Gian Paolo Barbieri

Gian Paolo Barbieri #wakinguptofashion #photographer #image #fashion #style #waves #didyouwantsomething #halter #ontheedge #jerryhall #1000words #drama #timeless #jersey #seductress #maneater #draped #waiting #imreadywhenyouare #whenfashionrocked #femmefatale #editorial #drama #sideeye #bringingit #holdit #click

Lachlan Bailey

Lachlan Bailey #wakinguptofashion #photographer #image #fashion #style #copasquat #boho #bedhead #homage #icon #legend #accessories #tieups #moreisbetter #bedhead #lookingthroughyou #bodylanguage #1000words #everyonehasabattle #incomparable #timeless #shrug #babyitscoldoutside #oneofakind #fashioncasualty #stare #imagesweneversee #nottobeforgotten #holdit #click 

from behind the camera ... MEET Roberto Ligresti

 I never forget a gracious and unsolicited act of kindness as s was the case with Roberto when I was just starting out on the latest iteration of my life. Out of the blue he sent me something and said just because he enjoyed reading what I write and how I write it and so here, we are oh these many years later when I can properly say thank you!

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In the time that has passed I have watched Roberto’s work evolve from being just another photographer to what I consider a world class photographer. The images he is producing now are of the highest quality and when in a relatively short span of time he has proven himself to be “cover worthy.”  

 While he is much more solicitous to the advantageous side of social media when it comes to models and photographers, I am far more critical and disturbed by it. That in itself speaks to the demeanor of the man and how he works and what his mindset is in present times and by the way, I tip my hat to him for thinking as he does.

Anyway, I’d never have known the path that led Roberto to where he is today and this interview has been eye opening in terms of just how he is and who he is TODAY and how he had the grit, determination and well … the balls to do it!

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So now in his words and not mine Roberto will recount   some of his past his present and his future in his own words …

 Jeffrey Felner: Can you give us a brief run down as to how you started and your journey that lead you to being a photographer?

Roberto Ligresti: Growing up in Milan, I always thought I was going to become an artist. My drawing ability was appreciated  from a very early age. I needed a role model; my parents, both highly professionally intellectual, didn’t have a background in arts and didn’t really know what to do with me! It was up to me to look beyond my family and find my own heroes.

At first, I thought I was going to be a cartoonist when I discovered the trendy work of Guido Crepax, a great Italian illustrator who mixed art, politics and fashion. He created a character called Valentina.  A “fashion photographer” with a Louise Brooks haircut, who was either nude or wore St Laurent. Valentina was obviously Mr. Crepax’s alter ego and so I started doing all kinds of drawings imitating his style and creating my own version of his character.

Valentina ran in a large printed format Italian monthly magazine called LINUS, based on Peanuts. It was a satirical publication aimed at pseudo intellectual high schoolers, like me I suppose, or so I thought, and it was my first contact with American pop culture.  At the same time, I discovered the American Illustrator Annuals which only reinforced my desire to have a career in the United States since there weren’t any publications of this sort in Italy and against my parent’s wishes, I enrolled in a high school for the arts.

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At 15, I bought my first copy of Vogue Italia, and Marie Helvin was on the cover. That image completely mesmerized me. I became fascinated with models and photographers. Previously, the only model I “knew” of was Veruschka., but after discovering Vogue, a whole new world unfolded that included Vibeke, Dayle Haddon, Susan Moncur, Jeanette Christensen, Margaux Hemingway, Jerry Hall, and the lensmen Giampaolo Barbieri, Oliviero Toscani, Bill King, Guy Bourdin, Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton who were added to my list of new heroes. Arrivederci Valentina!

I now desperately wanted to be part of that world but didn’t know how!! When I saw the illustrations of Antonio Lopez for Valentino, I found my next ambition! I was going to be the new Antonio Lopez which seemed to be an achievable goal given my artistic abilities. I was so confident of my unique talent, I decided to take matters into my own hands and to walked into the offices of Vogue Italia with a roll of bad drawings thinking they equaled the work of Antonio. The first person I saw while crossing the beautiful courtyard in Piazza Castello 27 was Giulietta Masina (Fellini’s wife).

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I was now entering a new unknown world. The staff of Vogue Italia was more than kind to me and the art director even gave me my first assignment on the spot! I thought I had it made. Sadly, my drawings looked like those of someone fresh from art school, so I was asked to match the style of the illustrators of Women’s Wear Daily… aha! ... a New goal found; Move to New York City and work for Women’s Wear Daily! Vogue Italia started using me every month for about 6 months that year and, being the immature kid, I began thinking of myself as an accomplished artist. I grew my hair long and wore super trendy clothes to get attention. I started spending my nights at the chic night clubs and sneaking into every fashion show in Milan and Paris. I spent 4 years at the Academy of Arts instead of going to a traditional college. All I cared about was to be part of the fashion world.

Having no sponsors or mentors, no one was there to tell me that fashion is a serious industry, and that at this stage of my life I was nothing more than an intern. My first assignment for Vogue gave me the childish confidence to think of myself as a fashion star.

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Before Social Media existed, you had to be “seen” in in all the right places but because of attending every fashion show (the field being a lot smaller back then) I became a familiar face of the fashion crowd in Milan and Paris even though no one knew who the hell I was or why I was there! 

New York was the next fashion capital to conquer and  armed with the excuse of enrolling for at the School of Visual Arts. Now, with a huge vinyl portfolio (no longer paper tied up with a rubber band) searching for a position at an American fashion magazine! I spent my days walking back and forth on Madison avenue with my big portfolio and barely managed to get 6 magazine illustration assignments in 6 months, so it was ciao New York City but still more intrigued than ever. Everyone was so friendly!

When returning to Milan at 22, I began my corporate experience at McCann Erickson working as an aide to star Art Director Raymond Gfeller who had worked in New York and Paris, most notably for Jardin Des Modes. The job was fun and interesting, servicing the biggest department store in Italy, and I enjoyed the experience of drawing the storyboards for the tv commercials. I even illustrated for a small campaign featured in national newspapers. I’m sure my boss thought I was a brat, since I wasn’t THAT helpful to him, but he liked me and kept me around.

Since I was aching to return to New York City, I jumped at the opportunity to work at a Manhattan Art Studio providing collateral material to all the major advertising agencies. I left my job at McCann Erickson, and made the Big Apple my new home.  Working for the Manhattan Art Studio provided me with all the discipline I never had in Milan. I worked hard, I worked nights and weekends and made good money. I bought my first apartment in Chelsea. I thought that I was fulfilled.  A few years later, during my first and only experience sharing a house in Fire Island, I befriended a group who “worked in fashion”.  By then, with a solid advertising career, drawing storyboards for TV commercials pretty much daily, the fun I experienced in Milan in the early years had worn off and I was completely burned out. I became completely intrigued with the people at the shared house, a fashion photographer, a hairstylist, and an art director for Bloomingdales. They seemed to work together often, and they seemed happy doing it. They knew ALL THE MODELS and my tedious job as an illustrator, left  me basically working alone and trying to meet strict deadlines hence my career now seemed to look drab and sad. 

The Fire Island “chapter” was the push I needed to make me stop drawing. The time had come to start my career as a photographer. I began a whole new life at 31, but it’s what I was meant to do.  I could finally work in fashion and it was the best moment and my least regrettable decision. With trial and error, I embarked on a new career and began working with model agencies, and slowly built my portfolio. I learned how to negotiate with magazines and 6 years later, I got to a point where my sole source of income was photography.

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JF: When you started, did you have any “style” icons or mentors that have influenced your work during your career and why did you select them?

Roberto Ligresti: Honestly, I never chose anything in life. Everything in my journey seemed to have appeared in front of me by chance, my only merit being to take on every challenge presented to me thinking I might miss out on a golden opportunity.

My good luck brought me to Raymond Gfeller, a wonderful, generous soul who I owe everything to for giving me my first full time job, and who taught me so much about proportions (big picture has to go next small picture) and graphics.

Several years on, I was fortunate enough to work alongside Francis Ing, a great, technically proficient fashion photographer who was a frequent collaborator of Andy Warhol at Interview Magazine in the early 80’s. He taught me everything about studio lighting which remains my strong suit to this day.

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JF: Care to discuss your best and worst experiences while working on a shoot? …. Model?  Client? Stylist? Location? Control? Wardrobe? Creative director?

Roberto Ligresti: The “bad” experiences I may have had, were caused by my inexperience in handling certain working situations. As a photographer, you need to have the patience of a saint, care about everyone else’s needs, from the cranky assistant to the client who may be in a bad mood, to the ego driven hair and makeup people … You have to be the captain of a ship that’s going to stay afloat no matter what! Most professional photographers (in their growing years) have experience assisting other photographers where you would witness all kinds of situations and you learn what NOT TO DO…But I never assisted, I learned everything on my own.

Now, of course I pride myself on being an expert captain, I’m not always perfect, but I certainly try!

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JF: If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would they be and why?

Roberto Ligresti: Nick Knight because I love his integrity as an image creator; he’s not afraid of trying new techniques and media, and truly respect what he creates on his SHOWSTUDIO platform.

George Hoyningen-Huene for his contribution to fashion photography.  Like me, he was an illustrator before starting photography, and late in his life worked in the movie industry, as I may want to do one day. Donald Wexler as I am a big fan of his work, I’m fascinated by mid-century architecture. Massimo Vignelli because I know I would enjoy talking design with him. My dear friend the hairstylist Garren because he has great stories about photo shoots and always makes me laugh and in case one of the five couldn’t make it, the next person I would invite is Eileen Ford as an alternate!

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 JF: Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room … the internet and social media; can you speak to the pros and cons and if you could, how you would change the posting requirements or content requirements for being “REAL” models and photographers?

Roberto Ligresti: At the present stage of my life what I value about social media is provides a platform for professionals to communicate and reach people within the industry on an international level. I've had several opportunities come my way via social media… Including this fun interview with you!

I love that social media makes everyone with a telephone a photographer, everyone believes they can be a model or an  influencer. “Modeling” is no longer about natural beauties (Karen Graham and Lauren Hutton), society, fashion, its audience and the standards of beauty have changed and so it’s the new way “spread the word.”  It’s progress and the beginning of true democracy in media. It can’t be changed; I’m just enjoying the ride!

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Jeffrey thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity!

https://www.instagram.com/roberto_ligresti_studio/

CLICK THE LINK AND FOLLOW ROBERTO

meet Emil Osmanovic Montenegro ... the reprise interview

Men’s fashion is in a state of flux where we are now hopefully looking at less streetwear and more reality based clothing. With that in mind, hopefully, we are also looking at a time when the models that we see in print and on runways will reflect the client rather than a strung out adolescent looking for a meal and a fix.

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Four years ago I met Emil and we decided to do an interview but I openly admit that maybe I should have waited until he truly blossomed into the man he is today. His facial structure and demeanor has gone from wannabe to confident and his body has gone from boy to man. With all the beefcake we see each and every day on Instagram and other sites, pay per or otherwise, I am thrilled to see someone who looks like a man and has grown in so many ways that have benefitted him and his career.  No more snapshot photography and no more unstyled haphazard images but the real deal. Perseverance does pay off! 

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It is without question that non cookie cutter men in Europe have far greater chances of working than here in the States. In America we are searching for eternal youth which translates to young barely adolescents wearing clothing that they will likely never be able to afford or want especially if they continue to model. My opinion is that all of these issues are part of the reason why the retail experience has been so grim. What 40 year old man, earning mid 6 figures, wants to look like a left over strung out rocker wearing skin tight pants and still one more motorcycle jacket with Chelsea boots?

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Emil is one of those ageless guys who can be 20, 30, or 40 just by employing some crafty creative styling and imagination. Truth be told, casting directors need to grasp onto the client for the clothes and brand that they style since the bottom line is sales not just image.

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It is with great pleasure that I get to see Emil as a man who has matured in the most wonderful ways possible.  So here, in his own words, is the man of the hour… Emil Osmanovic Montenegro…….

JEFFREY FELNER: Can you tell us a brief rundown of how exactly you have arrived at your present status?

EMIL MONTENEGRO: It all began when I won a “Face of Montenegro“contest at which time I knew I could be a model. I was soon photographed by prominent photographers in Montenegro, Milan, and Paris. Their photos, a good agency, and my self-promotion on social media lead to modeling jobs with Vivienne Westwood, Roberto Cavalli, Pitti Uomo in Firenze, Italian Vogue, Louis Vuitton in Dubai, Book “Emil intenso e misterioso” in Brazil, many commercials, international tv shows, music videos, covers of magazines in France, Korea, and the Balkans. In addition to modeling, I am taking voice lessons, and recording some test music, and dabbling in acting

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JF: Can you offer any advice to those who aspire to become models? Goals...  etc?

EM: To be successful, a young person needs to have talent, persistence, a good work ethic, and discipline. They must always keep up with the times. Sometimes persistence is more important than talent. Persistent people with a little talent can be successful, but talented people without persistence will not succeed.  My responsibility on social networks is big because I am also followed by younger people … high school students. I’m one of their role models and their idol. My mission is to show them that they can do anything they want if they stay on track with desire and hard work. My Instagram is very positive. In everyday life there is a lot of stress and negative energy. I do not want to add to negativity; Positive energy is my message.

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JF: If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would they be and why?

EM: I like this very interesting question… I will invite my favorite singer, Lady Gaga as I admire her incredible talent as a singer, song writer, and actress. She seems like a sweet, good hearted, down to earth woman. I like those qualities. I will invite Madonna as she has great strength and power and is a wonderful humanist. My third choice is Angelina Jolie since I love her look, her intelligence, and her humanity. Princess Diana is my choice for a historical person; to me she was great in every way. Lastly, one man … The designer I have always most admired, Gianni Versace. No one has yet surpassed his unique vision and creativity. He was one of a kind

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JF: Let’s speak of social media: do you believe that social media is an asset and why or do you think that social media has diluted the business of fashion (designers, models, photographers) and why?

EM: Social media has been an important tool for me. It has brought my image to the whole world. I have around 400,000 followers on Instagram and Facebook. I post interesting things about my work projects, my travels, my publicity, and life in Montenegro. Designers and fashion houses must have a strong social media presence to reach younger, newer audiences.

 

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JF: If you could choose any collaboration or project who might it be with or what would it be

EM: if I could choose, I would want to do a Campaign for Versace and/or Dolce & Gabbana. I think I have the right face for those two brands. I would definitely choose to be on a fashion magazine cover with Naomi Campbell. We both have a very strong presence.

WATCH OUT !! the MANDRAWN interview

www.mandrawn.com/watch-interview-jeffrey-felner
 OR
read it here:

Ricky Wolbrom

This is an instance that combines a skill and a craft that dates back centuries and infuses precision workmanship into what some will call fashion or collectible accessories. Enter Ricky Wolbrom who had an epiphany and turned it into a thriving business. Though the name (watch-cufflinks) is seemingly self-explanatory, it is so much more than just cufflinks built from watch parts and mechanisms. By the way check out the website and see that they are much more than just cufflinks and not just for men.

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Some of you will be familiar with the brands that are repurposed or reimagined in their current state and for those who are unfamiliar; these names are the ultimate in horology and timekeeping.  Watches from many of these brands range in the thousands of dollars and some might even surpass tens of thousands, so if you are an aspiring collector or even a seasoned collector of timepieces Watch-Cufflinks (don’t forget the hyphen) might just be what will appeal to you. Having always been fascinated by watches, this was a company that piqued my interest especially in the fact that many pieces are constructed and built in the same manner as the timepieces they echo and in some respects the same way as the original Miriam Haskell jewelry. The owner (Ricky Wolbrom) and creative director, Daniel Baker, speak to an audience of collectors and fashion fold folk who appreciate the art and craft of fashion, as well as those who might collect pieces that echo the very brands they own or aspire to; names such as Rolex, Omega. IWC, Breguet, Girard Perregaux, Bulova, Elgin and more. 

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Jeffrey Felner: Can you give us some brief history as to how this business came about and some of your background?

Ricky Wolbrom: With my family originating from Belgium, Switzerland, Israel and Central Europe, I'd been exposed to the gold and diamond business from an early age, maybe it’s genetic! I originally began in the jewelry business back in the 80's as a goldsmith apprentice here in New York City, and then I went on to get my GIA Certification in Gemology. Prior to actually making jewelry, I found myself working at a prominent newspaper in New York where I rose to the VP of Advertising and Marketing and was successful at both expanding the newspaper and substantially increasing the paper's revenue. After this rather corporate endeavor, I wanted an outlet for my creative tendencies; I always had a passion for textiles and fiber arts, so I spent time learning different ways to create jewelry from various high end novelty yarns. Eventually I began to experiment with assembling metal jewelry. I found that vintage watch parts lend themselves extremely well to the look I was trying to achieve, a hybrid of something new created from something old. Being strongly attracted to the ideas of recycling and up-cycling, giving new life to watch movements that would normally be cast aside, thrown away and forgotten intrigued me. It is an honor to pay homage to the brilliant and skilled craftsmanship of vintage watch movements. The master artisans of yesteryear hand created these intricate and fascinating little worlds of synchronicity and artistic beauty. Re-purposing them and utilizing these mini landscapes of art to create a new life in captivating and relevant jewelry gives me tremendous pleasure. 

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JF: Do you see any brand extensions in the future or expanding your retail network? What would be the ideal situation for both?

RW: There is a definite desire to expand both the line and distribution. For one, there is room to incorporate more precious metals as well as semi-precious and precious gemstones to create genuine luxury pieces. There already exists a high end clientele to support this, and I believe this adds another layer of legitimacy to our hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind pieces. I also envisage collaging vintage jewelry, either wholly or in part, to create unique signature statement pieces. We have already dabbled in this area with excellent results, and can imagine an entire line that makes use of genuine vintage jewelry from the deco era through the 60's. As for avenues of distribution, we have not considered designing for other brands, but instead we have looked to place ourselves in the types of shops and boutiques that cater to our niche market, such as jewelry stores, especially those that focus on luxury watches.  Elite and luxury tourist destinations throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East seem to be a natural attraction for us

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JF:  If you could select any collaboration at all, what it would be and why?

RW: Well, to be clear, I already have a collaborator/ partner who is a highly skilled designer and jeweler. We have a highly motivational dynamic that pushes the limits of our skills and I owe much to this partnership. As for another collaboration, to be honest, this could be you, Jeffrey. Knowing your history in the fashion and jewelry making industry, your expertise and skilled eye could be priceless, from your business acumen right down to design. Who knows, perhaps there would be room to grow into an expanded line of accessories, home decor, textiles, etc.  In the end, any collaboration would have to ultimately be about advancing the art. Success and profits are not to be derided, but the most satisfying thing about the work is creating something that genuinely brings pride. I could not have the former at the expense of the latter. 

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JF:  Can you profile your clients and tell us “who” they are and what you perceive as the attraction to your product?

RW: Our clients are vast and diverse. We have shipped to almost every conceivable destination in the world. We sell to everyday people as well as a deep roster of exclusive buyers, executive VIP's, celebrities, musicians and even royalty. We have even been commissioned to produce bespoke pieces for clients as well as for movie houses, prop and wardrobe managers, photographers… even a record label and luxury liquor company. We also do well with corporate gifting companies and "in-flight" magazines...
I believe there are many reasons people are attracted to our product. First, there are the devoted horological aficionados whose kryptonite is anything and everything that has to do with timekeeping. Our audience also includes those who love our jewelry just because of its esthetics; being different from virtually any other style of jewelry they might know since many may have never seen the inner workings of a watch before. This, I believe, enables our jewelry to transcend a singular categorization. 

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JF: Can you sort of run us through the process in terms of manufacture, etc., so that we have an idea of what goes into the making of your pieces?

RW: It seems that everyone has their own process. For me, I scan through supplies and as I internalize each piece, I can visualize combinations with other components. I then might gather together many different supplies from various ideas I have in my head and begin to lay them out together, trying two or three elements together and seeing if things "click". My partner is a highly visual person and can often picture a finished piece without picking up a single component. Regardless of the method, once the design is finalized, each piece is stripped of parts that may be excess or unnecessary, sharp edges are filed down and buffed, and metal surfaces to be joined are cleaned and abraded. Then all metal pieces are torch soldered - walking the fine line between reaching the temperature required for solder flow, while taking extreme caution not to burn the delicate surfaces and parts present on various watch movements. Depending on whether a grungy or gleaming finish is desired, the pieces will be lightly or thoroughly washed and then non-soldered elements may be added, such as crystals, gemstones, etc. Assuming that all the planets are in alignment, a finished product has been born and if we are lucky … a work of art has been created.

www.watch-cufflinks.com