- Shot on location at The Art Gallery Of Alberta - Photography by Studio-e.ca - Hair Davines Artistic Team -Kelly Bula, Simone De Nault, Sara Murphy, Sandy Tang - Make up by Tonia LaRiviere, James Kershaw - Stylist Sandra Sing Fernandes - Models: Ashley S, Ashley Z, Anita, Dara-Lynn.M, Adeaza, Courtney, Angelica

- Photographs by Michael Tang - Hair by A.J. Jomha/Sarah Pearson for Lines & Legends - Makeup by James Kershaw- Metal Sculpture by Peter Hyde - Portrait Bust of Alena by Annique Comeau - Location The Faculty of Fine Arts Sculpture Studio

“She makes steel look light as a feather”, a student described, in reference to University of Alberta professor and internationally acclaimed steel sculptor, Isla Burns. And such a compliment is far from unwarranted when you take a look at Isla Burns’ work. Her finely crafted and painstakingly detailed steel creations look as though they are made from pottery or painted porcelain, rather than such an industrial material as steel. After seeing the wonders this woman can make with steel, it came as no shock to hear she’s had shows in such cities as New York and London, pieces commissioned by the city of Barcelona, Spain, and can call famed New York art critic Clement Greenberg her pen pal. On a wintery Thursday afternoon, I had the privilege to sit down with for tea at a local Japanese restaurant with Isla Burns, and Western Canada fashion week creator, Sandra Sing Fernandes. Over a steamy cup of green tea, a surprisingly shy and unpretentious Isla Burns shared with us the evolution of her craft, her experiences in life and in the art world, and provided some inspiring words for aspiring young artists.

Not So Prim-Roses: Swedish Rock Band The Wildflowers Muses on Music, Fashion, the Future and Starring Alongside Music Industry Luminary Lady Gaga Injecting their androgynous retro-glam music, style and attitude into the world of rock, Swedish band, the Wildflowers reign as one of the few contemporary bands that can legitimately refer to themselves as rock and roll. A shamelessly brazen attitude, propensity for nail polish, sunglasses, skinnies and fast-paced songs evocative of ‘60s and ‘70s punk, blues and rock has the Wildflowers poised to blow your sound system. Their wild antics and nonchalant dispositions make one thing glaringly obvious; they don’t care what you think of them, just as long as you do. Comprised of three tattooed blonde triplets, Izzy, Kelii and Rock Landeberg, and newcomer, guitarist Erik Henriksson from Sweden, the Wildflowers are one of the hottest untapped European imports around. The influence of iconic bands such as The Doors, The Clash, The Ramones and Jimi Hendrix is as apparent in their music as it is in their style. Appreciative of both their talent and unconventional appearance, Lady Gaga handpicked the gorgeous triplets to star in her darkly comedic music video for “Paparazzi”; a roll that saw the three of them living out the fantasy of every Gaga-eyed male in existence as they made-out with the music industry darling en masse. Unlike previous decades, this generation is lacking in any truly great, sustainable rock and roll bands; with their high-energy stage presence, insurmountable drive to succeed, and attitudes that epitomize rock, I have my fingers crossed that The Wildflowers may be just the group to change that. The band was nice enough to take a few minutes out of their schedule to answer a few questions about their music, their fashion, and their future: You were Snake of Eden, and now you’re The Wildflowers. Why the name change? Izzy: After four years in Los Angeles and being a band for two years we felt that the band had changed musical direction from when it started, and the band name Snake of Eden felt too much like a hair-metal band. The Wildflowers feels like it fits our music perfectly and symbolizes the blooming of the band. Is there anyone, other artists, bands, etc., who has had an influence on your band with regards to both music and style? Izzy: We’re into 70’s punk and 60’s-70’s rock & roll and blues. Style-wise we think that Steven Tyler, David Bowie and (T. Rex’s) Mark Bolan had some of the coolest sense of fashion. Kelii: Fashion, art and music goes hand in hand with each other. The way we dress is a visual way to show people what we’re all about and what kind of music we play. What are some of your wardrobe essentials? Kelii: Skinny pants, vests and shirts, fancy shoes, accessories such as jewelry, sunglasses and some hats. A wardrobe should be like a treasure chamber filled with tasty stuff! Where do you find most of your clothing/accessories? Rock: Sometimes vintage shops, often girls clothes. For some reason it’s cheaper and fits better. Kind of hard to find underwear at the girls section, so we don’t wear any. Are there any designers in particular that you like and or follow? Izzy: We like what Vivienne Westwood did for the Sex Pistols in the 70’s. But we often try to avoid designers’ clothes with their name on (it). It’s not our style to wear branded clothes. But we like designed clothes! Erik: If it looks cool it’s cool! No matter who designed the clothes. You were in Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” music video; awesome experience or not so much? Izzy: Lady Gaga is a cool girl with great fashion and a lot of true talent. It was a fun experience to be a part of such a big production, and a plus: her lips were sweeter than a honey-pie! (Laughs) You’re in Tokyo working on a new album, what was the appeal of Japan? Izzy: Tokyo is a big city with so many possibilities and so many styles and it gives us a lot of inspiration for our music and fashion. It’s hard to not get sucked in to the Japanese fashion and lifestyle. We decided to go to Tokyo to try our music here, and people here seem to appreciate the music scene a lot! Strangest thing about living in Tokyo is? Rock: It is possible to rent a model as company for the night, the Harajuku girls dress up as dolls. Dominos pizza costs about 30 dollars a pizza, you can buy used underwear in vending machines and the boiled eggs are amazing! What can we expect from your new album/songs? Izzy: New sound compared to the old songs. Genuine rock & roll sound with punk attitude. Every song’s got its own personality and we’re really proud to show them to everyone. You’re brothers who work together; any wicked fights or do you all get along fairly well? Izzy: We fight about small things, but nothing serious. Kelii: We’ve been together almost every day of our life and we’re still not tired of each other. Guess that’s called love. Any plans to play in Canada? Rock: No, not any plans right now. But you never know what The Wildflowers do next! We would love to play there again! What does the band hope to accomplish in 2010? Kelii: What about taking over the world? No really, we want to get a great deal with a record label and get lots of promotion and get out on the roads and just play live as much as possible! Izzy: And a soul trip to India. If you weren’t musicians, you would be? Izzy: Astronaut. Kelii: If I weren’t a musician I would be like Bret Michaels in Poison! (Laughs) Rock: Pimp. Completely random question: 1 thing that you love and 1 thing that you hate: Izzy: I love diamonds, and I hate beautiful girls with false teeth. Kelii: I love to be on stage, I hate fake people. Rock: I love candy and I hate awkward silence. Erik: I love life, I try not to hate. Anything else you would like to add? Rock: We have recorded new songs already that will be available in the beginning of February! Erik: Check out our myspace for latest news about the band: www.myspace.com/snakeofedenrocks. And check us out at YouTube for “the Wildflowers rock & roll show”. Izzy: Love to all of our fans, and all the creative people. *Disclaimer* The Wildflowers YouTube rock & roll show is described as “a delight of decadence, filth and pure rock n roll”. You’ve been warned.

So these last ten years have flown by like clockwork we’ve had our up’s and we’ve had our downs, but what men fashion trends have stood the test of decadism, and what trends have we left to rot in the closet of yesteryear, Let’s take a tip back down memory lane. Key Items: Oversized T-shirt’s/Pants/ Jackets, excessive diamante jewellery, Velour, Basketball Sneakers. R.I.P: 2000 -2004 The Suit Moment This follow up to Bling Bling urged the metrosexual man for some type of return to sophistication, gone were the oversized pieces in turn for sleeker, true to fit items such as Dior Homme blazers, super skinny ties and slim fit pants. Key Items: Fitted blazers, skinny ties, and Suit trousers or slim-fit pants with White Tennis sneakers or leather shoes. R.I.P: Although this trend has adapted itself into current trends its heyday was from 2004-2006. Eighties Revival: Mini Trends 2007- 2010 Old Skool Once again guys taking back old hip-hop influences donning items such as Hi-top trainers, nerdy glasses and Varsity jackets along with other retro inspired pieces to give there outfit some extra punch. Key Items: Hi-Top Sneakers, Paint box/ Neon Acid Coloured Tops or Pants, Slim/Skinny Fit Jeans, Gold Jewellery, Military Jackets, Aztec/ Mosaic prints, and retro pieces inspired by items of the eighties. Grandpa Sleek A style inspired by the so called “Geeks” of the eighties but also with clear influences that lead back to traditional imagery of grandfathers. This trend involves taking classic items such as bow ties and braces but remixing them with today’s fashions to create a timeless vintage look. Key Items: Vintage blazers, Grandpa Slippers, cardigans, chunky knitwear, bow ties, braces, big retro reading glasses. Of course these trends are simply a blueprint to go by today’s fashion savvy men are no longer sucked into fads and fast turnover trends instead they yearn for individuality and looks that take inspiration from things other than celebrity. With all that these are the things to look out for this spring: Heavy usage of Denim – Reworking classic looks The return of Military styles – Well Tailored and sharp detailing Classic pieces - Work sports looks with formalwear bringing life back to old pieces. Neutral Colours – Beiges, Pastel Greens, Greys, these are working their way back from Jackets to cargo pants. New Shapes – Don’t be afraid to experiment with new shapes whether it be a coat or a pair of pants. Layering – play with different textures to bring depth to outfits. Other trends are bubbling under also but these seem to be the most promising to last for now. Quality Over Quantity Lastly a stylist’s tip: Go with a theme then begin to work your outfit around it, always start with one item and work from there. Shoes or pants are always a good place to being. Remember work the vision don’t let the vision work you.

The 2010 RTW Runway Trends and Highlights Emerging from the multifarious mix of designers and their S/S ’10 RTW collections, were several unmistakable patterns. Collectively ditching the heavily tailored, overly-stiff garments of seasons past and erring on the side of femininity, designers focused on a softer silhouette. While adhering to the old “less is more” adage, celebrated design houses created wardrobe mainstays with minutely detailed, simple, stylish, garments. Making a statement about the future of humanity, Alexander McQueen presented an innovative runway show and collection that stole the spotlight. A particular shoe design pushed the artistic envelope, leaving a worldwide audience split between awe and ugh. Minimalist a la Mode At Givenchy, Celine and Yves Saint Laurent, the designers gave an expertly executed visual exposé centered on minimalism; a limited color palette combined with a smattering of small design details made for classic garments that will stand the test of time in ones wardrobe. Favoring simple blacks, whites and beiges, the designs were given an added element of interest through the various pairings of differently textured and sheened fabrics of the same color. At Givenchy, Riccardo Tisci paired together contrasting combinations of inky blacks and stark whites; visually striking looks that come off as effortlessly chic. Beautiful Bows In accordance with this season’s widespread trend of all that is girly, there was a veritable explosion of bows of every size spilling onto the runways. Moschino, Valentino, Andrew Gn and Marc by Marc Jacobs are just a few of the numerous designers that incorporated the ultra-feminine detailing onto everything from garments to headpieces. From the small and demure to the gigantic and overwhelming, there was scarcely a prêt-a-port show for S/S ‘10 that did not feature the coquettish symbol of femininity. Grecian Goddess Yards of draped, sheer and lightweight, fabrics made for a softer, flirtier silhouette on the runways this spring. Stand out collections from last fall such as Balenciaga’s beautifully draped drop-waist skirts- served as inspiration for design houses that included Lanvin, Dries Van Noten and Elie Saab. Swathed in layers of flowing silk, satin and chiffon, the models floated down the runways in Romanesque gowns, skirts and tops; a much different look from the predominantly architectural designs of last season. Futuristic-Fashion Nirvana One standout collection, deserving of a paragraph all to itself, was the highly imaginative, futuristic, Atlantis-inspired showing from Alexander McQueen. Featuring an electrifying stage show that included digitally printed, reptilian-patterned dresses, video of a naked Raquel Zimmerman covered in writhing snakes, the debut of Lady Gaga’s new single, and live online-streaming; it made for an unforgettable experience. Claw Couture It would be impossible to write about McQueen’s S/S ’10 line without touching on one of the most talked about elements of his collection; the deformed, nine inch platforms that gave the models the entertaining appearance of having legs that ended in enormous crab-claws. After the initial shock of watching something so avant-garde traipse down the runway, it is easy for one to appreciate the brilliant concept behind the cunningly crafted, visually captivating footwear. While personally itching to get my hands on a pair, I’m certain that the less artfully-inclined will find these monstrous shoes to be much the opposite of desirable.