This is the short version of the second issue of Ilikemystyle Quarterly, the first user generated fashion magazine.

1. the first user-generated fashion magazine
i Like
my
stYLe Quarterly
Lucy Gabriel
(username: lucywaslike)
from New York
introducing:
The High School
of Fashion
Fr/De/Au: € 12,- UK: £ 9.50
Be/Es/Gr/It/Lu/NL/Port.Cont.: € 10,-
02 1
4 191858 912006

2. COntributors
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
This could
be yOu! 8 9 10 11 12 13
People who worked
on Ilikemystyle Quarterly
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
1 Angel Abramson 49 Kirsten Herrmann
2 Ryan 50 Olivia Kwarda-
3 Marion Heider Tuivaga
4 Guglielmo Castelli 51 Lucy Gabriel
5 Sale & pepe 52 this could be you!
6 Florian Kohl 53 Stefan Liske
7 Sigrid Rothe 54 Natalia Rodriguez
8 Henning Kober 55 Atessa Bock
24 25 26 27 28 29
9 Amy Martino 56 Gabriele Schauf
10 Michelle Marizan 57 Ali Zreik
11 Issaura Capellan 58 Angelo Plessas
12 Alexandra Perrin 59 Annie Wachsmuth
13 Kirsy Paulino 60 Philipp Ross 30 31 32
14 Leslie Genao 61 Volker Hobl
15 Brenda Guesnet 62 Shanna Benlevy
16 Michael Rivas 63 Ben
17 username: 64 Anne Philippi
33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41
catherineM 65 Michael McKee
18 Richard Tillotson 66 Joachim Bessing
19 Kyle Meyer 67 Molly Stene
20 Lea Schornstein 68 Orapin
21 Kirby Baumann Chalermskulratn 42 43
22 Philip Buiser 69 Eloise Hindle
23 Polina Bock 70 Gian Cruz
24 Mosch Khanedani 71 Sawa Takai
25 Pong Somprasertsuk 72 Yasuko Hama
26 Kali Gibson 73 Erik Schmidt 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
27 Alexa Karolinski 74 Gabriel Schauf
28 Eckhart Nickel 75 El Pichy Boys:
29 Olivia Bossert Maikel Rodriguez and
30 Brian Gallardo Alejandro Gonzales 51 52 53
31 Marla Erlenmaier 76 Eran Rothschild
32 Julia Lang 77 Karin Oender
33 Charleston Matthews 78 Joana Avillez
34 Martin Fengel 79 Maidje Meergans and
35 Robin Kranz Anna Ahlers 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62
36 Shumon Basar 80 Giovanni Teeuwisse
37 Peggy Wu 81 Cordula Reyer
38 Scott 82 Jaroly Asilis
39 Brook Banham 83 Ingo Niermann 63 64
40 Oliver Milczarek 84 Maeen Hasan
41 Ben Nimkin 85 Nils Dunkel
42 Louise Clara Hess
43 Jackie Thomae
44 Katharina Zelisko 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72
45 Florentine Schlüter
46 Isabelle Emmerich
47 Greg
48 Claudio Campo- 73 74 75 76 77
Garcia
78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85

3. Dressing Room
Piracy
Jasmine Dilmanian
(username: jdilm) wears
Naeem Khan silver sequin
scoop-neck dress.
left:
Marion Heider wears
H&M striped ruffle top,
sequin skinny leggings,
white-rimmed sunglasses.
Polina Bock (username:
paulaaa) wears H&M midnight
blue sequin bomber jacket.
top:
Marion wears H&M pink
floral shirt, white layered
tutu, pink-rimmed sunglasses.
Polina wears H&M pink
floral shirt, white layered
tutu, pink-rimmed sunglasses.
Emily Segal (username:
RIPyourself) wears Hervé
Léger red cap-sleeved dress.
Alexa Karolinski (username:
alexak) wears Hervé Léger
gold lamé one-shoulder dress.
Jasmine wears Marc by
Marc Jacobs raincoat,
Jasmine’s own t-shirt.
right:
Dressing Room Piracy Martin Cho (username:
bucnam) wears Raf Simons
beige cotton leather belted
trenchcoat, Christopher Lee
Sauve black graphic t-shirt,
How do I look in Hervé Léger? Is the new Junn J. white cotton shorts,
Junya Watanabe collection really for me? Raf Simons leather
serpent sandals.
What about this Prada summer coat? Such Hugh Jernigan (username:
questions can’t be answered in theory. Users of hugo) wears Raf Simons
serpent-print sheer t-shirt,
ilikemystyle.net went to their favorite stores for Laitinen black leather
a reality check with the best of summer 2010. jean shorts, Junn J.
white padded high-top
(To be copied and continued in the next issue) sneaker sandals.

4. Dressing Room
Piracy
Martin wears Rick Owens
cotton sleeveless tunic
t-shirt, denim and nylon
drawstring shorts.
Alexa wears: Chanel black
and white bouclé jacket,
Alexa’s own pants and shoes.
Hugh wears House of
Holland printed short-sleeve
Martin wears Raf Simons shirt.
beige cotton leather-belted
trenchcoat, Christopher Lee Martin wears Prada black
Sauve black graphic t-shirt, and white plaid cotton short-
Junn J. white cotton shorts, sleeve shirt and matching
Raf Simons leather serpent shorts. Martin’s own shoes.
sandals. Hugh wears Prada black and
white print cotton short sleeve
Right:
shirt, black cotton skinny
Emily wears Hervé Léger
pants, Hugh’s own shoes.
royal blue dress.
Alexa wears Hervé Léger
striped dress.
This editorial would not have
been made possible without
the help of the knowledgable,
inviting, and patient sales
Emily wears Givenchy
associates and stylists from
studded black blazer, Emily’s
Atelier, Barneys, If, Prada,
own dress.
Saks Fifth Avenue, Seven
New York, Rick Owens, Hervé
Léger, and Guiseppe Zanotti.

5. News STreetstyle
Flash China
Shanghai Shanghai Shanghai Shanghai
Dongtai Lu Railway Station Huangpu Park Huangpu Park
Shanghai Zhongshan Shanghai Zhongshan Shanghai Zhongshan Shanghai Beijing
Dong Lu “The Bund” Dong Lu “The Bund” Dong Lu “The Bund” Huangpu Park Forbidden City
China S,M,L
The smiling streetstyle of the
new superpower. Sigrid
roThe (username: siro) went Beijing Entrance to
Forbidden City
Beijing
Summer Palace
Shanghai
Huangpu Park
Shanghai
Huangpu Park
to Beijing, Shanghai, and
Suzhou and found buzzing
cities full of beautiful people,
S
faces, and looks. And a lot of
victory-fingers.
Shanghai Beijing Shanghai
Peoples Park Summer Palace Fuxing Park
27

6. news Flash LiTerature
holiday, lazy Mr. Moon, Milky Ways in Hawaii. He thought of SMiLE as a teenage symphony
to God, a trip from coast to coast.
A line of light wanders over the ground, it originates from the sun that is positioned in
the southeastern part of the sky. The line moves along with the plane. Rivers, little streams, and
duck ponds refract its rays. Every stretch of water is a mirror. This is the country Walt Whitman
wrote about and at the same time invented, as did Thoreau. As everyone is allowed to do.
Particular in First, hills become visible, the winding of a river, circular irrigated fields, a larger lake,
Every Detail
everything is particular in every detail. Nebraska, powdered white with snow. Ice crystals have
formed between the window panes, sparkling in the sun like a kaleidoscope. Through this the
country below looks like a painting by Charles Burchfield. In his work, the American landscape
shines as it does when someone travels through it, set to see something.
To travel is to think and The Rocky Mountains appear, peaks glinting white. In a way, this flight is On the Road
write. Henning Kober in five hours and thirty minutes.
(username: hk) about how Traveling means I think and write.
American landscape The pilot announces the Grand Canyon on the left and Las Vegas on the right. It won’t
and literature shape his be long now. Already the plane begins its slow descent above the holy Mojave, over the majestic
imagination. San Bernardino Mountains. There at Lake Arrowhead Brian Wilson sat, invented America, and
then composed SMiLE.
I remember the magic year 2004, I had just moved to New York when the album was re-
My driver is an Angolan cat with alert, yellow-green eyes. He pilots his Ford like a tactical leased, almost forty years after he began. I bought it at Sound Fix in Williamsburg and listened.
missile, fast, on track, taking chances, moving between traffic and still navigating steadily. The And I keep listening. The more I travel through this country, the more I understand.
coming day lies in darkness, only a faint first blush on the horizon. As if on a tray, Manhattan Down there on curving streets, endless rows of uniform houses, the sub-suburbs, the
to the left, the tips of the skyscrapers blink red, veiled in light white haze. The diamond iceberg world of Greater L.A. Green watered parks, golf courses. Soon freeways, denser neighbor-
floats. Here the days often start with a pleasant magic. hoods, palm trees, smog, cars in traffic jams, everything as it is supposed to be, as I remember it.
Terminal 4 is empty, everything happens quickly, Gate B24. I’m sitting across from Later I drive up to Griffith Park, to the observatory, and walk the rest towards the top. I
a family portrait, the thin, silent mother, her lips overly enhanced. In the middle the chubby- look over planet Los Angeles while the sun goes down, darkness creeps over the basin, the set
cheeked daughter, snuggling against her father. All dramas begin to play in my mind. begins to light up. Then I think about all that happened in the last weeks.
It’s while traveling that it all appears, always. We’ll land soon.
A guy in black shorts crosses the frame. From where is he coming? Cold wind blows out- The plane turns around over the Pacific, I see the Santa Monica ferris wheel and people
side. From Boston to San Diego, from Seattle to Key West, the United States spans all seasons, on Venice Beach.
all weather. For this guy, JFK airport is not a port of arrival, just transit.
On the plane, a Korean businessman sits next to me, carefully folding his dark trench
coat and placing it on his lap. In my earphones Brian Wilson performs SMiLE, his masterpiece.
“Heroes and Villains” first. A journey begins.
I awake when the aircraft accelerates and ascends into the sky. The airport shrinks, planes
glitter on the runways. Soon the first clouds, the old Boeing dives into them, groaning, slightly in-
clined. In my book, I read Jack Kerouac began writing his novel On the Road in Joual, the Quebec
French of Montreal. When I read it the first time, some ten years ago, I almost couldn’t finish, but
now, I’m reading a book about him. The interweaving of characters fascinates me. Deep below lies
a quiet white ocean of clouds, ruffles, cryptic marks, I recognize a world of animals.
When I wake up again, the clouds have disappeared. We’re already over the Midwest,
Indiana, soon Illinois, and Iowa. The ground is divided into squares, wide fields, straight roads Henning Kober is the author of the novel Unter diesem Einfluss.
frame them, farms between. I see a truck move below. Brian Wilson sings about a pirate on He took these photos while working on his second book.
31

7. FaShion
One day in May, filmmaker AlexA
KArOlinsKi (username: alexak) ran into
a bunch of awesome looking teenagers,
who turned out to be students at new
York High school of Fashion industries.
36 hours later they started doing
their first photo shoot for ilikemystyle
The
Quarterly. We proudly present:
HigH
School
of
left to right:
Fashion
Jaroly wears t-shirt, ring, and shoes: Forever21. skirt: H&M.
Lucy wears cardigan: American Apparel. boots: Steve Madden.
shirt: Forever21. skirt: H&M. sunglasses: Urban Outfitters.
Michelle wears sandals: H&M. jumpsuit: Urban Outfitters.
Kirsy wears blazer, sandals, and necklaces: Forever21.
tank top: H&M. leggings: Capezio.
Brian wears cardigan, shirt, and jeans: H&M. shoes: Sperry.
sunglasses: fake Ray-Bans from street vendor on 181st St.
Leslie wears cardigan: American Apparel. tank top: Forever21.
skirt: H&M. shoes: moccasins.
Angel wears sunglasses: Urban Outfitters. t-shirt and shoes:
H&M. shorts: American Apparel.
35

8. Michelle wears
sweater: Unique Thrift Store
socks: Nike
shoes: Doc Martens
sunglasses: Fake Ray Bans
Kirsy wears Lucy wears
blazer, sandals, and leotard: American Apparel
necklace: Forever21 glasses: Urban Outfitters
tank top: H&M tights: H&M
leggings: Capezio boots: Steve Madden

9. Angel wears
sunglasses: Urban Outfitters
t-shirt: H&M
shorts: American Apparel
Concept, styling, and photography by
Michelle Marizan, Lucy Gabriel,
Jaroly wears Jaroly Asilis, Leslie Genao, Issaura
skirt and bag: Forever21 Capellan, Kirsy Paulino, Angel Abramson,
t-shirt: American Apparel and Brian Gallardo.
Additional photography by Michael Rivas
47

10. FaShion
More than
a collaborated on countless
They’ve
Woman
commercials but decided to take
their creative partnership to a new
level. Director Eva Munz
(username: evvaa) shot stylist Pong
SoMPraSErTSuk (username:
jpongmoss) in her own house
in Bangkok with and without
her exquisite wardrobe.
Victoria’s Secret leopard print panties.
Vintage costume bracelet, worn throughout.
49

11. FaShion
The framed photo shows the Indian guru
Sri Sathya Sai Baba, famous for materializing
Seiko watches in front of his disciples.
opposite page:
Balmain black pagoda-shoulder dress.
vintage silver chain necklace, worn throughout.

12. The PEoplE
FaShion More than
a Woman
8 1/2 nude silk dress.
opposite page:
taxidermy and pottery
57

13. FaShion
do
I like
my
Hair?They say the hair is
always curlier, straighter,
blonder or more
voluminous on other
people’s heads. Nine
users of ilikemystyle.net
on how they found
happiness with their ’dos.
username: catherinem
61

14. FaShion do I like
my Hair?
Kirby BaumanN / username: kirbyanysia
I’ve wanted my hair to be short for as long as I can remember. The first time I cut it off, I let
my brother do it. He and I were pulling an all-nighter before a 6am flight home for Christmas.
We were drunk and bitching about ex-girlfriends, I was in the moment, and was like “fuck it,
let’s cut my hair.” After my first short cut started growing out and turning into a bad shag, I
saw a picture of Ash Stymest, and it was all over. The very next day, I got Cody (Chandler)
to shave off the sides and back, and I’ve had some variation of that cut ever since. I dyed it
black once after seeing The Godfather. I wanted to be a badass Italian mafia boss like one of
the Corleones, but now I usually stick with my natural brown. Styling is pretty simple. It looks
best after a day or two of no washing, but when I do wash, I mix and match the brands of
shampoo and conditioners: that way you can make your own smell. Or, I’ll skip the condition-
er, and when it’s dry, I use a tiny bit of hand lotion instead of hair product. It makes it super
soft and it smells great. That picture was taken while I was shaving my hair again myself. I
used the “ear trimmer” setting and accidentally shaved my sideburn all the way off, so I just
went with it and shaved the sides almost bald again. There’s something exhilarating about ac-
cidentally fucking up your hair and knowing you can’t do anything but shave it—it’s so final.
I guess my perfect hairstyle starts with not giving a shit and goes from there.
orperit dolor iriliquisMolorper sit ad erci tatuer autet, Hairstyle is the final tip-off whether or not a woman really knows herself
quissi bla conse veliquisl utatummolore
-Hubert de Givenchy, Vogue, July 1985
65

15. FaShion
Comme des Garçons
The collection: A pastiche of separate basics (skirt, jacket, trenchcoat, etc.) rendered through
raver-choreography seaming into kaleidoscopic sculptures. Different prints and textures packed
together by graphic, armor-esque leather accents. The best-in-show, acid-poodle wig/hat styling
crowns the collection alongside Kawakubo’s irony with manga-inspired sleight of hand.
The car: Front engine, V6 transverse-mounted single seater sportster. Manual transmission,
rear wheel drive. Limited turning circle due to covered front wheels. The panels and joining
struts make up the chassis so all mechs are exposed. Non-weatherproof leather skirts and wheel
arches are stitched and rivited. Car cannot get wet.
Fashion
Transformers
How fast can fashion really be?
Brook BanHam (username: brook)
injected five dazzling summer collections*
into his horsepowered imagination
and reinvented fashion on four wheels.
*Reviews by Martin Cho (username: bucnam)
73

16. Fashion
Transformers
riCk owens
The collection: His story for the season, if
there ever was one, is about mercurial aliens
who worship geometry and flowing loincloth,
the running Niles between each model’s legs.
Footballer shoulders and heavy treads, as
though conceived by Richard Serra, add to
the topsy-turvy, jagged silhouette. Grayscale,
black, and white is the trademarked palette.
The car: 2+2 seater American GT (Grand
Tourer), 350 cubic inch V8 with output of
348 BHP. Rear-wheel drive with front
mounted engine.
Viktor & rolF
The collection: Edward Scissorhands was commissioned to art direct the gown parade at their
show’s finale. The sculptural chiffon hedges or satin bonsai confection not only burn a big hole in
one’s Swiss bank account, but also literally in the body of the dress—like an off-target glory hole
exposing innards coveted or otherwise. It’s a concept waiting to be test-driven by Roisin Murphy.
The car: Luxury coupe seating for two. Front engine and rear-wheel drive. 5 liter V8 producing 380
BHP. No roof option so only driven in good weather.
75

17. Mercedes-benz & ilikemystyle Quarterly present
Berlin
Wildlife
A car story by
Nils DuNkel
(username dunkel)
and RobiN kRANz
(username robin).
Anna wears
transparent shirt: H&M
shoes: Zara
sunglasses: Mango
jewelry: vintage
8
37

18. Mercedes-benz & ilikemystyle Quarterly present beRlin Wildlife
Maidje wears
top: Topshop
jacket: Zara
shorts: COS
shoes: Buffalo
mascara: Max Factor
5

19. Mercedes-benz & ilikemystyle Quarterly present beRlin Wildlife
Stella wears
scarf: vintage
dress: COS
jacket: Balenciaga
tights: Henry Holland
boots: Le 66 Paris
Giovanni wears
hat: vintage
shirt: Boys Boys Boys
jacket: Hugo Boss
jeans: Ksubi Jeans
shoes: Suicidal Tendencies for Vans
Maidje wears
leather jacket: Vero Moda
jacket: Topshop
dress: H&M
tights: Falke
shoes: Buffalo
Claudio wears
jacket: Hugo Boss This story was shot in Berlin on May 22nd and
hoodie: American Apparel 23rd, 2010 with the new generation of the
stonewashed jeans: Cheap Monday
shoes: Adidas Mercedes-Benz R-Class. Photography and
production by Robin Kranz and Volker Hobl,
styling and concept by Nils Dunkel.
Nils’ friends: Anna Ahlers, Maidje Meergans,
Claudio Campo-Garcia, Giovanni Teeuwisse.
99

20. Fashion
Lilly says
The most important voice
you’ll ever hear is your own:
Isabelle emmerIch
(username: lilly) never shows
her whole face on her blog
eppendorfghettochick, but
goes full-frontal with her
thoughts about life and style.
shirt: Supré. hoodie: Cheap Monday. shorts: vintage. tights: H&M.
79

21. Fashion Lilly says
1 2 2
3 4 1
5 6 2 3
7 8 4 5
1 Your own voice is the most important voice you will ever hear! shirt: Volcom. oversized dress: 1 shirt & tights: Cubus. little bow scarf: Primark. bracelets: from various markets all over the world!;
Monki. rings: Primark/Six. The first time I was wearing that dress, a friend was like “Oh, you are 2 We all need little things to cheer us up. happy glitter socks: H&M. chain: Primark; 3 dress: Yumi. car-
dressed as a bee tonight?” 2 Life isn’t a fairytale, but at least we can dress like it is. dress: H&M. digan: MTWTFSS Weekday. ring: H&M; 4 London calling. I was on a £20 shopping budget in London.
cardigan: Cubus; 3 shirt & necklace: H&M. cardigan & jeans: Monki; 4 It isn’t meant to always be Too bad, but I brought home a really lovely Super Kate shirt and another pair of vintage Levi’s shorts.
okay. 5 shirt: Cubus. hoodie: American Apparel. jeans: Cheap Monday. ring: a gift. Bag: Primark; shorts: vintage Levi’s. shirt: from somewhere on the street in London. blazer: Pimkie. watch: Tiger;
6 People say that everybody belongs somewhere. Everybody? Maybe some people are just lost. shirt: 5 I always loved my mom’s clothes a lot. All these gorgeous pieces. Sometimes pretty pieces end up
Cubus; 7 shirt: Cheap Monday. pants: Monki. blazer: Pimkie. ring: from somewhere in Eastern Europe; in my suitcase like this Strenesse blazer from the 80s. That time, I didn’t have to give it back. blazer:
8 I fall for all kinds of oversized clothes. shirt: MTWTFSS Weekday. bracelets: SIX. shorts: SASH. vintage Strenesse from mommy. shirt: Marc O’Polo. chain: Primark. scarf: H&M.
85

22. Still from Ben’s video “Telephone parody” Still from Greg’s video “Lady Gaga - Paparazzi Parody (Stalkerazzi)”
Gaga
2
Gaga
It’s rare that an impersonator’s fame
rivals that of the original—but perhaps
Stefani Germanotta’s brilliant, unoriginal
originality explains how the following
internet phenoms have earned the
title in their own right. Some of her
most creative copies chat each other up.
Concept, matchmaking, production: Michael Ladner / username: apollinaris
103

23. Collaborative work: still from Ben’s video
Comments by angry 13-year-old Boys Ben: Yeah, bloggers can be tough critics, but it’s fun to see them pick these videos apart.
Ben (username: ben) from new York and So I did the “Box in a Box” video, and then about six months later I started Barely Political with “I
GreG (username: gregscarnici) from new York Got a Crush on Obama” in June 2007. Since then I have been making these online videos
full time.
GreG: That was huge! I’m glad you’re able to concentrate on it full time. I have to squeeze my
Ben: Always a pleasure to meet another video creator. How’d you get started with online videos? video making into an insane schedule of doing live shows, working, acting—it’s mad-
GreG: I’ve been on YouTube since the beginning, and started posting digital shorts I was cre- dening sometimes! Do you have people you collaborate with?
ating for a gay sketch comedy show. The first one that really clicked was a parody of Ben: We have a whole team. Tom Small is our director; Jake Chudnow does music; Mark
Prince’s “Black Sweat”. How about yourself? Douglas writes and performs; Michael Stevens does remixes and editing; and Rusty
Ben: The first video I posted on YouTube was “My Box in a Box”. Ward is a writer we get to work with a lot.
GreG: Love it. I remember that. GreG: I AM SO JEALOUS. Greg Scarnici writes, directs, edits, performs, and composes mu-
Ben: Like your videos, it got a huge boost when Perez Hilton blogged about it. sic. Greg Scarnici does every fucking thing!
GREG: Perez has been great about posting my vids that skewer celebs. A posting on his site Ben: We’ve done like 480 videos in three years, so we keep ourselves busy. And we collaborate
guarantees a bazillion views. a lot, which, if you’re game, you should drop by.
Ben: Though we went three years without him blogging about us again. Then he blogged our GreG: That would be great.
Lady Gaga “Telephone” parody, which we put out a few months ago. Ben: I kinda feel an instant kinship with online video creators because I know they’ve been
GreG: What I love about him is that he only posts what he likes. I thought he would blog my through a lot of the same stuff. Created often with almost no budget. Picked apart in
Gaga parody but he told me he wasn’t crazy about it. comments. Stayed up until 4am editing.
105

24. Still from Sale & Pepe’s video “Bad Romance Very Italian Trash Parody” Still from “Lady Gaga ft. Beyonce telephone cuban Parody” by El Pichy Boys
a PuTana runninG Wild in the Yard Even when we work with a TV station, we try to stay as close to our roots as we can.
SaLe & PePe (username: saleepepe) from roMe and SaLe & PePe: We understand :) Our videos look really homemade. We made costumes with
eL PIChY BoYS: aLejandro GonzaLez (username: alepichy) and MaIKeL plastic boxes haha. And in Italy nobody makes this kind of comedy.
rodrIGuez (username: pichyboys) from MIaMI eL PIChY BoYS: Our costumes were made by a very creative stylist, Orly Romay. She is
awesome. She got a couple of empty cans and some yellow caution tape and there you
go: two boys looking like freaks. What was the funniest thing that happened to you guys
SaLe & PePe: Heyyyyy we are Sale & Pepe. while shooting the video?
eL PIChY BoYS: My name is Alejandro and Maikel is my cousin. Pichy is what my grandma SaLe & PePe: Everything is funny for us. It’s funny to remake the Gaga choreography be-
used to call us when we were kids. cause we can’t dance and so we are always out of time. And walking in high heels— it’s
SaLe & PePe: Sweet :) dangerous!!
eL PIChY BoYS: It’s their way to say “bambino” over in Cuba. We were born there and then eL PIChY BoYS: Tell me about it!
moved here to the United States. SaLe & PePe: Anyways, we really love trash and so in videos we like to make mistakes too.
SaLe & PePe: Do you live in Miami? eL PIChY BoYS: Haha, that is good. That’s the best way to make it happen.
eL PIChY BoYS: Yeah, I’m an American citizen. This is my home now. SaLe & PePe: We are happy when people watch our videos and find them disgusting or con-
SaLe & PePe: How old are you? sider us a group of retarded freaks. It’s funny for us because they don’t understand that
eL PIChY BoYS: I’m 23 and Maikel is 24. it’s intentional to create these reactions in them, positive or negative.
SaLe & PePe: We are 23 and 26. So why did you make a “Telephone” parody? eL PIChY BoYS: I agree. In our video we had fun too. When we went to the junkyard (the
eL PIChY BoYS: We work for a TV station called America TeVe. We are featured on a show place that you see all the broken cars), people were looking at us. Most of them were
that broadcasts at 9pm, Monday to Friday. these kinds of prejudice men—the homophobic type. And they were complaining to the
SaLe & PePe: You are famous!! manager of the place about a guy dressed like a whore (putana) running wild in the yard.
eL PIChY BoYS: We make comedy bits there. SaLe & PePe: We love these moments. We understand you.
SaLe & PePe: We started making videos alone and then posted them on YouTube three years eL PIChY BoYS: The other funny part was when we tried to shoot the scene in the sun-
ago. And our videos began to have lots of views, especially from Central America. A glasses…with the cigarettes. We started to light them up but they didn’t want to catch on
national TV station followed us on the making-of our latest video, “Telephone.” fire so Maikel put them all on his mouth and started to inhale. He almost passed out. He
eL PIChY BoYS: The TV show acquired us because our projects look homemade, but creative. couldn’t breathe because of all the smoke.
111

25. StOries
Best
A PinkAtesSA Bock / username: atessa) about her friend Ana (left)
Heart-shaped Cake
Friends
You envy her body, you love her mind,
and sometimes you could kill her.
How did you two meet? In kindergarten. Six girls from ilikemystyle.net about the
What were yo u r f i r s t i m p r e s s i o n s o f e a c h o t h e r ? She’s my favorite playmate.
Describe the def i n i n g m o m e n t t h a t c e m e n t e d y o u r f r i e n d s h i p . Our first school day.
complicated, ambiguous, and totally
Wardrobe pieces th a t a r e “ s o h e r. ” Leggings, long top, high heels, scarf, XL sunglasses. amazing thing called friendship.
I want to b i t c h s l a p h e r w h e n . . . She puts on way too much makeup.
What’s your fri e n d s h i p s o n g / m o v i e / c u r i o ? Maria Arredondo, “True Friendship.”
We love shopping, taking photos, and modelling.
O n e t h i n g y o u e n v y o f h e r. . . Her curves.
Yo u r l a s t c o n v e r s a t i o n w a s a b o u t . . . Men!
W h o ’s t h e b i g g e r b o y / g i r l m a g n e t ? She is!
S h e a l w a y s s a y s . . . “Schnugg” to me.
What’s one thing t h a t y o u k n o w b e t t e r t h a n s h e d oe s a b o u t h e r s e l f ? Her taste in shoes.
What do you order f o r h e r w h e n s h e s t e p s a w a y t o t h e w a s h r o o m ? A five-course meal
with lots of mousse au chocolat as dessert.
Fondest memory o f h e r ? When she was standing at my door after a big fight with a pink
heart-shaped cake.
115

26. StOries Best
Friends
Silly Videos and rAdiO Podcasts
MarA erlenmaier / username: vagabunda) about her friend Lea (left)
How did you two meet? We met some time in the 7th grade, but neither of us really registered
the other. Much later, on a trip to Spain, we got to know each other better and started
recording these silly videos and radio podcasts.
What was your first impression of each other? As I said, she didn’t register at first.
It took us three years to notice each other.
Describe the defining moment that cemented your friendship? When we found out that
we had the same sense of humor. We could laugh forever about Monty Python or crazy
YouTube videos.
Nickname for her? We don’t really have nicknames. We just crack up about retarded running
gags, which must be really annoying for everyone around us.
She looks the most attractive when… She performs air guitar solos to her favorite songs.
Five of her wardrobe pieces that are “so her”: Tampon-colored Keds, colorful skirts,
ice cream earrings, doodled-on and worn down leather bag, gangster cap with moving eyes
and painted face (for ironic reasons)
I want to bitch slap her when… She hums the same old song for hours.
What’s your friendship song/movie/curio? We do radio shows together, which means that we
constantly listen to or talk about music. My current favorite is Futureporn Tightjeans
from Hamburg.
One thing you envy her for… For her infallible optimism.
Your last phone conversation was about… The big dilemma: at the Fete de la Musique in
Berlin, Bonaparte, Ratatöesca and Berlin Boom Orchestra play at the same time...
Who’s the bigger boy magnet? That’s in the eye of the beholder.
She always says… Exactly the right thing, even if I don’t want to hear it.
You girls bond over? Our craziness.
The last time we hugged/kissed/cried with each other was because? My dog died.
She is too good for? This world!
Fondest memories of her? Covered in dust and sweat during a ska concert.
117

27. StOries
Classic with
some extras
Gabriele Schauf (username: gabby)
was a fashion pioneer, model, and
stylist. Now she works as a therapist with
obese people. Jackie ThOmae
(username: thejackster) talked to her about
lasting and fading beauty, skinny models,
and the power of barbour. her son,
Gabriel Schauf (username: gabriel)
photographed her at her favorite places
in berlin–and she shares some choice
pictures from her private archive with us.
At the gallery Camera Work showing
Robert Polidori’s “Versailles” series
blouse: Susanne Wiebe, Munich
rock: Dolce & Gabbana
shoes: Kookai
bracelet: vintage
125

28. StOries Classic with
some extras
jacket: Moschino Jeans
opposite page:
hotel room, 1972
127

29. Classic with
some extras
“a little eccentric after all”
Gabriele Schauf used to be a model and stylist and worked with iconic photographers such as
Helmut Newton, who had a funny casting routine: Polaroid full frontal, Polaroid full back. New-
ton would then just tap on the Polaroids of the women he liked. When he later saw her on the
beach, he realized that he should have cast her instead. Today, Gabby works as a psychotherapist
and has an office in Berlin.
What’s it like to be photographed by one’s son?
It was all really relaxed. First I thought there might be a problem because I used to deal
so much with photography and have an inclination to be in command. Of course, I made
some suggestions, but I held off on the mommy-babble.
Was this your first time?
Our first time shooting together, yes. But, I always wanted that and this was really the
perfect occasion.
How did you end up in fashion? Who influenced you?
My mother was a draftswoman and a teacher at the fashion school. I started sewing my
own designs at the age of 13. I tailored my own prom gown: I just cut into the fabric and
off I went. Later, I used a knitting machine to knit cardigans for my classmates and made
some money on the side by producing leather blousons. I never really had any formal
training, but at some point I was just good at it.
How eccentric can you be at the age of 22 compared to the age of 55?
I’m not sure I ever was really eccentric, but, at some point, I was told, “Whenever you
leave the room, we talk about you.” Okay, I thought, if you have nothing better to talk
about, it’s alright. Perhaps I was a little eccentric after all, or just different. In any case I
just always did whatever I wanted. I’d moved to a number of different cities by the age
of 20, studied at university and traveled a lot. I’d always found ways to move through
life rather elegantly. I was never conformist, not then and not now. I would never stick to
a marriage or a job if it wasn’t working.
How would you describe your style? Do you stay away from certain things today?
I believe my style matches my age. For instance, you’d never find me running around in
a miniskirt. I would describe my style as classic—classic with some extras.
I work at a hospital once a week and I dress up for it too. In my practice, I want to
be a role model for my patients. They may marvel at what I am wearing, but either they
like it or they think: Man, she’s got guts. I don’t chase after every trend. Platform shoes,
for instance, turn me into this 1.9 meter tower—what’s that good for?
But you did wear them in the 70s?
Yeah, it was hippy-esque and kind of funny, but I really don’t have to go there anymore.
Gabriele’s living room.
That’s just repetition. I look at myself back then, when it fit the era, when bands looked
On the photos: her son Gabriel,
all like that and so on.
Bryan Ferry and herself Were you able to translate your experiences as a model and stylist to your work in psychotherapy?
133

30. StOries
Season’s
Greetings
Our globe is an enchanting
place: sometimes cryptic, often
seductive, and these days
rather scantily clad. Users of
ilikemystyle.net from all over
the world share their expertise
to maximize the experience
of “summer 2010.”
Posing inChalermskulratn / username: pretty88
by Orapin
Krabi
Here I was. One week of relaxation on a strictly no-internet or Facebook diet.
All we wanted was nature. And some pictures to show off at home.
Railay beach is unique. The curved coastline is surrounded by imposing
limestone cliffs and low-rise accommodations nestled discreetly in the jungle.
During the evening, we tried to match the beauty of the fab scenery with our own.
I posed endlessly against the sunset to get the picture right. I guess I’m a perfec-
tionist. My friends say I like to go over the top, but the smile is by no means fake.
This is me! The guys on the beach stopped playing soccer and began to stare at me
jumping, twisting, and throwing my ha-ha-hair. It made my day!
I fall in love with Krabi every time: swimming in the crystal clear water, the
seafood, a massage on the beach, a sip of fresh coconut juice. Heaven on earth!
Then it’s time for another photo-op.
137

31. StOries Season’s
Greetings
Sawa is wearing a
traditional kimono
a new Day inusername: eckhart
by ecKhart nickel /
Kathmandu by
Japanese hip-hoP Wedding
Sawa Takai / username: soursawanet
I will never forget that day, the one which has since set the standard for all spiri- This picture is from my brother’s wedding that took place this past spring in
tual experiences in my life. It started with an awakening at sunrise in the nearby Japan. Here, I was waiting for the bride and groom to walk down the stairs of
Lumbini Hokke Hotel. The perfect Japanese mimicry of this outrageously clean the chapel, his best friends waiting at the bottom of the stairs for the signature
and calm inn (at least by Nepalese standards) included an incredibly charming moment of the bouquet tossing. My sister, who is the oldest of four, managed to
complimentary kimono which I threw over my pajamas to greet the morning catch it. Hopefully within the next few years her turn will come!
sun outside our tatami room. In front of the door, I found a Hierodula pattel- These days, not many young Japanese wear kimonos, Japan’s tradi-
lifera pointing with her huge green head to the nearby widespread mudfields tional garment. For me, however, the longer I stay abroad, the more my own
which reminded me of Gloucestershire. A dusty fog was oscillating wildly, in- cultural customs attract me. Now, people can easily rent a kimono for special
spiring me to refrain from coffee on that special day and to fast instead. Later, occasions, but I bought this kimono at the age of 20 for my coming-of-age
I would meet my local barber at his roaming free air salon with its azure blue ceremony in Japan and have loved it since. It takes time to put on a kimono; a
plastic monobloc, a short comb, pair of scissors, and a light blue polyester professional kimono dresser spent all morning dressing me up and doing my
apron. Surya, that’s his name, crewcut my hair just a stone’s throw away from hair and makeup.
Buddha’s birth tree. After the purchase of some charm bracelets and necklaces My brother is a rapper and has never taken life seriously. Therefore, I
for my friends to be blessed, I approached the tree shoeless in an appropriately could not help but get emotional the moment he made his entrance into the cha-
colored Abercrombie polo (which my co-pilgrim friend Christian gave to me pel in his gray three-piece suit; he suddenly looked like a real man.
as a present) to get my tikka and blessings. The calm ceremony was beyond Although my trip home for the wedding was very short, busy, and tiring,
description, long and short and beautiful in an otherworldy way. My mumbling it was unforgettable. It was one of the happiest times for our family. My tired
sadhu never took his sunglasses off. body and mind were entirely healed by it. My heart was filled with joy!
141

32. StOries Season’s
Greetings
Sidekicks in/ username: feathers
by Kali giBson
San Francisco
Last summer was pathetic. I spent most of it wallowing indoors over a breakup
and then I got laid off and the pity party really started. The gray weather and
wardrobe of heavy sweaters suited my mood and at the time, I didn’t mind the
lack of golden afternoons that graced previous Julys and Augusts. Of course,
time healed my bruises and things have invariably turned themselves up and
around. Summer is practically here again and it’s so full of promise.
A scenic drive across the Golden Gate Bridge and you can say bye-bye
to the autumn-like weather of a San Francisco summer. We’ve already made
one trip across for a picnic in a quiet meadow, followed by a dip in a refresh-
ingly cool creek and some frozen yogurt from TCBY to cap off the day. We plan
on making this routine a Sunday habit.
Some Sundays will be reserved for the Alameda Flea Market. This in-
credible display of vintage takes place every first Sunday of the month on an old
air station not far from Oakland. Although it can be miserably frigid and windy
out there most of the year, it’s amazing from May through October, you’re like-
ly to walk away kissed by the sun, with arms full of your new-to-you treasures.
The other shared day-off among roommates and friends are Wednes-
days. My hope is that whatever we end up doing each week—whether it is a
long walk through the city, an attempt at sneaking into a pool or just cooking
up a big meal in the evening—we’ll photograph it. I just acquired a friend’s old
camera and while it’s taped together with pink florescent tape, it works wonder-
fully all the same and I plan on making it my sidekick from here on out.
And this summer wouldn’t be complete without my dog Penny. There
are a surprising number of parks here in these seven square miles, and I’ve
become acquainted with each of them. Golden Gate Park is perhaps my fa-
vorite, stretching across a lengthy span of SF before ending at the ocean. You
can spend the whole day getting lost in the lush, winding trails and completely
forget that a busy city is just behind the trees. It’s a journey to walk all the way
through the park, but at the end is the Beach Chalet. Here, you can sit outdoors –
shielded from the crazy wind – and fill yourself with a burger, beer, and oysters.
My summer aspirations aren’t staggering – a camping trip might be the
biggest thing I do – but all those small moments ought to add up to something
big. I can tell it’s going to be a good one, full of everything that the past one
was missing.
143

33. Far Out StOries
Swazi-Me
New York photographer
KYle MeYer (username:
thekylemeyer) has spent a year
in southern Africa’s rural
Swaziland. Here’s 43 things
he saw, loved, hated, and
chewed on. And 14 fantastic
wraps from his low-res but
highbrow turban project.
149

34. Swazi-Me
43 THings
(random and/or fundamental) about SwazilAnd
1. The charm of Veki produces the most amaz- 19. Inspirational shopping.
Beronja. She’s a very ing baskets (http://www. The beautiful wax print
popular socialite in goneruralswazi.com/). cloth and hand woven
Swaziland. 13. Cultural exchange. I fabrics are cheap and one
2. House on Fire. This taught Audreykins, the can get them everywhere.
popular outdoor bar/ accountant/secretary for I used them for my photo-
club brings in big South Swazi Candle – the com- shoot as well as clothing
African bands: Freshly pany I work for – how to and jewelry that I have
Ground, Oliver Mtukudzi, cat walk. She loves it. been making.
Mango Groove. 14. Religiosity. The country 20. Manzini Market. You can
3. The largest exposed gran- is fueled by religion and literally buy anything
ite rock in the world. It’s the preachers take money here: veggies, fabric,
called Sibebe and I can from people coming into monkey skulls, crafts,
see it from my house. their churches. underwear, etc. The best
4. Keith the hairdresser, the 15. The marijuana. While day is Thursday.
most flamboyant man in hiking, I stumbled upon a 21. A quick drive to get to
Swaziland. Married to a huge marijuana plantation Mozambique. The most
woman. in the middle of nowhere. vibrant, dirty place you
5. Traditional Swazi food. A lot of people grow it in will ever go. It’s on the
Best place to have it is the their gardens and in their Indian Ocean so you can
restaurant Edladleni. backyards. get the best seafood and
6. The beautiful language. 16. The beautiful wildlife. the cheapest beer.
It’s called siSwati, and it Birds and monkeys are 22. Underage speeding. There
doesn’t get any easier. everywhere and I live are six-year-old boys rac-
7. Swimming at the long ten minutes from zebra, ing around on dirt tracks
pool in a secluded river warthogs, antelopes, and on motorbikes!
dam at the bottom of a ostrich. 23. Marula brew. A traditional
huge mountain. The eels 17. The lightning storms that Swazi beer made from
are scary though! happen at least once a the marula tree. It tastes
8. The African winter sun. day; they’re crazy but like shit but it makes you
9. Curiosity. I love how beautiful to watch if you horny and high! I only
random people will come are inside. Swaziland is had it once.
up to me on the street and in the record book for 24. Riding in the back of
strike up a conversation. most deaths caused by a pickup truck with 20
10. Mlungu. It means white lightning. people.
person (= me). 18. Stone age internet. It 25. Swazi bananas - a banana
11. Baobab Batik’s wonderful takes thirty minutes to only grown in Swaziland.
fabrics. download a one megabyte They are half the size of a
12. Gone Rural. A basket file. Internet is still dial- regular bananas but twice
weaving company that up in a lot of places. as sweet.
151

35. Far Out kulturkritik
Lunch
chez
Ali’s
While visiting Beirut,
Michael ladner (username:
apollinaris) , was invited to the
artist/bartender ali Zreik’s
(username: alizreik) home in
cornichel Mazraa. ali didn’t just
show his command of
lebanese cooking and
hospitality, he also shared
his sources of inspiration:
collages of it-girls, pop stars,
and revolutionaries cover all
surfaces of his domain.
an idiosyncratic inside look.
The fine line between a mess and a
moodboard: Ali’s sense of decoration
is linked to his artistic strategies,
involving objets trouvée from
celebrity culture.
163

36. kulturkritik Lunch chez Ali’s
1 makanik (Lebanese sausages) 4 Lebanese tabbouleh 5 mjadara with onions
2 salad 6 rice with chicken find the recipes on page 169
Almaza beer 3 hummus
7 salad 167
8 dressing

37. KUlturkritik
With
Compliments
Users of ilikemystyle.net pick some of
the season’s most remarkable fashion
spreads and tell us why they care.
Pop, #22 Welcome to Missoni-ville! Everything here is Missoni: the sofa, the
floor, granny, grandpop, and the grandchildren. It feels like a shrewd Juergen Teller idea – to
photograph the whole collection on the members of the Missoni clan in their mansion in Sumi-
rago near Milano – but after a moment, you don’t see the ad anymore. The brain switches to
a dream scenario: if there was ever a famiglia, then this is it. The Missoni family is a rare and
precious jewel. The pictures tell a story of healthy chaos, of fights that end in celebrations,
stories of colorful and old wardrobes for people who don’t dress as if they perpetually attend
funerals, but rather parties where they drink Campari and enjoy themselves—life as the nega-
Pop, #22 tion of death. You die the moment you die. You don’t die at 35 surrounded by sensationally and
“Famiglia” horrifically tasteful furniture.
photographer: Juergen Teller
stylist: Vanessa Reid Here in Sumirago, everyone must and does look good (they are dressed in Missoni, after
all) – mixing all sorts of patterns that the world has to offer – and has something to say 24/7.
Granny Missoni – and so the granddaughter – like to collect mushrooms for hours after a long
flight. Of course, this kind of family isn’t an anti-authoritarian utopia. It has a leader. The matri-
arch wears a white knitted dress, lots of rings, and has the aura of a 15 year-old.
I’d love to move in with them for a couple of weeks. Actually, I wouldn’t mind being
adopted. The experience of a Missoni night would be hard to beat: a ton of carbs, a couple of
gallons of wine, and heaps of knits. There must be a Missoni-ville, it’s just really hard to find
on modern maps.
by Anne PhilipPi / username: annevanity
171

38. Kulturkritik
Couch-
Angelo Plessas, August 2009
surfer
Athens-based artist Angelo
plessAs (username: angelodvd)
invites guests to sit on his silver
sofa. A subtle nod to Andy
Warhol’s signature color and
a visual guestbook for friends,
family, and art world notorieties.
photos: Christos Sarris (top), Christodoulos Panayiotou
177

39. Couch-
surfer
1 2 7
3 4 8 9
Hospitality as divine gesture
Angelo plessas
by angelodvd / username:
1. Andreas Angelidakis, July 2009
2. Todd Ebberle, September 2009 The Silver Couch Series is a set of photos that I took of people sitting on a conceptual piece of
3. Caroline Corbetta and Andrea, August 2009
4. Socratis Socratous, April 2010
furniture called the Silver Couch that sits prominently in my living room. The idea for the Silver
5. Sylvia Kouvali, August 2008 Couch arose from my partner and architect Andreas Angelidakis’s “operation glorification,”
6. Alexandros Georgiou, April 2010
which was an effort to give new life to abandoned pieces of furniture that he found on the streets
7. Adriano Sack and Frank Hornig, April 2010
8. Cay Sophie Rabinowitz, May 2009 of our neighborhood, Faliro, which was once a glorified southern suburb of Athens.
9. Maria the Housekeeper, March 2010 I always love to have guests in my apartment. Many artists, curators, gallerists, writers,
5
and general art enthusiasts who are part of the international and local scene habitually stroll
down Syggrou Avenue, where dinners, parties, and studio visits often take place.
Hospitality is still an important issue within our contemporary culture. As a result of new
globalized micro-societies, and the networks that we have formed within in it, as another means
of exchange between my circle of friends and acquaintances has formed. A new kind of a gift
economy, as some people within the art world would say, is taking place. To my ancient Greek
and Roman ancestors, hospitality was a divine gesture, usually expressed in various ritualized
ways. In my own personal way, I define the importance of hospitality with the Silver Couch,
where I form these bonds, treating my guests (hopefully) as “iconic figures.”
To see the whole series, go to www.angelosays.com or simply google “silver couch”.
181
6

40. KUltur
kriTik
Remember
where
you lost it
Parties bring out the best in
people: laughter, joy, dance, and
romance. But in the heat
of the night, they might encounter
ghosts, excess, or their own
boss. Snapshots from the
beautiful trap called
nightlife—
poStmichael plus factsheets about these
★
from new York
at Splash Bar/new York immortal hours.
read on page 190
183

41. KUltur Remember
kriTik where
You loSt it
jBessing
★★★
from Berlin
at Rodeo Club/Berlin
read on page 192
187

42. cottonxCandY
★★★★
from Braunschweig
at her home
read on page 193

43. KUltur Remember
kriTik where
You loSt it
★★★
love was the drug
by Joachim Bessing / username: jbessing from Berlin
★★★★
by
Perfect hooker PArty
florentine SchlüteR / username: cottonxcandy from Braunschweig
When? First of May in the very early morning hours—the night was young, Recently I threw a hooker-and-pimp-themed 18th birthday bash!
like Moloko used to sing it back. Here are the top five tips on how to throw the perfect hooker-themed party:
Where? Rodeo Club, Berlin. The violet beam is coming from the neon light 1. Invitations
above the cloak room there. It was the opening night of Andreas Gursky’s A naughty and nice invitation with an attention-grabbing text. Say hello with
show at Sprueth Magers. There was a dinner for 300 collectors and critics that “hey sweetie” and sign with your fake prostitute name. Don’t forget to provide
was supposed to blend into a club night where Mouse On Mars and Andreas’s the DRESS CODE. No whore, no pimp, no fun!
girlfriend, Julia Stoschek, would be spinning. We left just about at that time. 2. A sticky and sweet location
Topics: Astrology over the phone. Art—in general and in detail. Michel A place that’s too small is better than too big, because you know…body
Foucault and other nasty stuff I really dare not to recall (though I feel tempted contact! Having many small rooms is always good because you can make
to; in fact I’m doing it right now but won’t tell). different sex themes in them. I’ve had one room as a dressing room, one for
What were yo u w e a r i n g ? I wore a hand-printed sweatshirt by Cyril Duval in the buffet (with penis shaped pasta and penis shaped cake!!), one for sitting,
pink, a short summer trench in navy by and one big room for the bar and dance floor. It’s super funny when the
Burberry Prorsum, Acne Denims, the Hacienda Sneakers by Peter Saville location is near public places and you can act like you’re a real hooker.
for Y3, acid yellow socks by UNIQLO, and concrete colored sunglasses by Right near my party location was a primary school, and there were parents
Mykita called “Truman” that are not pictured. I rarely wear makeup, but Angel coming out of it.
Eyes by Kenzo. I also sported Untitled, the Margiela Fragrance and a Nolex Oh yeah, I also had a room where I put a huge feather bed and loads of ‘used’
(Black Model) by Natalia Brilli on my right wrist, as usual. condoms. This leads me to the next point:
What wa s s p e c i a l a b o u t t h a t n i g h t ? The people. They felt so alive. 3. Decorations!
Soundtrack o f t h e n i g h t ? “Suicide Commando” by Hell. It was the first track Condoms everywhere. Dirty pictures from a sex shop.You can find loads of
that Julia Stoschek used to play. cool things for decoration and I even got three free sex magazines to decorate
Other peo p l e ? I was in the most perfect company: Michael Ladner (of my party rooms with! And no worries, you’ll get a black non-see-through
ILMSQ), Cyril Duval, and 032c’s Matthew Evans. There was a Thai named plastic bag so nobody in the city will know where you’ve been shopping ;).
Nathan who was sporting some David Beckham-ish haircut and matching A fog machine is always nice as well. And you need dark rooms with only a
attitude, and I would get to know him only few days later. It was the beginning bit of light. Red light would be perfect.
of a three-day binge that involved an extensive bystander’s trip to the 4. Music
Maikrawalle in Kreuzberg later that day. And so on. Get some boxes and play that good ol’ Snoop Doggy Dog! “Candy Shop,”
Drink/Stimula t i o n ? Sancerre, vodka-rhubarb, local beer, and many Marlboros. Pussycat Dolls, je t’aime. I have personally settled on trashpop (BACK-
Plus the generic stimulants. But mainly Love was the Drug (which is where STREETSBACKALRIGHT) for my party. Just remember: not everybody has
my depicted stupor was coming from). your good taste in music so just play dance and sex music!
Sleep? No. There was kind of a pause to refresh and take a bath. At 11am, 5. Who to Invite
we met again for “breakfast” at Andreas Murkudis. This gave us the FRIENDS THAT LIKE THEME PARTIES AND DRESS UP AS IF THEY
opportunity to go on with champagne and health drinks until the Krawalle ARE REAL HOs. And pimps. It doesn’t work if your friends don’t like it.
were due. Michael and I got into a pleasantly deep conversation with the guy Also, you need friends who help you clean up. It was so dirty—took us five
from E15. Later on, we tried to follow a lecture at Kunstwerke, but that felt hours to make everything look like nothing happened.
way too shallow. The weather was nice. We had planned to take some acid And finally: Don’t think too much about whether your party is successful
but skipped that for Turkish beer in cans. or not. HAVE! FUN!
193

44. the
words
Hardboiled interviews,
deep-digging chitchat, and
off-the-cuff essays by
users of ilikemystyle.net
on the PHenomena
of our world.
205

45. Fiction World!
World! World!
World!
World! World!
is like orpheus in Dubai at the start of the 21st
century. The city’s petro-dollar-fueled destiny
detours into a fragile future and our hero fights
for the woman he once loved.
by Shumon Basar / username: pierrotlefou
“FREEDOM MUST BE SERVED to those that are used to it.”
With these ten words, our corpulent philosopher straightens his astral patterned tie in
the uncomforting glare of a mirror that is surely three times his Slavic height. After decades
of wearing “at very least 15 percent” polyester mix, his pure cotton, silk, and gabardine garb –
flown in haste from Milan earlier that day – induces severe itching. Worse still, this opulent out-
fit makes him perspire vindictively. Possible reasons are: the A/C in this part of Aqualuna hadn’t
switched on/it was broken/it was never really installed correctly and he is thus left exposed to
the unforgiving Dubai desert climate just a few kilometers away.
Or it could be nerves. Yes, nerves.
Not since his first obese treatise – If I’m for Madonna, I’m not Necessarily Against Marx
– was published 20 years ago (Versus Publications, 1989) had Mladen Močnik experienced such
crippling nerves. Back then, to his acute relief, fear switched to sudden glorious stupefaction.
Western critics hailed him as “single-handedly proving how right Marx always was by
demonstrating his every enumerable and fatal flaw.” He found their analysis trite but to his gen-
uine surprise began to enjoy the subsequent publicity storm around his book, his childhood and
even his predilection for slightly shiny shirts. Of course Mladen would at first try and explain
this furtive excitement with his own celebrity through vaguely philosophical justifications. He had
to contend with the truism that the only famous philosopher worth their fame was a dead one.
All of that now belonged to another psychic-temporal zone in another century with
names of places since forgotten. During his distinctly un-Bolshevikish life growing up at the
fringes of the Soviet war-machine, Mladen told me that he had – bien sur – never ever sung a
duet in front of what might “possibly be millions of people all over the world.” And that’s ex-
actly where history had delivered my bearish comrade this night in circumstances that can only
really be described as improbable and exquisitely ridiculous.
“My friend, how fateful exactly is fate?”—for Mladen, there is rarely a time where ques-
tions do not demand debunking and deriddling.
“You mean, do we make or follow fate?” I answered.
“Fate has to be made in order for it to be followed, that much is given, and we can quar-
rel, as man has done for far too long, over who exactly is the one in charge of making. For me,
this is irrelevant. What I mean is this: given the choice, can you ever choose to not choose fate’s i like My Spiral, 2010
path once it has been revealed to you?” He crooked his tie. He restraightened it. His head was by Richard Tillotson / username: thetillo
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