Just recently crowned 2010 North American Hairstylist of the Year, Tony Ricci was born in Italy and raised in Edmonton. A graduate of Marvel College, he is the owner and founder of the highly successful Ricci Hair Company and has been working as a stylist for 18 years with training from Sassoon’s Academy in London, England and Los Angeles. PHABRIK Magazine's Executive and Creative Director Sandra Sing Fernandes spoke with Tony right after his win. “I’m so impressed by Tony’s ability to create a total look and get a cover shot. I was so excited to interview him to understand his creative process being an artist myself.” Tony Ricci’s mantra is “it’s never good enough”. He feels this helps with originality and keeps an artist on top of things internationally. “On the last day of my collection when I won, I was already thinking about my next collection.” Tony is continually working towards excellence and is already working towards North American Hairstylist of the Year again for next season. His winning collection was themed “Cyber Vixens”. Tony and his team have won many awards prior to this including the Mirror Awards Canadian Hairdresser of the year twice, and the Contessa Alberta Hairstylist of the year, “I was always wondering if I was good enough to place as I had won the Canadian competition twice. I’ve always wanted to do it.” For the last few years he has been focusing on inspirations from designers Yoshi Yamamoto, the late Alexander McQueen, and architecture. The North American Hair Stylist of the Year competition starts with 1200 competitors and works down to five. Then one winner is chosen. “I photographed the collection in Montreal and felt in order to win, all five photographs submitted had to be cover shots.” Tony finished shooting in Montreal and had come back to Edmonton but felt he only actually had three cover shots. So he decided to go back to Montreal and continued shooting until he had five completed cover shots. “I really loved shooting in Montreal as I was isolated from everyday business and could focus entirely on creativity for 3 days.” Tony Ricci has developed a strong team of fifteen staff who are committed to his pursuit of excellence and creating cutting edge looks. “I have an amazing team and without them none of this would be possible.” “In daily life as a hairdresser, I’m a craftsperson and create for my clients. I want my clients to walk out with something that works for them and that is personal to them, but for myself, as an artist, I’m looking for overall image and the wow factor – all the elements coming together – models, photographers, hair, makeup, etc.” Congratulations to Tony Ricci on winning North American Hairdresser of the Year.

Creative Confections; Ice-Cream Skulls and Leggy Lolli’s What is your name? Brent Ray Fraser How old are you? 11,491 days. What do you do? I’m a full-time artist. When did you know you were an artist? My first experience was in1984, Miss Smith’s Kindergarten class. I was five years old. We mixed primary colours with our fingers to create paintings for our parents. My mom would hang them on the kitchen fridge. I was motivated to hang art on that door for years. It’s funny because now I create abstract paintings with the very same method I used when I was five. What do you consider yourself then, a painter, a photographer, a performance artist? Right now I consider myself ‘Untitled, 2010’. I don’t fall into a specific category. Not that I don’t want to, I just don’t like restrictive titles. I express myself through my art, which takes on many forms. A single label would make my life pretty narrow. The beautiful aspect to art is that it can change shapes to reflect the artist. Where does your inspiration come from? It comes from experiences. I think about art all the time and always get lost in deep thought. My ideas are found on my way back to reality. Why fashion-based art? When I originally conceived the idea about incorporating clothing and fashion within my work I did not consider it fashion-based art. From 2008-2009 my thoughts revolved around how we are perceived as individuals. The first thing we notice about others is clothing. Our fashion and style depicts who we are. Stereotypes, labels and assumptions follow. Our individuality becomes lost in a sea of brands and labels. All I want is for my work to be seen and understood by all. By portraying the clothing we see around us in my work, I can reflect this characteristic, creating an immediate familiarity with the viewer. Did you view fashion as art before you incorporated it into your work, or more as “lifestlye” and self expression? Fashion is art and designers are artists, but it was not my original intention to portray them or their work within mine. I was intrigued by Marcel Duchampe and the use of ready-mades within art may years ago. It was profound for me, so I decided to investigate its depth by incorporating found objects within my work. It was exciting for me and continues on to this day. Fashion came into play because of its implications as art. The way it can alter ones perception got me thinking about how it can conveyed. The suit jacket was the first to be included because of its characteristics and personality. Luxury brand names later followed due to their social status in consumerism. From that point on I looked at fashion from a different point of view and I wanted others to do the same. How did you come to work with Louis Vuitton? In 2008 I began drawing shoe portraits of women in their favorite heels. I would instruct them to pose for a camera and email me the pics. Then I would choose the best one and create a work of art from it. In 2008 Flare magazine wrote an article about me and my saucy stiletto portraits. Louis Vuitton caught wind shortly after and contacted me. They were looking to boost shoe sales by showcasing me at private events across Canada. I’d come with a pad of paper and sit and draw quick sketches of all the ladies wearing their favorite pair of Louis’s. I was quick enough to draw all the guests and everyone left with a gift portraiture. This went on for a year and took me across Canada. What is your motto? I have more than one motto. First and foremost, “Love what you do and it will love you back”. The second is “life in every breath”. Last but not least, “kick ass and take names”. Your latest venture ‘Popsicles’ ‘examines recognizably contemporary subject matters’, can you elaborate? This is my recent artist statement: “The original idea for this series stems from our urge to collect and consume. It has evolved into a body of work that can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Popsicles is a combination of things. The obvious is the frozen treat we all recognize. I originally wanted to create a body of work that we can all connect with. Confectionery is not only a nostalgic food; it’s a product that is mass-produced in a variety of forms. Popsicles also captures the mystical side of my creative mind. Each work portrays objects I’ve photographed specifically for this series. Things I find not only visually stimulating, but also artistically challenging. I think art should be provocative and intriguing. Candy is fun, interactive, colorful, sweet and sour and has a long history in popular culture. It’s a treat enjoyed by all walks of life. By combining it with unusual elements, the art can begin to speak a different language. Art in many ways is candy. It tempts us, pleases us and continually engages our senses”. How do you know when your art is finished? Creating art is like having a great conversation. It is never finished. You can always pick up where you left off. But at the same time, there comes a point between two, when words are chosen so well, that it leaves you speechless. What have you learned from your art? I’ve learned who I am. What can we expect to see from you in the future? The beautiful thing I love so much about my art’s thought process is that there is always something just around the corner. What I can say is that I am working with a taxidermist’s mannequins. The conceptual elements in my work are beginning to evolve and things are going to get really interesting. For more on Brent Ray Fraser, visit the artist’s website: BrentRayFraser.com

Light-up Lenses, Wheat Corsets, Comic-Book Lamps and Lasers “Blood, sweat and tears,” Jeffrey laughs from his U.K. studio; pricking his finger while putting the finishing touches on the latest costume piece for legendary pop-rock band U2. “It’s true what they say,” he grins, flourishing a half-stitched-together light-up shoe in one hand: “there’s DNA on these babies”. ‘Charming’ is the operative word to describe Jeffrey Michael; sporting large, black rimmed glasses, blonde hair and a boyish grin, the 24 year old Edmonton native is full of insight and amusing quips. His energy is infectious, his eloquence, refreshing and his personality, endearing. Specializing in light-up and avant-garde design, Jeffrey is fast becoming one of the most sought out costume and lighting designers in the world. Inimitable talent has both established and up-and-coming stars (such as pop/punk rocker Johnny Lazer) flocking to the creative genius who fashions one-of-a kind pieces for his clients: “(Lady) Gaga doesn’t want what Beyonce has, Beyonce doesn’t want what Rhianna wants, and Rhianna doesn’t want what anyone has,” he smiles. Self-described as ‘headstrong’, Jeffrey studied architecture at Carleton University, a love of building and creating fueling his years of study. Shifting his attention to a focus on lighting design, Jeffrey refused to be pigeon-holed as a ‘lighting designer’, choosing instead to capitalize on his creativity, dabbling in other design driven industries. A deeply ingrained love of organics and recycling, Jeffrey is always looking for ways to push boundaries; changing ordinary ‘things’ into extraordinary ‘somethings’. ‘Somethings’ which include light-up glasses for pop star Jason Derulo, lighting designs for (make-up giant) Rimmel’s latest campaign, stage designs for songstress Gabby Young, and beautiful installation pieces he’s dubbed ‘The Warhol Screens’ for an art gallery named ‘The Collection’. “I think the weirdest thing I’ve made so far is a wheat corset; it glows from the inside…..The lighting is a secret,” he smiles when I question him about it. “I like the idea that no one knows how any of it’s done; it adds an element of magic to it, I think.” Unlike traditional clothing or lighting designers, Jeffrey’s building blocks know no bounds, citing “maple leafs, Christmas balls, wheat, spoons and sunglass lenses” as materials he has used in the past. “Inspiration is everywhere,” he bubbles. “Just this morning I was walking down the street and came across this pretty purple flower that had little puffs coming off the end of the petals, and as soon as I saw it, ideas started racing through my mind.” A short tour around his London studio reveals a vision-board plastered with pictures of various celebrities, models and pop stars; Beyonce, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Coco Rocha. “It’s funny,” he grins, “I’ve actually had to remove some people’s pictures from my inspiration board because I’ve begun working with them…it would be a little unprofessional and embarrassing for them to come in and see their picture up on my wall”. On the opposite side of the room, hidden behind an enormous black and white art piece (which will soon see its way into Liberty House, an art gallery in Chelsea) is a different board, strikingly similar to his vision-board but with one small difference; it’s filled with pictures of those that he has worked with. Sort of a personal homage to what he has already accomplished; amongst the photos on this board are Georgia May Jagger, U2, and Johnny Blue Eyes (stylist of Brit band The Gossip, model Kate Moss, Dragonette and the Scissor Sisters). “I’m terrible at keeping secrets,” he admits while showing me one of his next projects; a light up glass bra for an unnamed celebrity; “I’m not at liberty to say,” he quips. “But, off the record…..” And while I’m also not at liberty to say, I’ll leave off with saying that a good number of pictures are soon going to be transferring vision-boards; an impressive but not surprising accomplishment for such a talented designer. When I question him about his experiences with those in the industry, and whether he’s ever found himself star-struck, he laughs and responds with sincerity: “I freak out on the inside, but I’m composed on the outside. My biggest celebrity freak-out has been Lady Gaga; I immediately called my mom. You hear horror stories about people in the industry, but everyone has been so nice. I think that if I only designed clothing, they would rip me apart, but that I’m involved with so many different mediums, I don’t think they quite know what to make of me. There are so many people I’ve met that I look up to. Johnny Blue Eyes is so intelligent and he gives his clients confidence. Emma Crosby (at London a la Mode) is also a big inspiration. She believed in me and got me into Liberties; we’re still very close.” His next career-move may see him back in his home country (albeit for a short amount of time), and involves a Vogue-caliber photographer, a LABB make-up artist and his team of agents: “You set yourself dreams then when you get to them, you have to make new dreams. You re-prioritize. You can always go harder. You’re the only person that can care about your career”, he says bluntly “you’re the only one that can promote your career.”

A wise woman once said “You never truly know someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes” while a simple man stated “There’s an awful lot you can tell about a person by their shoes”. Taken literally, both quotes essentially extol the same wisdom; pretty or practical, comfortable or stylish, a person’s footwear says a lot about them. I don’t own a pair of flip-flops; no sneakers, hiking boots, Crocs or kitten heels, the comfiest footwear I possess happens to be a ratted pair of fuzzy gray, bedazzled to a Swarovski-sheen slippers. I live for heels (well, live in them at the very least). My obsession, while not quite as serious as famed shoe-whore Imelda Marcos’, borders on the addiction; I’ve had a longer relationship with some of my stilettos than I have had with a man. Repeatedly ignoring the practicality of an item while wielding my weapon of choice (Visa) at the nearest cashier, I’ve yet to experience buyers’ remorse. I came close this past week. A ten day visit to my hometown saw me fending for myself with a monstrous, silver rag-top Jeep; it had me cursing my beloved purple platforms with the first turn of the ignition. Driving never was one of my strengths; road rage and an innate inability to turn left not the least of my vehicular disabilities. The addition of a standard transmission only served as a hindrance in my quest for freedom. Going from a city of 5.5 million -where 20,000 alone reside in my condo complex- to an entire town comprised of 20,000 people. From AstroTurf and concrete, where taxis are the most common vehicle on the road to mountains, and bushes, one main street where you would be hard-pressed to hail anything resembling a cab. The obvious solution to my ‘stalling and –subsequent- whiplash’ problem would have been to swap out my skyscraper shoes for something flat and functional, but - proving once again that I can oftentimes be just as stubborn as I am absurd- not once did that ever enter into my mind as an option. So what, exactly, does this say about me? Sashaying down the route of narcissism, a moment’s reflection has led me to the seemingly pathetic and -not altogether surprising- realization that high heels have become my security blanket. For some people, it’s hair, others, stuffed animals, for me, it’s shoes. I don’t wear them for men, I don’t wear them for women; I wear them for me. When slipping my feet into my favorite pair of platforms, I am also slipping on my persona. I am slipping on a self-assured confidence that gives me a fierce –not false- sense of empowerment. I can take over the world one strong-willed step at a time. I would never be so shallow as to say that ‘shoes make the person’, but while they don’t define who you are, they can certainly have an impact on how you feel. So while a person might judge my preference in ped-wear, I will continue to happily strut, tall and confident down the sidewalk in pretty but impractical footwear.

Popular Electronics Vocalist Pat Kordyback dishes on the band, female fans, and how their lives have changed. From humble beginnings in a dilapidated bunker off of Whyte Ave, Edmonton hip-hop/pop band Stereos have accomplished what every musician dreams of; a contract with music giant Universal after a successful stint on MuchMusic’s reality TV show disBAND. In less than a year, the energetic -and exceptionally attractive (I’ll admit to having a bit of a crush on the lead guitarist) - quintet has exploded onto the music scene; playing alongside pop superstars like Katy Perry, garnering dedicated followers and #1 hits, as well as recently joining popular pop/punk band Hedley on a cross Canada tour to the delight of thousands of screaming fans. A combination of catchy riffs and lyrics make for memorable songs you’ll find stuck in your head -on repeat. As I type, Stereos’ recent hit ‘Butterflies’ is blasting from my earphones, my iPod is tuned into one of Toronto’s most popular radio stations. Comprised of Pat Kordyback (vocals), Miles Holmwood (lead guitar), Daniel Johnson (bass guitar), Robb Chalifoux (rhythm guitar) and Aaron Verdonk (drums), Stereos have gone from playing to empty crowds and working dead-end jobs to Juno nominations and performing for crowds of thousands; their posters hanging on the walls of virtually every teenage girls’ room. Taking a few days off of their tour to come back to Toronto, I had a chance to talk to Pat about the band, their music, their fans, and their future plans; Where are you guys on tour right now? We’re heading off to Cleveland in the next couple of days to continue our tour. We just finished shooting a video here in Toronto for She Only Likes Me When She’s Drunk. I just listened to that song this morning; was it inspired by or based on a personal experience? (Laughs) Yeah, unfortunately, most of my songs are based on my life. I write from personal experiences, and let’s face it, we’re not talking about world issues or anything, most of the songs are about….. Girls? (Laughs) Yeah, exactly, girls. I write songs that I would want to listen to, what I think other people would want to listen to. So you write all of the music? I do. I write ninety percent of the songs, instruments, vocals. I bring it to the guys and then they put their own personal touch on it. I hear that you guys are going into the recording studio soon? What can we expect from your new album? It’s going to be more us, more R&B as opposed to pop/punk. I think that it will better reflect our personalities. When we released our album, it was a deluxe version where you get a new song each month so we keep busy recording. But I have enough written material to start on a new album. Were there ever moments where you guys debated ‘throwing in the towel’ and quitting? We never quit, even if we were playing a show where no one showed up, there were a couple of times when we probably should have just because we were flat broke, but we never did. At the time I was going to college, and I would go home and find pamphlets for colleges sitting on the table (laughs). So was your family supportive, then? My family was extremely supportive, actually; they were happy that I loved what I was doing, but I think they wanted me to go to school and be in the band at the same time. How have your guys’ lives changed since signing with Universal? Our lives have changed quite a bit, we went from having two jobs, bills, no food, and playing on the side for fun, to being able to focus on what we love full time. It’s great being able to do it one hundred percent. I think the worst job we had was immediately after the show (MuchMusic’s reality TV show disBAND) we flew home and went from being on television to working for a couple of weeks at a warehouse for Winners. Robb and me, unloading boxes. It was terrible. We lived in this really crappy house just off of Whyte Ave. So disgusting, when we came home from disBAND we actually had a mouse and fruit fly infestation. The band is very popular with the female population; what’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you guys? We woke up one morning when we first moved into our house in Toronto -after playing football outside on the front lawn the day before- to kids going through our trash. Once the TV show aired, our lives changed literally overnight. We’d never had to keep to ourselves before so it was a bit of a shock. We actually had to move out of that neighborhood and into a new house. What are the best and worst parts about being on tour? I think the best part is that we get to meet new people, make new fans. They don’t really know about us in the states because we haven’t been released there yet. We’re touring around in a van and a trailer; it’s very cozy. But we all get along great. We’re just a band on tour playing live; sometimes you think that the grass is always greener on the other side. What’s the most embarrassing thing on your iPod? You’re going to laugh, but I’d say the most embarrassing thing on my iPod is my own demos. But it’s only because I like to critique myself! What artists would you love to collaborate with? I’d love to collaborate with The-Dream, The Black Eyed Peas and Rancid. How does the band deal with negative attention? I love it. I think it makes us work harder, and even if people are talking negatively about us, at least they’re talking about us. What are some of your wardrobe essentials? You seem to be rather fond of jerseys…… (Laughs) You noticed that! I did have an obsession with basketball jerseys last year. Actually I had a fan bring me a really expensive jersey to an autograph signing once. It was crazy that she would shell out that much money for the two seconds I had to meet her. It was very nice of her. What’s the weirdest gift a fan has given you? Socks. Socks? Yes! And to all of the fans, bring us socks. We love socks! What do you guys hope to accomplish within the next year? We’re going to keep going, and I think we’ll have a clearer picture of where we’re headed. We are not a flash in the pan, and we want to keep away from the whole boy band image. Anything else you want to add? Uhm……..no? Usually this is where you thank your family or fans or give a shout out to people…….you don’t have to, just helping you out….. (Laughs) Yeah, thank the fans! Tweet us, Facebook us! Bring us socks! Check out Stereos on their website http://WeAreStereos.com, and download them on iTunes.