In the last three months the world has changed not just once, but twice. Each issue of Sorbet represents three months’ hard work, so when we started this issue, we weren’t quarantined in our apartments in Dubai, we were still able to produce photo shoots. Then what was first labeled as an outbreak was reclassified as a global pandemic and death tolls rose. We heard from our friends in Milan – then-next-hardest hit after Wuhan, as London and New York became even more epicentral. In Dubai we counted our blessings – a quick government response, well-equipped hospitals, and a far lower number of residents over the age of 60, but still, chaos at the airports and people either stuck here or in other countries affected us directly. We went from voluntary quarantine to involuntary quarantine. Permits had to be arranged to leave home, and suddenly producing a magazine seemed impossible. Against those odds though, we pushed on. We teamed up with photographers who best understand things like composition and light. We brought on illustrators and artists to create the images we could no longer take on set, and graphic designers to elevate some of the selfies – it is astonishing what you can achieve from settees. We even reached out to our extended Sorbet family around the world, as featured below, and asked them to send selfies and videos from their own situations in isolation.
MISS FAME
Let’s kick this list off with a big glamorous bang – the dizzyingly bewitching Miss Fame, last seen strutting through the Parisian streets at fashion week, and (more importantly) on one of the most buzzed-about Sorbet shoots ever. Dripping in Fenty and Balenciaga, Miss Fame posed with lip- red roses – stunning – all lensed by the eminently talented Abdulla Elmaz. Scan code. And look right.
ABDULLA ELMAZ
Prince among thieves; god among men; hovering vision of complete perfection: Abdulla Elmaz is the total most. In this issue, he shot rising star Lea Goliath in Nicolas Ghesquière’s Louis Vuitton; in the last issue he shot Remi Akl in Saudi Arabia, and in the issue before – yes – the glorious Miss Fame. Abdulla, if you hadn’t guessed already, we love what you do.
DANIEL LISMORE
Once described by Vogue as “England’s most eccentric dresser”, Daniel Lismore has graduated far beyond even those superlative heights, cementing himself as both a celebrity and part of a celebrated pantheon of contemporary performance artists. Here he is, in lockdown in his garden in Coventry, UK, in chainmail with lasers and pansies. Perfection.
CANDELA CAPITAN
Based in Barcelona, Spanish artist Candela Capitán is a strange and beguiling bird, combining artistic disciplines such as contemporary dance, performance art, photography, and film, with gymnastics, contortionism, and recently it seems, other living creatures such as insects, snails, and toads. At the most recent edition of art festival Loom, Candela reposed in a glass coffin for three hours while giant praying mantises, and spiny stick insects each roughly the size of a grown man’s hand wandered around her body. You do you, boo.
EVA LOSADA
If you’ve ever attended fashion weeks in London, Paris, Milan, or New York, you have seen Eva. Street style photographer for many edgy media outlets, Eva is always strikingly attired in her signature mix of high-fashion gothic. Regularly lensing editorials for major magazines too, Eva is also a regular backstage for Dior and Louis Vuitton, and recently appeared as a special guest at Dubai’s street culture festival, Sole DXB. Love her.
KAILAND MORRIS
With an internship for Dior Men and Mr. Kim Jones recently wrapped, the son of music legend Stevie Wonder and fashion designer Kai Morris is both musically gifted (he plays piano – scan the code – and the guitar), and it seems, destined to have at least one foot in the world of fashion. Recently launching his own line, KOM clothing, Kailand is also a student, a skateboarder, and a DJ – get busy!
AMIAYA
Identical Japanese twins Ami and Aya first came to prominence through the Instagram posts of their Harajuku looks in Tokyo, and are now ubiquitous fixtures at global fashion weeks. And they dance too, as evinced in this exclusive clip recorded by them, in isolation, for us.
LOCHIE STONEHOUSE
New Zealand-based Director of Artistry at L’Oréal Luxe, Lochie heads up the beauty departments at YSL, Lancôme, and Armani. That’s hot. As is oft the case these days, though, it was his Instagram posts that thrust him into the global spotlight – full faces of makeup such as an iconic YSL logo in silver glitter, or the exclusive-for-Sorbet look below inspired by the sun, moon, and stars. But we’ll let him tell you all about it – scan.
GEOFF K. COOPER
One of the most positive, inspiring, and hard-working people in the industry, Geoff (pronounced Jee-off)
is a fashion journalist, regularly covering fashion shenanigans for The Evening Standard, and his own fashion platform, Sagaboi. Hailing from the Caribbean, he spends time in New York and London too, when he isn’t traveling on the men’s fashion week circuit.
JAMES LONG
In the 1990s, Italian brand Iceberg was one of the most sought after for clubgoers on the underground house and garage scenes. When designer James signed on to steer the ship, he brought the brand back to the English capital, and has continued to deliver collections that celebrate and progress the intersection between luxury clothing and club culture. And apparently he also sings – who knew?
FARIDA KHELFA
Muse and close friend of designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and the late great Azzedine Alaïa, Farida rose to prominence in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and has since become an accomplished filmmaker and actress – she’s an icon – and she’s sending us love from the townhouse in Paris she shares with husband Henri Seydoux, recently transformed by their close friend Philippe Starck. It just doesn’t get chicer than that.
ZIGGY AMA
@ZIGGYAMA
One of the most beautiful people to ever grace our pages, the Paris-based model is constantly challenging gender perceptions and the masculine/feminine boxes society has historically put us all in. With a featured role in the music video for last year’s Dancing with a Stranger by Sam Smith and Normani, Ziggy is currently home, in his garden, with some words of encouragement for us all. Bisous.
OSCAR OUK
@OSCAROUK
One of the most talented photographers we know, Oscar is one of Sorbet’s creative crushes. In our last issue he shot menswear on model Tripp, and the issue before that, it was Saint Laurent on activist Yves Mathieu, and model Chen Xue. Unfortunately this issue we’ve all been in quarantine, but we’ll be back together this fall, and until then, you can scan. Swoon.
NONTOBEKO
The South African star of our Red Rhapsody multibrand shoot, shot by superstar Tré Koch in Richmond Park, London, kept her cool completely as the police sped towards us, scattered the deer nearby, and kicked us out because someone forgot the permit – oops. Still, we snuck back in and she continued throwing some of the most major shapes of any model I ever worked with – what a pro. She is also hilarious – scan the code immediately.
CHRISTIAN WIJNANTS
This fantastic man studied at the prestigious Antwerp Fashion Academy, and as if following in those footsteps of the famed Antwerp Six was not enough, he went on to study under the most lauded of that sextuplet, Dries Van Noten. Winning all the awards, he has become celebrated for many things, but notably knitwear. An avid Sorbet reader, he confesses that he has never made any of our sorbet recipes – the shame. To make amends though, here he is with an apple and ginger sorbet he made especially. Scan to see more.
MARCO SCOMPARIN
At his recent birthday party at Armani / Bamboo Bar in Milan, a line snaked around the heaving space as guests waited their turn to wish the man of the hour a happy birthday. Tables overflowed with sponsored spirits and prosecco like cornucopia, and drag queen DJ Jodie Harsh, who flew in especially, spun the tracks. Yes, it was extravagant, but a landmark birthday like 31 must be feted properly. Lolz.
NEJILKA ARIAS
The Freedom Issue was one of the most controversial we’ve ever done, and we were lucky enough to have this Dominican, Brooklyn-based model on the cover, photographed by Dant Studio with a gang of other gorgeous (mostly naked) models. Moving into fashion writing and style consulting, expect to see more of Nejilka in the pages of Sorbet and beyond.
PETER PHILIPS
The Belgian makeup artist and creative and image director of Christian Dior makeup also happens to be just an absolute dream. Adored by everyone in what can be a prickly industry, Peter has painted the faces of every supermodel of the moment. He travels the world – fashion shows, campaigns, and editorials, but more importantly, on regular city trips with him mom. We love you, Peter.
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