Blacklisted #1

Image: Andy Eaton

Over the last twelve issues of Black Magazine we have featured 'things we love' in our upfront section 'Blacklist.' Today we thought we'd begin to post a series on Blacklog under the title 'Blacklisted' - the people, products, tunes, bands etc that we are loving here at Black. Simple as that, we love this.

Band of Skulls.

This British three piece released their debut album, the charmingly-named Baby Darling Doll Face Honey in March 2009 to considerable critical acclaim. Packed with singles like I Know What I Am, Blood, Fires and the Twilight Saga soundtrack-featuring Friends (but don't hold that against them), yet the album has a couple of killer tracks that haven't joined the single train, notably Dull Gold Heart and the gorgeous, creeping Cold Fame. Considering Band of Skulls only formed in November 2008 they very much look like a band to watch over the next year or two.

Andy Eaton.

At the risk of sounding like a stuck record, we don't take submissions here at Black but every now and then a photographer approaches us about shooting for us and we find it hard to say no. London/New York based photographer Andy Eaton has a style that we believe is quintessentially Black so we have commissioned him to shoot a ten page editorial for Black 13 with stylist Sara Dunn. Andy has a substantial pedigree having worked as an assistant with Solve Sundsbo and Nick Knight before assisting Mert & Marcus for 1 year. More recently he has assisted full-time with Tom Munro in New York.

VSmagazinelive.com.

Fashion films are proliferating on the net, as are sites willing to post moving image fashion. One such site is the online home of VS Magazine. Described as a 'curated and emotional view on fashion and culture' the site, and particularly the television section, is a veritable treasure trove of video, TV, fashion and music clips both contemporary, and enticingly, historical. It's clear they have quality archival researchers on board; clips including Bridget Bardot singing on a motorcycle, David Bowie as a teen fronting a 'long hair protest, the original Nancy Sinatra video for Bang Bang (above), excerpts from film's such as Polanski's Cul de Sac and much more have been lovingly curated in a fab gallery of fashion and culture. Not 100% sure about some of Ellen von Unwerth's films but by and large well worth a look.

Lara Stone in the new Calvin Klein campaign.

Not since the above mentioned Bridget Bardot has a front tooth gap been so adorable and desirable. Lara Stone, a global favourite amongst fashion photographers and the model currently ranked Number 1 in the world by Models.com features in the new campaign for Calvin Klein Collection, ck Calvin Klein and Calvin Klein Jeans. The Calvin Klein Collection images were shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott who are themselves on a trajectory toward Number 1, as the image above would suggest. Beautiful...

Blaire Archibald.

At just 21, Blaire Archibald is finishing his degree at AUT in fashion and design with a project that has captured our attention here at Black, to the degree that we are planning to offer some assistance with said project. The snappily dressed fashionista has a knowledge of the broader industry, including publishing, that belies his age. He is also a model listed on the very strong development board at Clyne Models in Auckland giving him experience on both sides of the camera. Watch this space...