Starting out his music career in London in the Peckham rap scene, Leo Luchini is now programmer of Berlin’s Trauma Bar und Kino, as well as an actor. His signature moody and multifaceted production create the foundation underneath his classic melancholic melodies and ever-evolving lyrical deliveries.

CAP 74024 is pleased to invite Leo for a talk, sharing his inspiration, creativity and growth during the making of ‘Look at You’. From composing, to remixing and further to filming the music video, this black comedy-esque performance is a masterpiece styled to match the dense clash of distorted metal guitar and slick trap syncopation: a filmic fantasy where deathly spectres are counterbalanced with the vastness of an angelic infinite afterlife.

1. Where did your inspiration come from for your new track ‘Look At You’ in terms of the lyrics and direction of the video?

With this track and video I wanted to build a framework that could encompass a range of inspirations for me. From the lyrical standpoint I wanted to further develop my lyrical themes of existentialism and equilibrium and reflect that on screen through concepts of limbo and the afterlife [I was reading Sartre’s ‘No Exit’ at the time]. From a performance aspect, I’ve been hungry to act and perform more – so I developed a character for myself that was a subconscious being with a body language based between exhaustion and exorcism.

Honestly, what fuelled this project most was my frustration with what I felt was becoming lukewarm standards. I had been through a lot this year and I needed the release to shed old skin and free myself again through a performance with urgency. So my main inspiration was this hype-denier energy – this bluff-caller energy – a call for real connection that is un-swipe-away-able – a wake up call for looking at oneself at was has become, as one does in any therapy. It’s a battle with ourselves first and foremost. The song and video are really about this romantic die-hard commitment.

2. What was your favourite part about recording the video?

My favorite part was working on this character behind the lyrics, which is already inside me, and connecting the voice in front of the mic to the person in front of the camera. So much can be found on this level. I dug deep in preparation with Meisner technique workshops to embrace meaningful moments, body language exercises and psyching myself up through revisiting intense memories. It was extremely therapeutic for me.

3. Did you learn anything about your artistry while putting together ‘Look At You’?

I learned the ironic reward of discomfort. This commitment itself to perform the story whatever it takes. Shooting 12 hours straight in the cold rain, literally lying on the floor and throwing my body around, wearing contacts lenses that itch like crazy (nearly couldn’t get them out), wearing fake blood on my skin all day, doing my own stunts – then sleeping 3 hours and walking to the basketball court with my angel wings, my acoustic guitar and a ladder to shoot the end shot sitting on a freezing metallic hoop 4-meters high at 5am golden hour was hardcore. It’s a reminder that if it’s not a little uncomfortable, its probably not worth doing.

4. You recently remixed Tricky, how did this collaboration come about?

I hosted Tricky at Trauma Bar und Kino last December for the premiere of his directorial debut “Lonely Guest”. We got along like a house on fire and a few weeks later his team hit me up about being part of the remix release for the album of the same name. I was so gassed – I had to pinch myself. I chose the Rina Mushonga track ‘Pipe Dreams’ because her vocals are such a raw expression on it and the lyrics really hit home for me at the time. I must’ve made like 10 versions…. Was definitely an honour to be part of it and also alongside artists like Space Afrika also.

5. Can you tell us a little bit about your work as programmer and music curator of Berlin’s Trauma Bar und Kino?

In my role there working on the music programme, I definitely take from my past experience working in venues like the ICA and Bold Tendencies in London but also take a lot from being an artist myself. With this, I try to lead with a collaborative spirit, behaving more like a project-space for immersive, site-specific and cross-disciplinary performing arts, not just a music venue. Luckily we are a well-equipped hybrid space with an incredible team of individuals who equally seek the beyond together with me.

6. Do you have anything coming up you want to tell us about?

You can expect a remix compilation of ‘Look At You’ out in December 2nd featuring several producers to raise charity donations for the situation in Iran.

Aside from on-site practices, Terraforma also collaborated with various architecture and design studio on some long-term projects on the restoration of Villa Arconati’s landscape. Over the past few years, they restored a pre-existing 18^th century hedge labyrinth with local flora from scratch and reforested the camping area by planting more than 100 saplings on the event’s territory. Almost all the facilities (tables, benches, bins and shower cabins) and architectural structures inside the venue were made out of woods. This year, Terraforma took the project even one step further. Together with an avant-garde architecture studio Space Caviar, they built a new stage, Vaia. Named after the extreme weather event that occurred in northeastern Italy in 2018, the stage was constructed by wood from the tree fell from the Vaia storm, making use of the substantial amount of lumber that the community has invested in removing from the distressed area.

With the motto “For once we only dance”, Terraforma 2022 is a music festival with no talks, no panels, no workshops and a small self-caring yoga session between sets, putting a special focus on the musicians’ creation post-pandemic. Talents from all over the world gathered in Villa Arconati, pulled out a three-day music galore that is full of diversity, creativity and experimentation. The range of the music genre is wide, spanning from more fashion-oriented acts that fit to Milan’s ambience, to some authentic techno and house sets that stimulate festivalgoers’ impulse to dance. By having only one act at a time, the festivalgoers were transformed (or terraformed if you will) into one nomadic collective drifting between the stages together over the course of the weekend. This collective experience gave the proceedings an intimacy that is rarely found at festivals. Delving between the woodlands, the stunning Villa Arconati, and the labyrinth, one had an almost psychedelic sensation of shifting between dimensions; this was accentuated further still by the diversity of the music.

Representing CAP 72024, my colleague Harvey and I participated in the Saturday’s event. Dog days haven’t started yet but Milan was quite warm already, the afternoon sun had us hidden under tree shadows. Thanks to the successful reforestation they’ve been doing over the years, we enjoyed the whole afternoon of music shaded. Our experience started with the performance of EXPAT, a 9-month old band with no recorded music focuses on intense, dramatic and theatrical live show. Chanting political-related catchphrases like “White supremacy causes climate changes” with grating guitar sound; their provocative performance sent the crowd boiling. The afternoon proceeded with Milan-based electronic music producer Piezo’s DJ set and charismatic alternative and art rock inspired sound of London-based band Moin before the ravers swung to the hedge labyrinth grooving with Birmingham-based musician High Intelligence Agency’s electronica set, a true masterpiece mixing his 90’s classic with his new release.

Then it was MC Yallah & Debmaster. The duo stepped on the newly constructed Vaia stage at nightfall. Hailing from Uganda, the Kenyan rapper Mc Yallah made her Italian debut in Terraforma. Pairing with French producer Debmaster, they blended the explosive rap with some powerful sounds. Carrying a hint of African exoticness, the performance had the audience swooned in the evening breeze.

The night culminated when the closing DJ of the day, Berlin-based PLO Man started to play, drawing all the ravers to the spacious Alpha Stage for some 4-hour long dance marathon. His exceptional DJ set took the ravers from Milan to Berlin in a split second, indulging in the most authentic and orthodox Berlin electronic atmosphere. For Harvey and I, there was no better way to end our Terraforma experience than with some perfect beats from PLO Man.

Overall, our experience this year is phenomenal. Coming back to festivals after two years of hiatus is great, and to start our post-pandemic rave marathon with Terraforma is even greater. Deep from my heart, I truly wish to hear more from them in the near future. Not only because of the excellent lineup they have built, but also the endeavor of their sustainability movement.

The Mare collection from Giorgio Armani, available at pop-up shops in all of the most iconic summer hotspots, bring us a holiday collection with a Mediterranean spirit. The range was devised with an exotic travel lifestyle in mind but works just as well in an urban setting as it does on the sun kissed shores of the continent.

The women’s range utilises a palette of soft nautical tones with the occasional flash of red and orange. The items themselves range from sarong skirts and pullovers to lightweight dresses and one-piece swimsuits, employing a variety of materials including nets and matting. The men’s portion of the range takes a traditional maritime wardrobe of shirts, polos and Bermuda shorts and gives it a contemporary twist with geometric patterns in multicoloured jacquard.

Having been available at Porto Cervo’s Cala di Volpe Hotel and Yacht Club Costa Smerelda as well as La Gritta in Portofino, the collection is coming to various summer hotspots across Europe with Mykonos’ Nammos the next stop on the circuit. As well as the pop-ups, the range is available in the Giorgio Armani boutiques in Cannes, Miami, Monte Carlo, Porto Cervo Rome and St. Tropez and can be found on Giorgio Armani’s official website.

It must be a million years since I last reviewed a show, but I am making a dutiful exception on this occasion.

Why? Because last Friday in Morocco, I – and everyone present – was lucky enough to attend one of the most exciting shows ever seen so far. And I’m not just saying that: the energy that we felt in that deserted corner of the Agafay Desert was one of a kind.

It is impossible to rank Anthony Vaccarello’s shows and there wouldn’t be any point in doing so anyway. We have become accustomed to big things from him, special things that generate huge expectations every time. And that is a privilege for a designer.

In this latest Saint Laurent Spring Summer 2023 collection, everything is perfectly in harmony: the maison’s past and the brand’s present, the conversation between the masculine and feminine, the dialogue between France and Morocco, Paris and Marrakesh, Yves and Anthony.

If, according to Catholic narrative, woman was created from man’s rib, in this case it is the other way round. The new menswear collection created by Vaccarello is developed from his last womenswear collection, presented in Paris last February. Yet it never feels like a derivative repeat, nor does it indulge in all too obvious references. The image of the woman is flawlessly reflected in that of the man.

Drawn back hair, austere faces, large dark glasses, elongated bodies cinched at the waist, wide shoulders and fluttering trousers, shirts and overgarments.
An aesthetic summary of 50 years of decidedly male fashion, with a typical French touch, condensed into 50 looks.

The show was arranged concentrically. The models circled a round pool of water, an oasis that, unbeknown to us, hid a huge round metal installation designed by artist Es Devlin together with Anthony Vaccarello.

While in the background the fiery sun slowly set behind the desert dunes, a circle emerged from the water, rising up on itself as the music intensified, until it was standing vertically and casting light all around it. And then there was the wind, and the sand, and the palpable emotion of the spectators.

It is no easy task to convey the sensation that we all felt in that intensely moving moment. The “drama” aspect is an essential component in any Vaccarello show, yet here the mood was different. It didn’t feel as though we were attending yet another show, in yet another unusual location, this time the desert. It felt more like attending a piece of modern theatre, a contemporary art performance, which involved and challenged each and every one of its spectators. Anthony appeared for the finale, just a few steps, nothing more. Many of us were in tears, all of us were on our feet.

Perhaps it was the long journey through the desert to get there, perhaps it was the vivid colours of the Moroccan landscape, the beauty of a cultured fashion collection that speaks to the head as well as the eyes… but the impression we all had is that we weren’t just watching a show. It was something else.

And not just one of the many, albeit heartfelt, tributes to the genius of the late designer, but something more similar to a declaration of love that Anthony had put together for his public, for the history of Saint Laurent, and for Yves.

In celebration of their new exclusive capsule collection, French fashion house Mugler and luxury online retailer Mytheresa hosted an intimate dinner at the historical Parisian brasserie Le Grand Véfour. As well as leading figures from both brands, such as Pascal Conte-Jodra and Michael Kliger, the event hosted a star-studded guest list including Julia Fox and Nina Kraviz.

The 17-piece collection, which draws upon the traditional hyperfeminine bold spirit of the Mugler brand, is currently available globally. The collection is made up of second-skin silhouettes which feature unconventional cuts, sculptural shapes, and graphic details. Mugler’s Creative Director, Casey Cadwallader, characterized the collection as ‘an illusion as if it’s defying gravity’ incorporating ‘impossible fits and necklines’. With bodysuits, leggings, bodycon dresses and denim all included, the capsule offers the brand’s signature styles reinterpreted in the new shades of nude, bright blue, and pink.

Ever since Thierry Mugler founded his synonymous house in 1973, the brand has always championed a strong vision of women and the upholdal of that spirit by Cadwallader can be seen with this stunning new collection. The meticulous tailoring and striking silhouettes of the range demonstrate a contemporary vision of Mugler’s message of empowerment. The guestlist of the dinner can be seen to reflect this essence too, comprised of pioneering women who are leading in their creative fields and breaking down barriers for future generations.

Shop the ground-breaking collection now at mytheresa.com .

Situated a few steps along from the poetic village Tremezzo, MOR Beach Club utilizes the structure of the former Lido Cadenabbia, reinventing it into a chic and luxurious resort perfect for your holiday getaway. Renovated by design studio De.Tales, the colour palette of the architecture and interiors resonates with the natural surrounding, blending harmoniously with the picturesque lakeside scenery.

Inside the over 2,300 square meters area is a private beach equipped with cabanas, an outdoor swimming pool, a summery tiki bar, a restaurant and a terrace overlooking the panorama of Bellagio – Como’s famous touristic hotspot situated right across the lake. The impeccable balance between the Lake Como’s rich heritage and tradition, and MOR Beach Club’s innovative and sophisticated atmosphere is beyond description and can be experienced only in person.