Derivative Works of Art

A video mashup (also written as video mash-up) is the combination of multiple sources of video—which usually have no relation with each other—into a derivative work, often lampooning its component sources or another text. Many mashup videos are humorous movie trailer parodies, a later genre of mashups gaining much popularity. To the extent that mashups are ‘transformative’ of original content, they may find protection from copyright claims under the “fair use” doctrine of copyright law.

(Source: Wikipedia)

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New Magazine Rundown / SID / Stage Fashion / The Hunger

Every so often a new magazine finds its way onto the newsstand (either virtual or real) that manages to raise my eyebrows. I would say eyebrow but I don’t want you to think I have some strange unibrow that I go around shopping with. Right out of left field comes SID magazine, which, minus the dubious art direction and iffy choice of fonts, manages to make up what it lacks with its editorials—with models including, but not limited to, RJ King, Andrej Pejic, Charlie France, Lewis Grant, Jacob Young, Milo Spijkers and Tom Lander. That’s a pretty all-star cast for a first issue. It’s definitely worth looking at the preview to see if it’s up your alley, or interests your wallet (because it’s not free). Overall grade: B+ Next on the docket is Stage Fashion magazine, an independent project aiming to find relations between minimalism and luxury in fashion. And here comes the good news: the magazine is free. Produced in Paris, London and Warsaw, it features articles in French and English; it is accessible to readers all over the world via the Internet. They’ve thus far avoided the design student bombshell that is bad font choice and allusions to MS Paint. However, their tedious website makes for an unpleasant reading experience. Hey, I can’t be too nice, or else they won’t have room to grow. And let’s face it, everything can improve at least a bit. Overall grade: A-

Last but not least, we have The Hunger. Started by Rankin, who’s been in the business over 20 years, you’d think it would be a bit more… I dunno… good. Instead the two covers featuring Sky Ferreira and some old guy look a bit more like a testament to the Twilight franchise or those free magazines you get at the movie theatre before Breaking Dawn actually starts. The point is, the whole knife thing and bloodlusty eyes of Sky Ferreira paired with a name like The Hunger only suggest that what they’re hungry for is a tall glass of plasma. Yikes. Also not helping is the logo, which apparently was not painted by an eleven-year-old. Overall grade: C-

“20 years after Dazed & Confused was founded, and 10 years after the birth of AnOther, The Hunger provides creative beings with a new platform for uncompromised self-expression, innovation and discovery. Working with recognised and emerging talents in the arts, fashion and editorial, The Hunger seeks out cultural progression and distinction. Each issue of the magazine features both a male and female cover.”

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Runway Report / Calvin Klein

Isn’t it a crying shame that nobody has capitalized on a website where you click a look that you like from a certain collection, say, look 11 from Italo Zucchelli’s Calvin Klein Collection F/W 11, and then all the subsequent editorials in which said look appears in materialize before your eyes? Am I alone here in wanting to see a certain garment in every light, interpretation, and visual representation there is available? It’s exhausting googling to the nth degree only to find shitty scans and hopeless credits. Come on, powers that be. People want this, it’s in demand, and when I become obsessed with a collection—say, this one for example—I want to see everywhere that it’s been, in one convenient location. Even all the magazines that I buy I can’t flip through fast enough. And now that it’s snowed here in Canada, there is nothing more that I want for Christmas than a puffy sweater made of, what is it? Nylon and goose feathers? I need to make a Klein blue statement in the rhine grey dreardom that is the Canadian urban outdoors. Images from style.com, metal magazine, umag, 10 men.

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Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen / Designer Masterclass

Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen did a Designer Masterclass for Net-a-Porter.com where they go through all fifteen pieces of their collection The Row. In true Olsen style, they can hardly contain their excitement. Giddily laughing and shrieking like the two über-famous twins that they are, they talk about biker girl pants that are stretchy (read: comfortable) and a cape (which is, apparently, key for a wardrobe). Citing even Fantastic Mr. Fox as an inspiration for their mustard pieces, they play off of each other, making sure not to miss a beat with the brown python (go luxe!) and the still-stretchy-still-comfortable leather stretchies (opt for wide-leg pants). Also included in the series are quotes like “That was pretty beyond”, from Behind the Seams, where we get a sneak peek at their super-secret offices so you can view the entire two t-shirt archive. “It started with a t-shirt”. And it ended… with ordering a pizza.

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Alexander Beck + Alessandro Dal Buoni / Hero Magazine

Alexander Beck shines in this editorial and video by Alessandro Dal Buoni for the new issue of Hero magazine. Since it’s inception in 2009, Hero has managed to hold its own. I’ll be honest, I was wary as to whether or not a magazine completely dedicated to models—and male models at that—would be able to survive more than two issues. A magazine “all about the guys that are destined to become the faces of tomorrow’s fashion” has turned out to satisfy a niche market I didn’t think existed. Men’s magazines are extremely difficult, because advertisers know that the men who read them are most likely men who can afford the products being marketed. Therefore, there isn’t very much room for a men’s magazine geared toward a younger market. Why try to sell to kids you know can’t buy what’s being offered? This conundrum means, and I hate to say it, that there can possibly never be a men’s magazine geared towards a late-teens, early-twenties type market. And who wants to subscribe to Port? Fantastic Man? Esquire? Not me, that’s who. I’m really trying to support these magazines that dare to target young men as its audience—magazines like Ten Men and Hero. The new issue of Hero is available now.

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