TED VOLOYIANNIS

Photography and Interview by Dustin Mansyur | Styling by Marc Sifuentes | Art Direction by Louis Liu | Grooming by MakeupByDiego
Dr. Ted Voloyiannis photographed at his home in Houston, TX. Jacket by Bogosse, Shirt by Hugo Boss, Pants by Gucci, Watch by Rolex Submariner, Necklace: Ancient Roman coin mint in Jerusalem.

He pioneered the creation of innovative, minimally invasive surgical techniques, which are now widely practiced within his field. In addition to these academic accomplishments, he is an active supporter of the Human Rights Campaign. We got to catch up with him to talk about his work and life.

What made you decide to get into medicine and become a surgeon?

I always wanted to help people since I was a kid, but I needed to see the practical results right away. Also, I am very competitive. So, I decided to get into medicine when I was in middle school and to become a surgeon by my second year in medical school. I decided to immigrate when I was 25 from Greece and pursue my surgery training in the US at one of the most competitive programs in the country at Baylor College of Medicine.

You received criticism and scrutiny for the methods you proposed in the surgical procedures that you spearheaded and discovered. Was there a time that someone told you that you couldn’t accomplish all that you have accomplished today?

Yes, a few surgeons who were close to retirement. It still frustrates me because it delayed the innovation in our field. Senior surgeons are often hesitant to adapt new ideas from their younger colleagues. I need to remember not to do the same when I get older!

You’re actually known for your personable and friendly disposition and relationship that you build with patients. How do you try to relate to or connect with your patients as a care provider? Does this practice naturally carry over into your personal life?

Don’t become a doctor if you don’t love listening to your patients. Surgery can not be successful if you can not connect with your patient’s background problems. Being more personal helps alleviate the fear, anxiety of the anticipated surgery and builds trust.
I am usually “accused” of being too nice and trying to help everybody in my personal life even if sometimes this is not feasible.

You are an avid supporter of the Human Rights Campaign, devoting your free time for surgical services which benefit the LGBT community and patients with HIV in need for the greater Houston area. Would you consider yourself an activist?

I am an activist behind the scenes as well as in the operating room; I strongly support the LGBT community’s fight for Equal Rights in our society, the same way I fight daily for excellent surgical care for all my patients regardless of sex, race, religion or sexual orientation.

You and your husband Ivan are interior design enthusiasts, what are some of your favorite pieces that you have collected?

Our favorites are The Baccarat Crystal “Marie Coquine” Floor Lamp by designer Philippe Stark over our dinning table and the Jean Paul Gautier floating master bed!

Do you have a favorite design feature in your apartment?

The master bathroom! It features a unique design that incorporates Italian “Agape” fixtures, digitally printed tile, glass, ipe wood, and infinity views of Houston’s city and skylines!

Additionally, you and Ivan are avid travelers, what are some of your favorite trips you’ve taken & what are some upcoming trips you are excited about?

Other than Greece and Mexico? Israel, Egypt and Brazil were unique trips and now we are getting ready for our first cruise ever in Mediterranean Sea, to be followed by exploring Australia!

What is something you can’t live without when you travel?

I can’t lie: lots of shoes!

What advice would you give to your younger self or to young people in general?

Set great goals early in your life and work hard for them. It will pay off! Don’t go to medical school! (joking)

Words of advice that you live by and whom was it given by?

The first day I started my surgical training, my chief resident said, “Don’t let the demanding multi-year surgery residency training change who you are!”

IRIS WOMAN: MARIANA VALDES DEBES

Interview and Photography by Dustin Mansyur | Styling by Marc Sifuentes | Art Direction by Louis Liu | Hair and Makeup by MakeupByDiego

Mariana Valdes Debes photographed with her dog at her home in Houston, TX. Dress by Helmut Lang, Shoes by Marni, Earrings by Cartier. Behind her, Painting by Rodolfo Morales and Sculpture by Javier Marín

The vivacious art dealer, collector, consultant, and philanthropist knows how to wear many hats with an effortless and sensual bravado. We sat down with her to talk about her creative process and who’s on her radar.

Who are your favorite up-and-coming artists on your radar at the moment?

I would say the Mexican multidisciplinary artist, Nacho Rodriguez Bach, and the international critically-acclaimed Danish artist, Olafur Eliasson. Rodriguez Bach is an artist I have been promoting and representing for several years. He is always reinventing himself.

What kind of art are you drawn to?

I am most drawn to art that is congruent within a historical context. The art that shows me other possibilities of reality, of feeling, of thinking, or being.

For you, is it an emotional / intuitive process or is it a more objective approach when you are deciding artists to collect?

Both. I am first attracted and seduced by an art piece or a body of work, then possessed by it. Before I make a final decision, I get to know the artist and establish a relationship with him or her. I believe this is the most important. By doing this, I get to understand the artists’ body of work from another perspective, and allow myself to make a connection with it.

Do you have a favorite piece that you have collected?

Yes, I acquired a painting 10 years ago called La Romeria by the Mexican artist Alfredo Gisholt. Like every painting, it has a beautiful story behind it. I love it because of it’s amazing power, but also because it was included in the first exhibition I curated for the opening of my gallery in Mexico City. It tells a story from my country through the eyes of an artist who lives and works in Boston. At the same time it is a remarkable painting for the artist itself. It’s just one of those paintings that takes your breath away!

Can you describe what your curatorial process is like when doing an exhibition? What helps you collaborate with the artist?

Are you working on any upcoming projects to look out for?

The contemporary art world has been transforming rapidly over the past decade. It has expanded its boundaries, making it almost indescribable, yet understandable. There are more collectors and art fairs, but at the same time there is a gap between the art and the its audience. This is the reason that for the last few years, I have been providing art knowledge to a select group of collectors and art enthusiasts called Sensei: “Art Promotion Through Experience”. Through thematic and curated experiences that involve all of the senses, Sensei has as its mission to establish a connection between art and the person, that promotes the development and understanding of artistic values and self awareness.

Are you involved in any upcoming charity events or galas?

Yes, my husband and I have been involved with the gala for St Jude’s Children’s Hospital for the past several years. It is a fantastic organization with a beautiful mission.

What advice would you give to young women who are seeking a career in the arts?

To explore, investigate and renovate constantly looking for their own artistic proposal.

Would you say that it’s important to invest in the arts?