Anxhela - Interview

ANXHELA Plays
*The Room Follows

written + interview ALBAN E. SMAJLI

Anxhela moves with steady momentum. Her sessions open when the day allows for it, tracks surface with the kind of weight that feels tied to place and time, and each one holds its shape without needing to explain how it formed.

She releases music in a way that suggests she’s already past the part where it needs to be explained — each piece arrives formed, quiet, intact, without scaffolding or commentary, and then lives where it lands. The tone across her output remains steady, and the surrounding space—both physical and digital—feels maintained with the same attention, creating a rhythm where every release holds its own position, shaped by a sense of timing that reflects the internal pace of her process, with no visible urgency or external structure, and everything aligned with a working method that keeps expression at the centre and lets the material speak without interference.

The same applies to how she dresses. There’s alignment without overthinking, detail without decoration. Each look feels connected to the environment she enters, whether that’s a small club, an outdoor stage, or a studio session in progress, and the alignment between sound, space, and image settles without commentary. Nothing leans toward performance and everything in view appears selected with quiet precision, creating an overall impression that builds naturally as part of the experience she’s creating, rather than functioning as a separate layer around it.

total look JUUN.J

Kosovo sits in recent memory — the kind of night that works in layers, with a familiar crowd positioned close to the stage, a set that held its shape across its full length, and a kind of energy that remained steady from beginning to end. Family watched. Energy held. Nothing overstated. Just the kind of connection that registers in the body and stays there for a while. Right now the work is happening in parts. Studio sessions, fragments, outlines, days where something clicks and the rest falls into place. The process stays active, shaped by the environment and the rhythm of her own attention, with new material appearing as part of that motion, guided by feeling and sustained by structure.

Playing live remains essential. The volume in the room, the faces, the architecture of the room and the way bodies move inside it. Each set builds on instinct, adjusted in real time, shaped by the way the crowd responds without language. She approaches the set as a whole structure, one that forms through presence and holds together through instinct, with every element placed deliberately and nothing overstated. The direction stays inward, the delivery stays exact, and the result maintains a kind of clarity that travels well beyond the night itself. That balance works. It’s already working.

total look DIESEL
jewellery ARCHIVED PROTOTYPES

jewellery ARCHIVED PROTOTYPES

Alban E. Smajli
Please, define your sound without limitations. What does it evoke, where does it live, and who does it belong to?

Anxhela
Yes,my sound is an emotional journey and it reflects what I feel, what I imagine, and what I want others to experience. I stay true to what moves me, but I also think of the listener because I’ve been on that side too, waiting to be transported by music.
Every track I play or create carries a piece of my mood, joy, sadness, energy, nostalgia. It’s a mix of instinct, emotion, and connection. My sound lives between my inner world and the dancefloor, and it belongs to anyone willing to feel something real.

Fashion and music—does one dictate the other for you, or do they move in tandem as part of the same vision?

For me, fashion and music move in harmony, they’re both expressions of the same inner world. Just like sound, what I wear reflects how I feel, what I want to say, and the atmosphere I want to create.
Sometimes a look can amplify the energy of a set, or help tell the same story the music is telling. I don’t see them as separate, they evolve together and complete each other as part of my artistic identity.

Albums seem like a relic, streaming is a battlefield. Where do you stand in this war for attention?

Streaming is important, it’s where people discover you, connect with your music, and follow your journey. But I don’t create just to grab attention. I create to express something real and to connect with the listener. Whether it’s one track or ten, the emotion behind it is what matters most to me. I released singles so far, because I like focusing on each track as its own story. Every release is a moment, a feeling, something I want to share without waiting for a full project.

At the same time, I really admire the idea of building something bigger, like an EP or album. I haven’t done that yet, but it’s definitely something I think about for the future. I don’t follow a fixed strategy or release constantly, I create when it feels right. But at the same time, I know how important it is to stay visible, especially today. So I try to find a balance: I want to stay true to my sound, but also be smart about how and when I share my work. I’m learning to combine both sides: the passion and the planning, without losing myself in the process.

total look JUUN.J Archive

“Every track I play or create carries a piece of my mood, joy, sadness, energy, nostalgia. It’s a mix of instinct, emotion, and connection.”

Anxhela speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Digital SS25

Are clubs sacred spaces, or are we witnessing the birth of something new?

I think clubs will always have a special place. There’s a certain and real energy you can feel there,but at the same time everything is evolving. Music evolves, and we see new collectives, new concepts and new ways to connect. I think we’re already in the middle of this change.
I love playing in clubs, but I’m also excited to explore other spaces and see how electronic music keeps evolving.

Festivals—have they lost their cultural significance, or are they evolving into something new in the live music experience?

I don’t think festivals have lost their meaning,I think they’re just changing, like everything else in music.
Today, festivals bring people together in a big way. It’s not just about the music anymore, it’s about the full experience, the community, the energy, the visuals, the feeling of being part of something. I think they’re evolving into something new, and that’s not a bad thing. As long as the music stays at the center, festivals can still be powerful and emotional moments, just in a different way than before.

Your music is a world of its own—what stories echo through it, and what emotions form its foundation?

My music is built on emotions. Every time I create or play, it depends on how I feel.
Sometimes I’m happy, sometimes nostalgic, sometimes sad, I try to express that through sound. I don’t follow one story, but I want the listener to feel something to connect with the mood. For me, music is a way to speak without words. It’s like sharing a part of myself, and at the same time imagining what the people on the dancefloor might need in that moment. I don’t follow one fixed story, it’s more like a journey through feelings.

If you could construct the perfect performance from the ground up—what does it look like, sound like, feel like?

My perfect performance would be in a special place, maybe outdoors, in nature, or somewhere unexpected. I’d want the music to be emotional, and full of energy. A sound that makes people feel something and takes them on a journey.

The lights, the space, the people, everything would come together. But the most important thing is the connection. I’d want everyone to feel free and present, just enjoying the moment with the music.

Kosovo—Europe’s youngest pulse. How did this performance come to life, and what was it like to play in a place so charged with energy and change? What’s next for you? A whisper, a roar, a new world?

Playing in Kosovo was a really emotional experience for me. I’m Albanian, and having my family there, people I love made it even more special.The energy was powerful, I could feel the crowd connecting with every sound, and I felt so free to express myself. It wasn’t just a performance, it felt like home.

What’s next?

I think it’s a mix of all three: a whisper, a roar, and maybe even a new world. I’m in a phase where I’m discovering myself more through music, step by step. I don’t always know where it’s going, but that’s the beauty of it. I just follow the emotion, stay true to what I feel, and let the sound lead the way. Whatever comes next, I hope it surprises even me.

dress HADERLUMP ATELIER
shoes DR. MARTENS
jewellery ARCHIVED PROTOTYPES

talent ANXHELA
photographer PASCAL SCHONLAU
production + styling BASAK SAYGIN
makeup & hair GIOVANNI ZUMMO
production assistant ANETA TARASEVICIUTE

Preston Douglas Boyer - Interview

.aesthetic talk
PRESTON DOUGLAS BOYER
*Styling Hope

written + interview SAVANNAH WINANS

Preston Douglas Boyer is a multidisciplinary artist working across some of the most mutable disciplines: fashion, fine art and music. Between his independent art practice and his busy schedule of collaborative projects, Preston has no trouble keeping up with these ever-evolving industries.

So far in 2024, he’s staged several public art performances, curated a 12-artist exhibition at Wienholt Projects, had a museum exhibition at LongHouse Reserve in East Hampton, released his album REPURPOSED RELIGION on Spotify, and dropped his first series of NFTs on Wise.art—and he’s got more in the works. Preston provides insight into how he stays grounded in our fast-paced world, whilst working towards his vision of the future of culture and creativity.

Preston Douglas Boyer
seen by Zach Gold

Preston Douglas Boyer
Single scanned element for upcoming zipper painting

“The only real constant between shifting mediums is the deeper reason why I create: to make physical representations of the spiritual experience.”

Preston Douglas Boyer speaks with Savannah Winans
for LE MILE Dazed Edition - Nr. 37

Preston Douglas Boyer
Forcing Forgiveness, 2024
at CALIFORNIA LOVE, Wienholt Projects
seen by Anya Gta

Preston Douglas Boyer
Detail shot of Triumphal Entry, 2024

Savannah Winans
As a multidisciplinary artist, you wear a lot of hats: painter, fashion designer, performer, musician, curator, et al. When you’re switching between these roles, what stays constant?

Preston Douglas Boyer
The only real constant between shifting mediums is the deeper reason why I create: to make physical representations of the spiritual experience. An exploration of the search for intimacy with God through beauty, whatever I understand that to be at the time. The theme of darkness to light also is a consistent theme in all of my work. Those are some elements at the core of everything I do when getting down to true causes and conditions.

What changes would you like to see in both the fashion industry and the art world?

I love seeing the fashion industry embracing the idea of performance art, which fashion inherently is in many ways. I really loved Rick Owens’s latest runway show with all of the models in a communal parade of sorts. Haunting and hopeful at the same time. As far as the art world is concerned, opening the gallery doors to more mediums of art that aren’t just wall-based works, and being able to sell conceptual and or performance works by fostering a collector base for these works. I think this is the future. We all love beautiful works on our walls, but art goes beyond that. And there’s beauty in minimalism in the home.

You recently curated the group show CALIFORNIA LOVE at Wienholt Projects. What defines California artists?

In a way, contemporary California artists don’t rely as much on the “art world” because historically the art world hasn’t been here as much. Artists had more freedom to make all sorts of styles and mediums of work and not be limited to just being a “painter.” The space and sunlight has an effect on the work and overall there’s less visible darkness, but often through the beauty, there is an underlying sense of distress, which I really sense for example while driving around this city.

Your zipper paintings have these beautiful custom decals on the zipper pulls. Some of them read “HOPE IS ALIVE.” What does this phrase mean to you?

This mantra reminds me that optimism is a choice. We can live in hope or we can live in despair, it’s up to us to choose on a daily, hourly or minute-by-minute basis. Individually and collectively. In the face of fear, uncertainty and pain, we can still have hope.

Your paintings can be zipped or unzipped, and one of your collectors commented that this was effectively “styling the painting.” Since you’ve also designed clothes, how does styling a person differ from styling a painting?

A model inherently brings their energy to a fitting or photoshoot, which can be a great collaboration, but when I’m in the studio alone it’s much more of a self reflective and contemplative process. I love fashion because it is so collaborative. At the same time, I fell so deeply in love with painting because it was such an immediate and intimate ordeal with myself, my pain, suffering, anguish, and God, if I allow Him into the studio that day. I try to think of life, and therefore my work, as a collaboration with Spirit, i.e. the my will vs. thy will paradox, and things tend to work out better that way when I’m able to surrender.

Preston Douglas Boyer
seen by Zach Gold

Luke Kruger-Aimone recording vocals for REVIVAL
the next REPURPOSED RELIGION performance
seen by Alex Conradt

“This mantra reminds me that optimism is a choice. We can live in hope or we can live in despair, it’s up to us to choose on a daily, hourly or minute-by-minute basis.”

Preston Douglas Boyer speaks with Savannah Winans
for LE MILE Dazed Edition - Nr. 37

Your paintings often incorporate abstracted corporate logos; it’s a Warholian gesture with a twist. How do these logos change the overall aura of the painting?

On a physical level, these large blocks and swathes of mainly black-and-white abstracted text provide structure to the compositions. Viewers may not initially know that they are looking at a distorted Blackrock or Björk text logo, but when they either find it for themselves or hear me talk about the work, the aura definitely shifts. The work becomes less about beauty and more about cultural critique. I strive for works that have a real balance between the two. But then the zippers come into play, and we look beyond the surface to a blank white wall, and that’s where our truth really is.

How does your spirituality influence your perspective on corporatocracy and the ways you critique it?

Money is not inherently bad. The love of money is where we run astray. God wants all of us to be abundant, but we are so quick to make money our higher power. Money is an exchange of energy, and, to say the least, there are extremely disparate financial realities happening concurrently. LA is such a prime example to be witness to this. The art world serves the .01%, the people who really do have dominion in this physical realm. I see my role as serving these individuals and being a teacher in their lives through my art, in addition to the physical objects I create that inherently have these challenging questions in their spirit.

What aspects of culture do you find most interesting right now?

There seems to be some semblance of a revival starting to take place. We’ve been living in this “post-truth” reality for some time now, and with the ever-increasing dependence on technology, and intentionally divisive energy being mainlined into the veins of society, there seems to be a pushback from a primal, spiritual level. A revival of realizing who we really are when we strip away everything culture tells us who we should think we are.

What’s next for you?

My fiance and I are planning our wedding, which is a major performance piece in itself in many ways! We are also working on the next RR performance work entitled REVIVAL, that will hopefully debut in September, with a second performance in another city later in the fall. I’m painting every day recently, and honing in on these zipper paintings.

Sun Yuan & Peng Yu - Interview

.aesthetic talk
SUN YUAN & PENG YU
*The Last Laugh

written + interview HANNAH ROSE PRENDERGAST

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust—everything returns to its original state, endlessly transforming. Art, too, is reborn with each encounter.

If you are lucky, you will find yourself as a Sun Yuan and Peng Yu original—a couple from Beijing who have been making art together for twenty-five years.
There are many great options.
If we look to Civilization Pillar (2001) for answers, what binds us is nothing more than liposuction fat. Yet you are far more complex—a silicone human capable of floating on water, soaring through the sky, and falling flat on land (not necessarily in that order).
From a dead fly on the wall to an industrial robot trapped in an infinite loop: the choice is yours.
At least, that is the idea.

(c) Sun Yuan & Peng Yu
Teenager Teenager, 2011

(c) Sun Yuan & Peng Yu
Teenager Teenager, 2011

“The distance between me and weapons is the distance between me and freedom.”

Sun Yuan speaks with Hannah Rose Prendergast
for LE MILE Ephemeral Edition - SS 2025 Nr. 38

(c) Sun Yuan & Peng Yu
Teenager Teenager, 2011

(c) Sun Yuan & Peng Yu
Can't Help Myself, 2016-2019

(c) Sun Yuan & Peng Yu
Can't Help Myself, 2016-2019

Hannah Rose Prendergast
You reposted Hey Brother (2022) after the U.S. presidential election results, writing, 'Although the future is full of uncertainty, we are together.' What moved you to express solidarity with the American people in that moment?

Sun Yuan / SY
Unity may not be so important, but people of different races and beliefs living in the same country and on the same planet must always face their relationships with one another. This is an eternal theme. The same piece of cloth connects two shovels; they wrestle with each other but cannot be separated. The tension created forms the internal relationship of a work. Likewise, the relationships between people within a country are the same.

Peng Yu / PY
People’s emotions were twisted with excitement and nervousness. Many countries, including China, delayed decisions and policy changes until the results were announced. As a result, methods of warfare in different regions will also shift. The entanglement of forces for survival shapes human relationships. Being together may be helpless and unavoidable—it can mean unity or struggle.

Freedom (2009) and Dear (2015) feature violently animated hoses in confined spaces, symbolizing the chaos of unregulated authority. What is the ongoing dialogue between these two works?

SY: The basic principles of these two works are the same, but one is powered by a water pump and the other by an air pump. It is like two people with different temperaments responding in a confrontation. Freedom generates tremendous force to strike the iron plate, while Dear thrashes into the chair and glass, leaving scratches behind. The recurring theme of struggle appears in many of our works.

PY: Some people see Freedom as a trapped dragon, while Dear represents the soul of a person controlled by power. Both express a natural, uncontrollable force.

The tension running through Open Sesame (2012) and If Seeing Is Not an Option (2013) stems from the fact that private gun ownership is illegal in mainland China. In 2002, you started building arsenals abroad with the help of Taiwanese and Swiss collectors. What does this separation mean to you?

SY: I need to possess weapons in my own way. Without weapons, you cannot have freedom. The distance between me and weapons is the distance between me and freedom. The feeling of freedom is strongest when you do not yet have it. Therefore, I cannot touch guns. This is the stage when they hold the most meaning for me.

PY: The title Open Sesame comes from the magical incantation that unlocks a treasure-filled cave in fairy tales. It symbolizes the gateway to a new world. If Seeing Is Not an Option was completed in Kyiv, Ukraine, resembling a weapons training camp inside the art gallery. Looking back, it seems like an early warning, a crisis-awareness training for what might come. I hope the young volunteers who participated in this work are all doing well. Our weapons caches are like tentacles in consciousness, with which we can feel and care for the world across dimensions.

Your use of live animals started and stopped in 2003 with Keep Dogs Away and Safety Island. Was this a conscious decision, or did it occur naturally over time?

SY: That was a conscious decision because the following works used the most cunning animal: humans. Animals cannot perform falsely—they do not follow commands, and instinct determines their behavior. Human nature is more complex. Not only do they have the combative traits of animals, but they also adopt strategies and schemes to achieve their goals. This is politics. I have always focused on and been interested in exploring these complex and instinctive relationships.

What draws you to working with animal specimens, including taxidermy? What do you find rewarding or meaningful in using it as a medium?

SY: An artwork is, in essence, a specimen of art. Creating art with specimens does not bring a sense of accomplishment. However, animal specimens help us imagine how the animal looked when it was alive. Similarly, artwork enables us to imagine the process of its creation—how it looks when conceived or deconstructed in our minds. In this way, the artwork gains meaning.

“Art cannot always develop according to the artist’s original wish. Sometimes, it needs to leave the artist and introduce the will of others.”

Peng Yu speaks with Hannah Rose Prendergast
for LE MILE Ephemeral Edition - SS 2025 Nr. 38

(c) Sun Yuan & Peng Yu Old
People's Home, 2007

(c) Sun Yuan & Peng Yu Old
People's Home, 2007

Can’t Help Myself (2016) is a friendly reminder that humans program robots. How does this piece comfort us in an era of rapid AI development?

SY: This work explores a relationship of mutual control—a dynamic that permeates every corner of the world, including social interactions. When the machine operates, viewers can immediately sense the entanglement and constraint within this relationship. By engaging their own bodily experiences, they can either confront or relieve this tension. Ultimately, the viewer develops an understanding of the work: empathy through shared form. However, I do not seek to impose specific opinions or suggestions; the meaning is for the viewer to interpret freely. My role is simply to provide a framework for 'gazing.'

PY: I like the word 'gaze.' It is different from appreciation or simply watching. Gazing involves doubt, and where doubt arises, interpretation follows. Finding an answer is humanity's way of saving itself. The answer offers a form of comfort without a definitive right or wrong. We must also gaze, doubt, and judge when artificial intelligence arrives. People fear the unknown but will find comfort once they obtain some answers. When we proposed this project to the Guggenheim Museum in 2005, most people were unfamiliar with the concepts of artificial intelligence, programming, and robotics. Some feared the mechanical arm might shatter the glass and escape. Today, it stands as a representative work ushering in the era of artificial intelligence.

How often has the ‘uncanny valley’ of your replica humans gotten you into trouble?

SY: I do not attempt to explore the "uncanny valley." This effect attracts the public, but to me, it is shallow. Therefore, I do not have high expectations for the reactions caused by imitating reality in the work. It is merely a guide, making it easier for people to immerse themselves, just like watching a movie. The more vivid and specific the actor’s image, the easier it is for the audience to enter the story.

If I Died (2013) represents Peng Yu’s mother’s perception of death. What did it mean to construct this for her?

PY: Perhaps it is precisely because of her bold conception of death that she lives so happily. Art cannot always develop according to the artist’s original wish. Sometimes, it needs to leave the artist and introduce the will of others. By relinquishing authorship, the artist gains a certain freedom—not much, but enough to deceive oneself. It is like showing an elderly person herwish. For her, it is both illusory and comforting. It is like knowing a religious statue is just a sculpture, yet still able to strengthen one’s faith and find comfort in it.

How has your perspective of impermanence evolved over the years?

SY: Impermanence is an inherent method of artistic creation. Artists must constantly make their works unfamiliar to avoid falling into a fixed pattern. Therefore, changes in impermanence cannot be a regular evolution. Once the change has a pattern, it is no longer impermanent. A predictable trajectory surprises neither the creator nor the viewer.

As artists who have been labeled “controversial,” what are your thoughts on cancel culture?

SY: Although it may cause controversy, I try to maintain a certain distance from reality. This helps me observe clearly and avoid getting trapped in the meaning or interpretation of reality. The superficiality and extremism of cancel culture are both a human need and a defining characteristic. People do not completely hate their flaws; sometimes, they even take pleasure in them—like smelling their farts or scratching an itchy mosquito bite. So, I neither support nor oppose it; I simply observe. When humans think, God laughs. To keep God laughing, humans can think a little more.

Why do you think the world is a fine place to fight for?

SY: I actually have no answer. However, if striving keeps God laughing a little longer, I am willing to try.

What is next for you?

SY: I have no plans ahead.

Guy Remmers - Interview

GUY REMMERS
*The Duke Goes Off-Script

written + interview Alban E. Smajli

There’s something about Guy Remmers. Maybe it’s the voice — precise but unbothered. Maybe it’s the posture — somewhere between centuries-old nobility and Gen Z’s nonchalance. Or maybe it’s the fact that he’s straddling about five different lives at once and making it all look impossibly casual.

You’ve seen him as Theo, the Duke of Tintagel, in The Buccaneers — Apple TV’s velvet-clad, chaos-laced, post-bridgerton fever dream of a period drama. He plays it with just the right amount of restraint and emotional slippage, like someone holding a glass of brandy they’re about to smash. Now, with Season 2 freshly dropped last week, and the one and only Leighton Meester joining the cast, Theo’s world is about to get flipped on its finely groomed head. No spoilers, but let’s just say Remmers is riding the heartbreak horse hard this time around.

total look ANN DEMEULEMEESTER

But The Buccaneers is just one thread in the tapestry. Before screen, there was stage — and before that, Bristol. Guy trained at the Bristol Old Vic and made his debut at The National Theatre in The Grandfathers, a moment he still talks about like a first kiss. “Being a Bristol boy at that age in London… that was the moment I knew,” he says, and you believe him. His presence off-camera feels less rehearsed. You might’ve seen him walk for Burberry, pose for Jimmy Choo, or drift across a moody editorial like he woke up in a 1970s issue of The Face. But fashion, he insists, is its own thing — something he enjoys, but doesn’t conflate with his work as an actor. Still, there’s a symmetry: both spaces let him play with image, identity, and what he calls “the evolving shape of masculinity.” You get the sense he’s aware of how he’s looked at, but not defined by it.

Ask him what he wants next, and he lights up. A detective role (“Life on Mars” energy), a comedy-drama à la The Thick of It, something American-accented. What you’re reading is a man who wants to stretch — not because he’s bored, but because he knows how good the view is from the edge. In an industry obsessed with immediate heat and viral cool, Guy Remmers is moving differently. He’s not here to be loud. He’s here to last.

total look ANN DEMEULEMEESTER

Alban E. Smajli
So you’re the Duke of Tintagel—old money, stiff collars, and then boom: American chaos. What made you say yes to Theo, and how did you find your way into all that aristocratic angst?

Guy Remmers
Thank you! Theo's constant battle with the benefits and disadvantages of his title has always fascinated me. I did a lot of work on what his upbringing would have been like and how he physically carries himself and speaks. A lot of suppressing his emotions but the really exciting part was then allowing him to be swept off his feet by this new unique ball of energy from overseas. 

Season 2’s loading, Leighton Meester’s crashing the party, and Theo’s still stuck between duty and desire. Where’s he heading this time—and what happens when fresh blood hits old money?

New faces and characters are super exciting as it means you get to meet and work with incredible new actors. I loved seeing how they all seamlessly intertwined into the story. Theo's journey in this season is an absolute rollercoaster and his world flips upside down when he has to decide if love is more important than the institution he has been born into.  

You started on stage, Bristol Old Vic, National Theatre, all that velvet and sweat. Now you’re in streaming land. What do theatre and screen give you that the other can’t?

They are both magical in slightly different ways. I haven't done theatre in a few years now and the thing I miss most is the feeling of being part of an ensemble where you all rehearse together and feel like one organism. The Buccaneers is an ensemble cast but it is rare for us to all be on set at the same time. But I have now done two seasons of seeing the world through Theo's eyes and growing with him and that is equally as special.  

You’ve done Burberry, Jimmy Choo, the whole fashion orbit. What itch does that scratch that acting doesn’t or is it all just dress-up in different lighting?

I feel very lucky to have done those things, especially as I have a love for fashion. To me they are completely separate, neither offers me something that I would need from the other.  

You move between film sets and fashion shoots, all soft tailoring and sharp stares. Do you see yourself as part of a generation that's reshaping what masculinity looks like, or does all that talk just feel like another box to be put in?

I definitely feel like 'masculinity' is evolving into more open and expressive ways and I think one strong representation of that is in fashion. I hope it keeps moving in that direction. 

You’ve done corsets, campaigns, a bit of everything in between. Is there a role or genre still lurking on your wishlist, just waiting to be cracked open?

I've always wanted to play a detective, that would be super cool. I loved watching police dramas like 'Life on Mars' and 'Ashes to Ashes' when I was younger, I think that's where my love for them started. My favourite TV series is 'The Thick of It' so I'd love to do a comedy drama in that tone too.  Also a big goal is to do a role in an American accent.  

Was there a moment where it all just clicked and you thought, yep, this is it, this is the thing I’m meant to do?

When I was 18 I did a play called The Grandfathers at The National Theatre - it was an extremely special experience. Being a Bristol boy at that age in London doing a play at that theatre was the best feeling in the world and a moment that I knew I was doing what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. 

total look PAUL SMITH
shoes JIMMY CHOO

“I definitely feel like 'masculinity' is evolving into more open and expressive ways, and I think one strong representation of that is in fashion.”

Guy Remmers speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Digital SS25

blazer + beret EMPORIO ARMANI
trousers ANN DEMEULEMEESTER
vest SUNSPEL

coat + trousers ISSEY MIYAKE
shirt DAVID KOMA
trainers ADIDAS X WALES BONNER

jacket + trousers Y-3
shirt BRUNELLO CUCINELLI
boots DAVID KOMA
gloves HANDSOME STOCKHOLM
tie TURNBULL & ASSER

“Theo's journey this season is an absolute rollercoaster. His world flips upside down when he has to decide if love is more important than the institution he was born into.”

Guy Remmers speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Digital SS25

total look VERSACE

total look DANIEL W FLETCHER
trainers ADIDAS x WALES BONNER

photographer ANTONIO EUGENIO
stylist JUSTIN HAMILTON
grooming TRAVIS NUNES
photo assistant GEORGE TAYLOR
styling assistants KATIE SOMAVIA, LORNA LANE
videography VALENTINA VILLA
talent GUY REMMERS

Special thanks to Caroline Fergusson + Grace Yeoman, PR Pinnacle

Wanda Lephoto - Interview

.aesthetic talk
WANDA LEPHOTO
*Fabric As Archive

written + interview ALBAN E. SMAJLI

Wanda Lephoto builds narratives in fabric. His work is a continuum of history, community, and identity, shaped by memory and lived experience. Fashion carries weight, holds space, and restores what has been lost.

His Johannesburg-based label moves through cultural currents, weaving together ancestral knowledge and contemporary expression. Each piece exists with intention, shaped by deep research and a commitment to craft. Materials tell stories. Silhouettes hold memory.

Threads connect past, present, and future. Recognition follows, but the purpose remains. Lephoto’s approach prioritizes ethical production, local artisanship, and material integrity. He moves with purpose. Each stitch marks a place in time. Each piece speaks beyond the surface. Each collection expands the conversation.

trench coat NTWANA
shirt + pants WANDA LEPHOTO
shoes MAISON MARGIELA

photographer THANDO NXUMALO
stylist PEYTON JOE BASSON
talent and designer WANDA LEPHOTO
photo assistant BONOLO TLHOLOE
stylist assistant AYANDA KANISE

follow designer @wandalephot

“I design for a person I envision—someone who doesn’t yet exist in the ways I’ve seen.”

Wanda Lephoto speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Ephemeral Edition - SS 2025 Nr. 38

total looks WANDA LEPHOTO

Alban E. Smajli
What does fashion allow you to say that words can’t?

Wanda Lephoto
I think fashion allows me to express my love and gratitude toward a people, a culture, and a history in a deep and meaningful way—something words, especially English words, often fail to convey.

South Africa, 2025. What does the landscape of fashion look like to you—raw, evolving, defined, or still untamed?

Oftentimes, it feels as though things are improving, with increasing visibility for designers striving to push boundaries in a complex country like South Africa, where much unlearning still needs to happen. I would say South Africa’s landscape embodies all the words you mentioned—raw, evolving, defined, yet still untamed—due to our complex history, which requires careful navigation. Over the past decade, we’ve seen tremendousgrowth. The next ten years will be pivotal in shaping the future of fashion—not just for our country but for the entire continent.

Your work moves between tradition and now. Do you see yourself as a translator, a disruptor, or something else entirely?

To honor, in the best way I can, those who came before me, fought, and shaped the context in which I now exist is fundamental to what we do. I am because we are—a philosophy rooted in our continent's teachings, emphasizing the human spirit and the essential role of each person in shaping and developing new ideas. This belief is dear to my heart, making the honoring of tradition pivotal to our creative process. Neither translator nor disruptor. I see myself as someone who fosters plurality—bringing together communities, conversations, cultures, and traditions in diverse spaces to create propositions for newness. It’s about shaping a different way of seeing and being, but even more, a different way of believing.

What’s the hardest truth about building a fashion label in Africa that no one talks about?

It’s a lonely feeling. The hardest part, for me, is that when we win, we win together—but when we lose, I lose alone. That can feel isolating. The financial setbacks. The emotional, mental, and spiritual weight of carrying it all alone. The responsibility of dreams—not just your own, but those of so many who rely on you.

Who do you design for—the person who wears your clothes or the culture that shapes them?

I design for a person I envision—someone who doesn’t yet exist in the ways I’ve seen. I design for the culture and community that believes in me—whose stories are often neglected but deserve to be seen and celebrated.

I design for those who shape culture alongside me—who, like me, believe in the individuality of our journeys yet the shared responsibility of dreams. I design for those who are no longer with us, but whose memories and stories live on—as a way of ensuring they are never forgotten.

I design for future generations who will inherit, through spirit, the importance of our collective work in shaping history—understanding that for us, it’s more than just clothing.

total look WANDA LEPHOTO
shoes DR MARTENS

What fuels your process—memory, instinct, resistance?

My process at this point in my design journey is hugely fueled by memory and resistance. I believe in honoring where we come from, because there is a lot of healing that needs to happen in the works we create —works that begin to fill the void of the missing archives we have lost. In the future, I know this will evolve. But for now, this remains the cornerstone of our work—restoring pride and memory of where we come from. The sentiment being: from the dusty concrete, a flower can bloom.

If you stripped everything away—labels, industry, expectations—what remains at the core of what you do?

The stories.

Africa has always dictated global culture, whether the world acknowledges it or not. Where do you see its biggest creative shift happening right now?

Africa is the heartbeat of fashion. Right now, I’m fascinated by the cultural fusion happening with high-low fashion, real/fake fashion, and western/traditional styles. The mixing of colonial dress with traditional dress.

The blending of thrifted dupes from Europe with real high-end fashion—which, in many ways, is a metaphor for how western fashion has become destructive to itself. All of this exists alongside the growing pride in wearing African fashion brands—brands that celebrate craftsmanship and culture through design.

Ephemeral. Fleeting. Unstable. How does that word sit with you? Is fashion ever meant to last?

Fashion is meant to last forever—not just as clothing, but as a feeling, a memory of a time that meant everything to us.

If clothing could dissolve at the end of the day, leaving only its impact, what would yours leave behind?

I think my clothes would leave behind the stories of a people, a group, a community—and, hopefully, a continent. Though history sometimes makes us feel as though we should be ashamed, the stories we carry are far more beautiful than any hardship we have endured.

We have true culture and community. We have true design and philosophy—something beyond mere aesthetics or financial trends, something that defines who we are.

Wolfgang Tillmans at the Centre Pompidou

Lines of Sight, Layers of Sound
*The Total Language of Wolfgang Tillmans

written Amanda Mortenson

A library breathes differently when an artist takes over. Pages stay still, but the light shifts. The Centre Pompidou hands over 6,000 m² to Wolfgang Tillmans, and the result is neither retrospective nor installation, but something in between—an unfolding.

Rien ne nous y préparait – Tout nous y préparait. The title of the exhibition stretches like a refrain, unresolved and cyclical. From June 13 to September 22, 2025, the Public Information Library (Bpi) becomes the surface of this phrase. And Tillmans, in his full fluency, draws a language across it—photographic, sonic, sculptural, political.

Moon in Earthlight, 2015

Courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris, Maureen Paley, London, David Zwirner, New York

Echo Beach, 2017

Courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris, Maureen Paley, London, David Zwirner, New York

The exhibition arrives at a rare juncture. The Pompidou prepares to close for major renovation, and this final show is summation and offering. In a space usually devoted to silent reading and public access, Tillmans constructs a new form of visibility—one that includes what is seen and how.
The selection spans four decades of practice. Photographs are placed without chronology. Stillness meets print meets rhythm. The work is assembled with and against the building’s original structure, transforming the library into an environment that breathes with energy and tension. Archival material sits beside new compositions. Laser light pulses. Loudspeakers relay sound works. A sense of immersion replaces the convention of looking.

This is about an artist choosing a place with high foot traffic, open structures, and constant flux—and turning it into a medium.

What emerges is an exhibition as summary and space. The Bpi becomes a working model for how images live among us. The ceilings, walls, carpets, and shelves are absorbed into the visual syntax. Tillmans’ “Truth Study Center” unfolds across tables. Posters, zines, and publications are stacked with intention. HIV education materials rest beside press photographs, club ephemera beside celestial charts.

Tillmans brings all media. Music plays a constant role. His sonic compositions occupy the same register as his images—cut, repeated, looped. Film works are arranged in rooms that stay open to the larger pulse of the building. There’s only the ambient flow of ideas moving through form.

Wolfgang Tillmans à la Bpi, janvier 2025
(c) Centre Pompidou

At the core of this gesture is a belief in space as knowledge. The Bpi, a place of shared information and open presence, aligns with the artist’s long-standing interest in visibility, collectivity, and also intimacy. His work has always layered personal and public registers: bodies, cities, protests, pages, light. Here, those layers reach architectural scale.

CELINE enters the frame not through clothing or installation, but through Accès Libre par CELINE, a rare gesture of sponsorship that expands access. Four days of open admission stretch across the exhibition’s life—offering time, and plenty of it, to wander, stay, return. This collaboration moves with clarity. CELINE enters the art space through gesture. The house aligns with the architecture of presence and steps forward with precision. As a partner, the house marks its first-ever project with the Centre Pompidou. The exhibition unfolds under the creative direction of Michael Rider, who took on the role of artistic director in January 2025.

Tillmans returns to Paris with a wide-spanning institutional presence. Photographs travel across tables, suspend from ceilings, glow through projection. They live among books and browsers, headsets and desks. Artwork and infrastructure move as one, folding into a shared spatial rhythm.

The architecture of the Bpi becomes part of the work. In close collaboration with scenographer Jasmin Oezcebi, the exhibition develops its own spatial logic. Library furniture shifts position. Walls open new lines. Light acts as a tool for memory.

Every visual element follows a larger score. Materials speak together. The viewer moves through atmosphere, guided by rhythm and tone. The Pompidou moves toward transition. Tillmans shapes a moment with weight. The building gathers light. Images echo. Colors shift. Layouts change. Each element stays present.

Banner Image
(c) The State We’re In, A, 2015
Courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris, Maureen Paley, London, David Zwirner, New York

its only love give it away, 2005

Courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris, Maureen Paley, London, David Zwirner, New York

Sam Salter - Interview

.aesthetic talk
SAM SALTER
Soft Power

written + interview Chidozie Obasi

31-year-old Sam Salter is damn good at making wraps and cookies. His top picks? “Chicken fajitas, oh my Lord, I love them! I'm honestly obsessed with chicken and beef wraps at the moment,” he shares. “I also like an Asian-style sweet potato mash with fish, like salmon; I have a very sweet tooth.”

But it isn’t his proclivity for a double dose of carbs that landed the London-based dancer his fearless gumption and a great path in the making; that was all down to his impressive creative chops.

coat FLORENCE BLACK 1954
sweater DIOR MEN
shirt PENCE 1979
pants DOLCE & GABBANA
necklace LAG World
loafers CHURCH’S

blazer FERRAGAMO
gilet FENDI
shirt HARMONT & BLAINE
pants LABO.ART

“I'd say I'm a living and breathing artist, and my path has been like an umbrella made of different avenues that I've been pursuing over the last three-to-four years.”

Sam Salter speaks with Chidozie Obasi
for LE MILE .Digital

jacket ZEGNA
blazer TELA
t-shirt CHB CHRISTIAN BOARO
pants FERRAGAMO
necklace SWAROVSKI

“I’ve been dancing since I was the age of eight, and I always wanted a life of variety,” he opines, the moment we begin to settle into our conversation. “I always wanted to push my boundaries in my career, and I never thought I would be in the position that I'm in now with what I've accomplished—coupled with the things that happened in my life—but it all came with a lot of hard work. I'd say I'm a living and breathing artist, and my path has been like an umbrella made of different avenues that I've been pursuing over the last three-to-four years.”

The first moment that Salter realised dance was the key element needed to kickstart his creative career was very early on. “I was eight years of age, and it was an amazing moment that I remember my mum asking If I wanted to go try a dance class,” he says. “It just felt like the most incredible moment where something clicked in my body and brain. And I mean, don't get me wrong, I was probably terrible. But I just remember absolutely loving it.” Before that, Salter was a really competitive horse rider. “I would horse ride every single day after school. I loved it. And I was good at it too, like I was a really strong candidate.”

Salter wasn’t a kid that grew up watching dance on television or across the media. “However, there was a programme in America called So You Think You Can Dance, which I remember when I started getting into dancing. And watching American dancers felt great, because they’re incredible,” he says. “Funnily enough, in recent years I've connected with them online.”

Salter trained at the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London and the Delay Theatre Arts in Surrey, projecting into roles across the spheres of musical and ballet—namely, Mary Poppins, Wicked, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker—that marked few turning points from an early stage. “I suppose there were two,” he reflects. “The first one was when I was at Sylvia Young, and my peers in my year never thought of me as very talented. But I worked my absolute arse off and I just remember being obsessed with it,” he says. “Then there was this one class where I got picked out to do a solo: all my friends were like, ‘Oh my god, Sam, you're like a really good dancer!’ It just happened, and I remember everyone came up to me, which made it a really special moment.”

jacket TOD’S
shirt DUSAN
polo TOMMY HILFIGER courtesy of ZALANDO
pants TOD’S
shoes SEBAGO

total look LOEWE

“I'm a very proud out gay man, and I will always fight for the community and believe that we should be treated just like everyone else.”

Sam Salter speaks with Chidozie Obasi
for LE MILE .Digital

blazer TAGLIATORE
shirt TOMMY HILFIGER

shirt + tie TOM FORD
tank top CHB CHRISTIAN BOARO
pants JIL SANDER by Lucie + Luke Meier

Moving on to deeper territory, Salter has spoken openly about the struggles with mental health, which led to phases of addiction. Years on, he feels he’s on a good path and on a good ground, both emotionally and physically speaking. “I feel amazing right now in terms of my sobriety, and I feel like I'm in a really great flow with it: I've been in and out of sobriety for a long time,” he opines, with unguarded honesty. “And what I can say is that whenever I'm sober, I feel my ultimate best in so many ways; truth be told, my personal life hasn’t been great in the last few months. I felt a bit flat, uninspired, and lost because I hold my career to a really high level. I'm a workhorse.”

Salter has hustled hard with his goals between dance and social media, trying to build branding and working with luxury households. “It took years of trying to get this. So when things are quiet for me in terms of work, I feel my mental health dips.” But what is really special for Salter right now is his sobriety. “Even though I feel like I'm having a little bit of a life dip, which happens, I'm still thriving overall because I am clean and sober and I'm not getting myself into any sort of trouble.”

As we walk through the emotional depths of his inner self, I cannot help but wonder where these complex phases of his life stemmed from. “I think addiction stems from a lot of stuff like growing up and not feeling quite good enough, as I was a very shy kid and I always wanted to feel more confident. And we all know that certain substances can make you feel more confident. So they were hand in hand for me; I was finally this confident, attractive in a way guy. And I’m actually naturally quite a shy person and insecure. I have insecurities.”

Salter’s been in therapy for years, trying to untangle these emotional complexities. “I think if people looked at me online they would have a different perception of me. I would work on no sleep and it was dangerous for my body. I was doing these crazy shows, you know, with no sleep. But I don't think that the entertainment industry really was the catalyst into all of this kind of stuff.”

On the entertainment industry’s hardships, he speaks openly. “I've definitely worked on jobs where I haven't been the happiest because of egos,” he admits. “I remember I once got booked on a tour to be the leading man, and I found out through a show fan that I'd been cut. I don't know why they ended up getting rid of me, but that was like a tough pill to swallow. And that was something that I found quite challenging. Like this is, it was just done in all the wrong ways.”

shirt PRADA

blazer TAGLIATORE
cardigan CANALI
tank top DIESEL
shirt TOMMY HILFIGER
shoes CHURCH’S

However, his reckless pursuit of optimism took Salter to new heights, bringing forth a major deal that sparked an equally major moment. “One of my favourite jobs I've ever done was the Wonka dance buddy,” he says. “I looked after Timothee Chalamet on Wonka: I'd help him rehearse the role, I would dance his double, step in, give him notes on dancing and so on. That was super special because I love being on set. Films are so exciting, and I'm a big fan of his work.”

Salter also made his acting debut, a short film titled I Need You To See Me: in this project, he plays a substitute dance teacher navigating a complex and intense relationship with his mentee. “It was like a two man scene happening in a dance studio,” he recalls. “It was really intense and a lot of work, but it was an incredible experience.” The director reached out to him a few times and Salter ignored him at first. “I always wanted to try it, but I was a little too scared and I thought there were things in my way and I had a lot of worry and fear about it.”

Navigating the dynamics of LGBTQ+ storytelling is key for Salter. “I'm part of it, so I always advocate to push for it,” he asserts. “I'm a very proud out gay man, and I will always fight for the community and believe that we should be treated just like everyone else.”

Soulful and vibrant in equal measure, Salter spills further doses of joyful optimism and hope as we draw our conversation to a close. “I plan to continue training, and I want to keep doing my castings for acting as I’d like to keep pushing my boundaries,” he concludes. “I'm really proud of the work I've achieved so far, and I want to keep pushing as much as I can, whether that's as an actor or a choreographer or a dancer or all of them. I just want to be giving it my everything.”

team credits

seen COSIMO BUCCOLIERI via STUDIO REPOSSI
fashion director + stylist CHIDOZIE OBASI
head of production JESSICA LOVATO
fashion coordinator DAVIDE BELOTTI
make up KIM GUTIERREZ via STUDIO REPOSSI
hair ALEXANDER MARKART via BLEND MANAGEMENT
talent SAM SALTER

photography assistant ANTONIO CROTTI
fashion assistants LUCA MICELI + LORIS VOTTERO + CLOE RUBINATO + ALICE CANNITO + ANNA REGAZZONI + JORDAN MAX BAGLIONI

Gab Bois - Interview

.aesthetic talk
GAB BOIS
*Endless Playground

written + interview TAGEN DONOVAN

Gab Bois possesses a rare and almost alchemical ability to take the mundane and twist it into something extraordinary, something that lingers in the mind long after you’ve looked away. Bois’s work doesn’t just sit quietly in the background—it demands attention, not through loudness, but through its quiet valour.

By taking the everyday, the objects we barely glance at, and reimagining them into striking, surreal creations that challenge not just our ideas of design and functionality, but our very perception of reality itself. A pair of boots crafted from old keyboards, earrings fashioned from I-phone cameras—these are not just whimsical ideas; they are provocations, invitations to see the world differently.

What makes Bois’ work so compelling is not just the cleverness of her visual puns or the precision of craftsmanship, though both are undeniable. It’s an innate ability to weave together humour, intrigue, and a deep sense of aesthetic playfulness. Each piece exists in a space where the familiar becomes strange, and the strange becomes oddly familiar. It’s a space that feels both futuristic and nostalgic, as if she’s tapping into a collective memory of childhood make-believe while simultaneously pushing us toward a new way of seeing. Each image doesn’t just ask, “What if?”—it insists, “Look again.”

Gab Bois
seen by Joseph Davies

(c) Gab Bois

Bois’ artistic journey is one deeply rooted in curiosity, a trait that pulses through each visual story she creates. Growing up in a creatively rich environment, Bois was exposed early to the power of visual storytelling. Her father, a painter, introduced her to the language of imagery, a language she now speaks fluently, though in her own distinct dialect. Through this creative trajectory, Bois has etched out her own niche of visual expression, a vast terrain where possibilities stretch into eternity, folding worlds within worlds. Within these spaces, Bois orchestrates a new vocabulary, whereby a cocktail dress made of Scrabble tiles isn’t just a playful costume—it’s a commentary on language, identity, and the ways we construct meaning.

Her visual style is a melting pot of influences—design, fashion, pop culture, and advertising—yet it feels entirely her own. Growing up in the age of selfies and self-representation, Bois has a keen understanding of how images function in our digital age. Extending an open conversation with the viewer, lending itself to an intimate exchange that bridges the gap between artist and audience. There’s a sense of shared understanding, as if to say, “You’ve seen this before, but have you really looked at it?” Through this connection, Bois invites us into her world, a world where the ordinary is anything but.

At the heart of Bois’ practice is a fascination with paradox. A practice that exists in the liminal space between reality and simulation. She plays with these tensions, creating pieces that feel both timeless and of-the-moment. In a world dominated by endless scrolling and fleeting attention spans, we are invited to pause and engage, even to reconsider the forms we encounter every day but rarely truly see.

“It feels like my playground is constantly getting bigger, giving me the opportunity and privilege to work with whatever materials my concepts call for.”

Gab Bois speaks with Tagen Donovan
for LE MILE Ephemeral Edition - SS 2025 Nr. 38

(c) Gab Bois

(c) Gab Bois

(c) Gab Bois

Tagen Donovan
Let’s start at the beginning. How did your early artistic influences shape your creative perspective, and in what ways has this visual language guided your approach to storytelling?

Gab Bois
My creative practice has always been deeply rooted in the sense of wonder I felt as a kid, my wonder of objects and curious perspective of the world. I’ve tried to construct a visual language that blends elements from my childhood play and my teenage Tumblr days, in which I continue to tell a story.

The idea of working with what you have in front of you is a recurring theme in your art. Do you see this as a direct extension of your childhood experiences, or has it evolved into something more conceptual as your practice developed?

I’d say it’s a product of both. My creative practice has always been shaped by my surroundings—a continuation of childhood days spent playing outside and collecting objects. Over time, though, my career has given me access to more resources. It feels like my playground is constantly getting bigger, giving me the opportunity and privilege to work with whatever materials my concepts call for. The spirit of my practice is still the same: playful and rooted in my environment. But the process has definitely evolved, especially when working with briefs and as part of a team.

Your work often features a blend of humor, discomfort and beauty found within the mundane. How do you select objects for your pieces? Is it a meditative process or something more instinctive?

It’s definitely an instinctive exercise—I’m drawn to objects that catch my eye aesthetically. Since my practice is grounded in time and place, I usually gravitate toward objects or themes that feel current, whether they’re seasonal or flooding my explore page.

Blending elements of conceptual art, sculpture, and fashion with a playful and thought-provoking edge creates the tapestry of your practice. If you were to describe the genre or identity of your art, how would you define it? Or is there an element of transcending labels and boundaries?

I don’t usually try to describe my work, but I love when people who know art history connect it to other movements or genres. I don’t really have the knowledge—or the urge—to place myself within the larger art landscape, though I’m not opposed to it. I’d say my work is conceptual, and my practice is more about a general vision than sticking to a specific medium. I see it more as a special sauce that I can adapt to any dish.

In the age of the infinite scroll, your work creates moments of reflection, inviting viewers to pause and view the ordinary through a different lens. All while tapping into our innate sense of curiosity amidst the rapid consumption of content. How intentional is this aspect of your work?

Thank you for framing my work this way—that is very kind. Creating work that calls for a moment of reflection or pause is definitely something I aim for. I think everyone has a personal gallery of images that stick with them—or at least I do. If my work becomes part of someone else’s mental gallery, that is awesome. But if people keep scrolling past it, that won’t stop me from making more. I’m well aware that most of us are overwhelmed by images daily, and I can’t control if my image will cut through this. What I can control—and what I think has been a strength of my practice—is building a distinctive visual universe.

Captions evolve into titles for each piece, while the comment section transforms into a dynamic space for recontextualisation and community dialogue. What is it like to witness, in real time, how your work sparks conversations and invites fresh interpretations from your audience on social media? Have you ever been surprised by how it's interpreted?

It’s funny you say that because I feel like this was especially true when I first started sharing my work online. People were very engaged and the comment section was very dynamic, so many people shared strong feelings, positive or critical. The Instagram landscape has changed a lot in the past few years, and I’ve noticed people interact much more with reels than with still images now. My comment section feels a lot calmer now. It’s mostly a mix of love, clever puns, or references of work that people are reminded of, which I enjoy learning about.

You’ve previously mentioned your father’s ability to“talk with images”,which resonates with your own approach to creating art. Do you see your work as a continuation of this legacy, or have you reinterpreted it in your own way?

Great question. I see it as both. Having a child is merging your essence with someone else’s, creating something entirely new, never just recreating yourself. In that sense, I owe a lot of my creative practice, passion for art, and craft to my dad. That said, our artistic processes and inspirations are quite different, though there is most likely overlap in the way we both approach art on an internal level.

The theme of this issue is EPHEMERAL—the fleeting, raw brilliance of the present. How does the concept of impermanence manifest in your work, especially in a world where images and ideas are so quickly consumed?

I like to think of my work as surreal time capsules, each piece captures my inspirations from a specific time and place. I also draw a distinction between the physical object and the photo or video of it, seeing the act of capturing the object as the time capsule itself.

I am very inspired by the Tibetan Buddhist practice of creating sand mandalas. I like to be as invested in the process as in the final tableau, but not so much in the outcome once the work leaves my hands. I don’t mind spending hours on something that might be shared and then forgotten. In my experience, something doesn’t have to be framed or looked at every day to be real or valuable.

In your "Canapés" collection, you transformed everyday food items into wearable art. What challenges did you face in translating your photographic concepts into physical fashion pieces?

When creating Canapés, my intention was to explore both the design and production processes of wearable accessories, while considering functionality alongside aesthetics. One of the biggest challenges I faced was the balance between form and function. In my creative practice, I’ve always prioritized form, but I quickly realized that to make these pieces wearable and functional, I’d have to make certain compromises. I learned that when something is comfortable and practical, it enhances its overall appeal and becomes more beloved. In the end, the compromise doesn’t end up being a compromise at all.

Follow @gab_bois

What’s perhaps most striking about Bois is her ability to move fluidly across disciplines—without losing the thread of her conceptual vision. Entirely self-taught, a fact that underscores the raw, instinctual nature of her creativity. Bois’s work feels alive, as if it’s constantly evolving, driven by an insatiable curiosity and a passion for bringing ideas to life. This evolution is evident in her recent projects, which expand her practice into new territories. While experimenting with interactive elements, designing wearable objects, and exploring new media to push her artistic vision beyond the confines of the screen.

Le Mile’s EPHEMERAL issue explores themes of impermanence and raw creativity, Bois’ work feels particularly resonant. It’s a celebration of the fleeting brilliance of the present, a reminder that even the most ordinary objects can become extraordinary if we’re willing to see them in a new light. In this exploration of her practice, we delve into the inspirations that fuel her creativity, the evolving relationship between physical and digital creation, and how she navigates the impermanence of contemporary visual culture. But perhaps more importantly, we consider what her work asks of us. It’s not just about appreciating her art; it’s about questioning our own perceptions, about finding the surreal in the everyday, and about embracing the playful, curious spirit that drives her practice. Gab Bois doesn’t just create art—she creates moments of wonder, and in doing so, she reminds us that the world is far stranger and more beautiful than we often allow ourselves to see.

(c) Gab Bois

(c) Gab Bois

In 2020, you released a book with Anteism, and you’re now preparing to launch a new project with Baron Books. Both editions embrace a sense of play, from simulated phone cameras in your first book, inviting readers to take selfies within the gaze of the book itself, to the interactive sticker cover art in your upcoming release, directed by Max Siedentopf, which encourages direct participation with the artworks. How do you approach the design of these interactive elements, and what role does the concept of play hold in shaping your broader artistic vision and practice?

Play is truly at the heart of my practice and my studio’s vision. There’s always an element of surprise, because we’re creating things that don’t yet exist, and we can never fully predict how a work will be experienced in the real world. It is so exciting to see our vision come to life, fully formed by each decision made and each source of inspiration gathered along the way.

I see our studio as a playground, where we have the freedom to experiment and explore. We are so lucky that we don’t have to get bogged down by many constraints in our personal projects. We might still get hurt on the playground by making bad decisions, but we always learn and hop back into the swing of things.

When creating, do you think more about how your work will exist in its immediate context or how it might be archived and remembered in the Future?

Again, both. I’m always aware of how my work will exist in the present moment, but I’m also curious and excited about how it might be perceived, archived, and repurposed in the future.The future informs how I capture and display my works in the present: photographing an object in its best light, preserving it as a high quality image and as a physical object when possible. A photo can withstand time, even if the physical object deteriorates.

What's next for you? What are you excited to explore in 2025?

On a personal level, I’m really excited to dive deeper into creating video works and exploring storytelling as a vehicle for my ideas. For my studio, my team and I love experimenting with different mediums and forms of work, and our goal is to keep raising the bar for what we can achieve and what terrains we can move into. This year, we aim to continue pushing towards constructing a tangible presence of our work and vision, and we have lots of exciting products and projects rolling out this year that reflect this ambition.

“We might still get hurt on the playground by making bad decisions, but we always learn and hop back into the swing of things.”

Gab Bois speaks with Tagen Donovan
for LE MILE Ephemeral Edition - SS 2025 Nr. 38

Milena Smit - Interview

MILENA SMIT
*Between Frames

written + interview Alban E. Smajli

Milena Smit moves through cinema with an intuitive force. As an actor, she absorbs characters at their core, shaping them from within. A script carries an atmosphere that guides her, each role unfolding through presence and instinct.

Her first rehearsal with Pedro Almodóvar and Penélope Cruz marked a shift. The industry took notice. Without formal training, she learned on set, refining her craft through experience and deep collaboration.

Time on set is fluid, shaped by waiting, by intensity, by the energy of those around her. Beyond acting, new ambitions form—studies, personal growth, the idea of motherhood. Every role, every decision, every moment exists fully in its own space.

dress ISABEL SANCHÍS
jewelry YVES SAINT LAURENT
heels FERRAGAMO

Alban E. Smajli
When you take on a role, do you see it as an act of becoming—or of undoing?

Milena Smit
For me, the key is learning to work with the emotions of the characters while disconnecting from those that might trigger my own personal wounds. I used to rely on my own emotions and experiences, but it took a heavy toll on my mental health.

What does “Ephemeral” mean to you in an era that’s obsessed with capturing and archiving everything?

Being present, so those small moments don’t slip by unnoticed.

Do you think cinema is closer to memory or to dreaming?


I believe it’s a perfect blend of memory and dreams, with a touch of magic added.

Is there a single moment in your career so far that you wish you could bottle up and keep forever?

The first rehearsal I had with Pedro Almodóvar and Penélope Cruz in their office, back when I still didn’t know if I was going to play Ana in Parallel Mothers.

When the script is in your hands, what pulls you in first? Is it the story, the silence between the words, or the world it creates?


The aura of the script, the energy conveyed by the story and the character.

Your work feels like you’ve found beauty in imperfection. How much of that is you, and how much comes from surrendering to the process?

I try to approach everything I do from instinct and gut feelings. I don’t have much experience with technique, since my school has been the work itself and the people I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with on various projects.

What’s more exciting to you, playing a character who feels like home or one that feels completely foreign?

I like the duality of both. I wouldn’t know which one to choose.

If your life were a film, what genre would it be today? Would tomorrow maybe be something else?


Right now, it would be a documentary about spirituality (laughs), but there have been moments of everything—drama, horror, romantic comedy…

What’s your relationship with time when you’re on set? Does it move too fast or too slow?

It depends on the day. On set, there’s always a lot of waiting, but I try to bring a book for those moments or enjoy the time with my colleagues. However, there are also days that are tough.

What excites you most about the worlds you’re bringing to life next?

Fulfilling other dreams, like continuing my studies, growing personally, becoming a mother someday, and living precious moments with my family.

total look DSQUARED2

dress HHABEY CLUB
shoes JIMMY CHOO

“I used to rely on my own emotions and experiences, but it took a heavy toll on my mental health.”

Milena Smit speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Issue 38 / Ephemeral Edition SS25

full look SAINT LAURENT

full look LOEWE
jewelry BULGARI

full look ARMANI
jewelry BULGARI

talent MILENA SMIT
photographer LEIRE CAVIA
set designer JOSEFINA MAIZA
stylist MANU MENDI
make up + hair REBECA TRILLO-FIGUEROA using YSL Beauty
photo assistants ALBERTO FERNANDEZ + NICOLE WAR + ELENA DIAZ
set assistan t DELFINA AYERZA
stylist assistants RAUL GONZALEZ + MARIA GADEZ

Thanks to CRAM TALENT

Elizabeth Dulau - Interview

ELIZABETH DULAU
*Transformation Characters Across Star Wars, Netflix & Stage

written + interview Alban E. Smajli

Actor Elizabeth Dulau is entering a season shaped by roles with weight—political, historical, emotional. As Kleya Marki in Andor, she returns to the Star Wars universe for its final chapter, joining Diego Luna and Stellan Skarsgård.

Her presence remains precise and charged with a quiet urgency. In House of Guinness, created by Steven Knight for Netflix, she plays Lady Henrietta. The story follows the Guinness family across Ireland and New York in the 19th century, navigating legacy and fracture after the death of Benjamin Guinness. Dulau also voices the Piebald Deer in Wicked, a brief but memorable role.

She has appeared in Maternal, All The Light We Cannot See, The Outlaws, and Gentleman Jack, building a body of work that feels grounded and deliberate. Each performance speaks in its own register. In this interview, Elizabeth shares thoughts on transformation, emotional access, and the quieter moments that shape a role.

dress SPORTMAX
earrings BONVO

Alban E. Smajli
You’re orbiting galaxies in Andor, slipping into corsets for House of Guinness, and voicing trembling deer in Wicked—what does it feel like to be a shapeshifter in a world constantly asking for identity?

Elizabeth Dulau
Yeah, this is an important discussion. I am a firm believer that actors should be allowed to transform into people far removed from themselves but there are boundaries that shouldn’t be crossed. There are some lanes that I very clearly do not belong in and that’s ok, that’s someone else’s lane. There’s still scope for shapeshifting within the lanes available to you.

I think it’s also important to acknowledge however, that a person’s identity can in many ways change throughout their life. This pressure to clearly define oneself is something that feels counterintuitive to me. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realised actually being more of a shapeshifter in some respects feels natural to me and maybe that is part of my identity. It allows for growth and change and playing and to be honest that is why I’m drawn to being an actor. It allows me to really explore all the different sides of myself. To be honest, none of the roles I’ve played (yes, even the deer in Wicked) feel like someone other than myself. Every character feels like a singular thread of myself I pull on and enhance in order to transform.

The industry often feels like a theatre within a theatre. Where do you find the unscripted moments that still feel real?

I think these moments are found in the people you meet. Every now and then you’ll come across a real gem of a person with whom you can drop any professional guard and just be a messy human. I’ve certainly found that with Jacob James Beswick on Andor and Jennifer Macbeth on Maternal. People like them don’t come along often and I think it’s important to sit up and take notice when they do.

House of Guinness is soaked in legacy and loss. How do you personally move through stories drenched in history without getting stuck in the past?

When playing any character that is in a situation far removed from your own it’s important to remind yourself that your shared humanity connects you. Yes, do your research on the world in which they live, the etiquette, the politics, the faith systems but they are still a flawed person just like you. They will feel love, desire, rage, jealousy, grief and you can access their inner lives through your own experience of these things.

You’ve been part of massive universes (Star Wars) and deeply intimate dramas (Maternal). Which scale do you dream in?

My god I LOVE this question! I think my dreams range throughout many different scales. I am a big daydreamer and was often made to think it was a problem. I was constantly told to stop daydreaming and concentrate! But I realised while I was at drama school that my daydreaming is what helps me connect to my characters. I can happily spend hours dreaming up backstories for my characters to enrich their presence. I like to take the same approach to my own life too, dreaming up an ideal future for myself to then take steps towards it.

Fashion—do you see it as armour, as performance, or as rebellion? Or something more private?

I see it as all of the above. Fashion is one of the most accessible forms of self-expression and we’re always expressing ourselves with it whether we realise it or not. What we choose to cover ourselves with externally reflects something that’s going on internally. Maybe it’s a front, armour, a performance or a truly authentic expression of how we’re feeling in that moment. I love using fashion as a mode of creativity and character. When filming self-tapes for an audition, a really easy way to feel like that character might be throwing on a shirt or a pair of shoes that make you walk differently. In our everyday lives we can put on a different combination of pieces that make us feel like a subtly different version of ourselves and that feels so exciting to me.

dress + shoes SPORTMAX
earrings BONVO

coat SELF-PORTRAIT
tights FALKE
shoes ROGER VIVIER
belt + earrings FASHION ARCHIVE

“None of the roles I’ve played (yes, even the deer in Wicked) feel like someone other than myself.”

Elizabeth Dulau speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Digital SS25

How do you prepare for a role that requires emotional submersion—but still demands you show up, camera-ready, hair lit, line perfect?

All the camera-ready elements I don’t even think about. That’s someone else’s job. I let them look after that. As for the emotional submersion, there are a combination of factors at play. Good prep is always a winner. Again, I will often use daydreaming in the run up to a shoot to flesh out their life. I also use music a lot. Music accesses a part of our brains that logic simply can’t, so I create various playlists for each character and just before we shoot I’ll listen to a song that’s helpful. But the moment the director calls action I let go of all that prep and just focus on my scene partner, trying to change them and allowing myself to be changed by them. You have to trust that all your prep is there in the background without you having to hold on to it.

There’s a certain hush in your roles—quiet strength, subversion, layered tension. Where does that stillness come from?

I think this comes from a certain amount of internal conflict. I’m often drawn to characters whose outer projection is quite different to their inner lives. Kleya for example has a very cold and controlled exterior but I played her with the conviction that deep underneath all those external layers is someone who loves very deeply and holds a lot of hurt and rage. There’s something a little wild in her. I think this sense of stillness is born from the tension between those inner and outer lives. I’m suspended between the two.

Imagine a film directed by your future self—what genre would it be, and what would the costume department look like?

I’m very intrigued by sci-fi actually. I think it’s a really useful tool with which to ask questions about our world. And I have lots of questions! The costumes would probably be pretty elaborate. I’d need to get Michael Wilkinson on the team!

You’ve been part of a galaxy far, far away and now a dynasty built on stout. What story hasn’t been told yet, that you're dying to step inside?

I’m really inspired by filmmakers like Mark Ruffalo who use film as a form of activism, shining a light on important issues. Personally, I think there are more stories that need to be told about the climate crisis because there’s still so much apathy towards this issue.

The real change would only come about when government and major corporations commit to change but I believe we could bring about that change if we collectively put enough pressure on them. There’s so much potential for film and TV to create social movements, just look at Netflix’s Adolescence or ITV’s Mr Bates vs the Post Office. Both dramas created such a huge public response that the government took action and maybe there’s scope to do the same with the climate crisis.

talent ELIZABETH DULAU
photographer ANTONIO EUGENIO
stylist PRUE FISHER
hair ERIKA NEUMANN
male up PHOEBE HEARD
photographer assistant DANIEL EYNON

Special thanks to Grace Yeoman, PR Pinnacle

blazer ARMANI EXCHANGE
trouser ARMANI EXCHANGE
bra INTIMISSIMI
shoes MANOLO BLAHNIK
earrings FASHION ARCHIVE

coat THE FRANKIE SHOP
tights FALKE
earrings MISHO

shirt + shorts THE FRANKIE SHOP
tights FALKE
shoes MANOLO BLAHNIK
earrings MISHO
belt FASHION ARCHIVE

“Fashion is one of the most accessible forms of self-expression… What we choose to cover ourselves with externally reflects something that’s going on internally.”

Elizabeth Dulau speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Digital SS25

Franco Masini - Interview

FRANCO MASINI
*Between Cities, Scripts, and Style

written + interview ALBAN E. SMAJLI

Franco Masini moves with intent to generate monumentum. Actor, producer, reader of places, collector of moments—he expands his practice through curiosity and risk.

His latest project, a theatre production he’s independently bringing to life, marks a shift toward authorship. Ownership of process. Control of tone. A story he performs and constructs. Fashion is part of his language. He responds to designers like Adrian Appiolazza and Jonathan Anderson for their ability to distort form with precision. He keeps a close eye on Matias Carbone, an Argentinian voice now emerging across Europe. Masini assembles identities. and his wardrobe edits itself in real time.

watch FILM

full look MOSCHINO
tie FURSAC

blazer TRANSE PARIS
vest IGOR DIERYCK
jewelry ALT PARIS

Alban E. Smajli
Your career moves like a shifting lens—what’s in focus for you right now?

Franco Masini
I love the movement of my career. I think it’s really important to stay focused on new things and to have opportunities to learn and grow as an actor. My next step is to produce a new theatre show—I’ve already acquired the rights.

Which designers are speaking your language this season, and what are they saying?

There are many new designers doing amazing work. I really like Adrián Appiolaza and Jonathan Anderson—they’re very creative and always producing unique and thoughtful pieces. I also really like Matías Carbone from Argentina, who is expanding his brand into Europe.

If your wardrobe were a film, who’s directing?

My wardrobe has many different elements. I think it would need a very unique director. I enjoy changing styles, designers, and colours, and creating my own “Franco” style. I get bored easily—haha!

Art and fashion exist in dialogue. Where do you see the conversation heading?

Art and fashion are two things I really enjoy. I love how creators express their own perspectives through clothing.

Museums capture time, fashion rewrites it—what recent art exhibition has stayed with you?

I really liked ARCO in Madrid—a week of contemporary art, with so many creatives and amazing artists.

What does personal luxury look like for you beyond the obvious?

Personal luxury, for me, is in meaningful moments with the people I love—like visiting new places, discovering new countries, or sharing great food with friends. That’s the best.

What city makes you feel most like yourself?

I think Buenos Aires is the place—full of movement, art, cinema, friends, and always something to do. Madrid feels like my second home. It’s also incredible.

Morning ritual or midnight impulse—when do you feel most alive?

I feel most alive in the morning. I love waking up, going for a run near the river, and then having breakfast with a book. I really enjoy reading in the morning.

If you could archive a single look from your life, what would it be?

That’s hard to say because my life is in constant motion—and I love that. I’m always meeting new people, living in new places, exploring new cultures. I appreciate my job because it allows me to reach so many parts of the world.

What’s the last thing that truly surprised you?

The last thing that surprised me was meeting Adrien Brody at Paris Fashion Week. I really admire his work, and it was great to talk with him. We were seated in the same row. I’ve seen all of his movies.

full look JACQUEMUS
jewelry ALT PARIS

full look MOSCHINO
jewelry ALT PARIS

He begins his days by the river, running along the water as the city slowly wakes. What follows is quiet and deliberate: coffee, a book, the kind of solitude that aligns the mind before the rest of the world demands attention. Mornings carry a clarity that sets the pace for everything that comes after—travel, conversations, creative shifts, the layering of roles and identities. Buenos Aires flows through him with instinctive rhythm, while Madrid offers a different current, equally present in his internal map. Each place contributes to the structure he’s building—fluid, expansive, unfinished by design. His idea of luxury moves away from display and towards sensation. A shared plate with friends, the atmosphere of a new neighborhood, the texture of unfamiliar languages and streets—these are the moments that stay.

The value is in gathering feeling, in building a personal archive made of people, places, and presence. At Paris Fashion Week, he found himself seated next to Adrien Brody. A quiet dialogue unfolded—film, performance, process. Nothing staged. Just two people exchanging thoughts in a shared space, surrounded by movement but anchored in something still.
Franco Masini lives in progression. Style evolves, environments shift, energy recalibrates. What stays is the drive to create—not as an end point but as a state of being, a continuous act that shapes and reshapes itself in response to what enters, what unfolds, and what he chooses to carry forward.

full look ARTURO OBEGERO
shoes CAMPER
jewelry ALT PARIS
watch CARTIER

full look EVAN BENJAMIN
socks + shoes MOSCHINO

credits
photographer LOUIS TERAN
stylist SIMON NNDJOCK
talent FRANCO MASINI
set designer CLARA DE GOBERT via APICORP AGENCY
movement director ROBIN LABARRERE
hair PAUL GOMEZ
make up MANON CANA via BUREAU ALAGNA
nails MAHARA DIARTE-ZEROUALI
casting director MARVIN LATOURNALD with MODELS LANE
production TABATHA RUSSO at BUREAU ALAGNA
photographer assistant STEVEN BAILLIN

special thanks to Tatiana Dumabin

Dylan Llewellyn - Interview

DYLAN LLEWELLYN
*Brewing Moments

written + interview Sarah Arendts

Dylan Llewellyn moves through stories like an architect of feeling. Captured mid-conversation, coffee in hand, the setting mirrors the essence of his work—unfiltered, natural, alive in the moment.

Every role expands the space it occupies, stretching humor into unexpected depths and carving out moments that stay long after the scene ends. His presence on screen is charged—words, expressions, silences all calibrated for maximum impact.

jacket + shirt NANUSHKA

Comedy fuels his process. A living language of timing, movement, and instinct. The humor lands, not as an escape, but as an excavation of something real. Derry Girls, Big Boys, Beyond Paradise—each project a new rhythm, built with precision, delivered with an effortless pulse. Llewellyn works with momentum. The industry shifts, names rise and fall, but the resonance of his performances embeds itself deeper. Not tied to nostalgia, not chasing permanence. Just sharp storytelling, lived-in characters, and the kind of presence that doesn’t ask for space—it takes it.

knitwear SANDRO
blazer THE FRANKIE SHOP
jeans O.FILES
loafers DR MARTENS
socks FALKE
rings MAYA MAGAL

Sarah Arendts
What does comedy allow you to express that drama doesn’t?

Dylan Llewellyn
I think comedy lets you have more freedom with your performance. You can go from being extremely serious and deadpan, but still leaning into the humour, to being super silly and over the top. There’s a whole variety of comedic styles to explore and I think that’s the main difference.

You’ve inhabited roles that capture the awkwardness, rawness, and humor of coming of age. Can you think of a moment in your life that felt like it could be part of one of your shows?

I think we’ve all experienced that classic moment of getting ID'd when you're in your teens. I remember going to see a 15-rated movie in the cinema when I was around 17 years old. They wouldn’t let me in because I didn’t have my passport or ID on me, so I had to call my parents to come down with it. My older brother came in and asked the staff where I was… They said “Oh, he’s just waiting in the bar.” My brother goes, “Oh what, so you let him hang in the bar but not let him watch the 15-rated movie?” That was quite a funny classic story of growing up and being ID’d.

Fame doesn’t last forever. What’s the one thing you hope to leave behind in the industry?

What I hope to leave behind in the industry and my acting career is just a sense of joy in the roles I’ve played – from Derry Girls to Big Boys. Those comedic roles have been such a joy and so much fun to perform. I’ve also loved working with so many talented actors along the way. I hope it inspiresyounger generations to get into comedic acting and to carry on that torch. For me, The Inbetweeners inspired me growing up, especially during school days. I grew up watching them and thought I’d love to do something like that. Then Derry Girls came along, followed by Big Boys, so yeah, I hope I can do the same for another young actor or actress.


Jack’s journey in Big Boys is deeply personal yet universal. What’s the most surprising reaction you’ve received from fans?

I think what surprised me most about the response to Big Boys is just how many people relate to it. But at the same time, it’s not that surprising because all those subjects – grief, mental health struggles, friendship, family, and sexuality – are so relatable. A lot of people can connect with those topics. What really stands out to me is how much it’s hit home for so many, with people speaking out about how much those themes mean to them, especially the dynamic of friendships – specifically the dynamic of the gay and straight friendship between Jack and Danny.


You played Wally Nightingale in Pistol, a musician lost in punk history. Do you think he would be remembered differently if he were around today?

When it comes to Wally Nightingale, the character I played in Pistol, it’s a really sad story. He lived the rock and roll lifestyle but without the fame or the money that came with it. I think, and I hope, he’ll be remembered fondly as one of the roots for the Sex Pistols – someone who helped lay the foundation for what they became. I really want him to be credited and recognized as such.

Your characters are often outsiders finding their place. Do you see yourself in them?

Yeah, I think I bring a little of myself into all my characters. I lean into their characteristics more and just make them themselves – their own personalities, their own people. I’ve played a lot of vulnerable, awkward, coming-of-age characters who are finding themselves. But I’ve also played characters who are more confident, like Kelby Hartford [from Beyond Paradise]. I think Kelby is very confident in himself, and even Wally Nightingale from Pistol was pretty confident in his abilities.

Some roles stay with actors forever. Have any of your characters changed the way you see the world?

I think the character of James in Derry Girls has made me learn about Irish history and developed my appreciation for Irish people and how amazing they are. The character of Jack in Big Boys shows the incredible bravery of people discovering themselves, both with their sexuality and with grief, as well as their mental health. I think Wally Nightingale in Pistol made me see the world with more appreciation for music, for being kind of weird, and not caring about being normal. I think that was the whole message of Pistol, the show, and the Sex Pistols in general – it was all about letting your freak flag fly and being okay with not being normal. The whole punk revolution shows that, so yeah, I think I’ve learned a lot from these characters, their stories, and the show’s stories.

Both storytelling and life are temporary. Do you try to make things last, or do you embrace their short-lived nature?

I think I do try to make things last whenever I can but I also embrace the short-lived nature of things as well. I think you can enjoy both sides of it. That’s kind of me to a T – I’m definitely someone who’s glass half full but also half empty at the same time. I think you can see both sides of it and I feel likeit’s a healthy way to look at things – considering every perspective and mentality. Yeah, it’s a tough one, I think.

What’s a role you’d never take—and why?

Actually, there are lot of roles I am open to and really want to take a crack at. I mean, I'd love to play villain or a darker role, or just a role that’s completely different from what I’m usually cast in. I'm always up for the challenge and I’d love to explore those kinds of roles more and really get my acting teeth into them

“Comedy lands, not as an escape, but as an excavation of something real.”

Dylan Llewellyn speaks with Sarah Arendts
for LE MILE Nr. 38 - Spring/Summer 2025 Edition

coat NANUSHKA
shirt DOLCE & GABBANA
jeans O.FILES
ring MAYA MAGAL

credits
talent DYLAN LLEWELLYN
photographer ANTONIO EUGENIO
stylist MILLIE CULLUM
grooming CHARLIE CULLEN using @babylissprouk & @shakeupcosmetics
photographer assistant DANIEL EYNON
fashion assistant AMY HARFOOT
location Special thanks to Mae + Harvey, East London

Kris Marshall - Interview

KRIS MARSHALL
*Inside the Mind of DI Humphrey Goodman

written + interview Alban E. Smajli

Kris Marshall moves through roles like pages in a living archive. Each return to DI Humphrey Goodman is a recalibration, a quiet shift in tone, pace, inflection.

The detective doesn’t arrive fully formed; he extends through time, carried by instinct, built through decisions that remain invisible until they aren’t. Kris Marshall works with precision. He feeds the character small changes—gestures, rhythms, interior logic. In Beyond Paradise, nothing is static. Everything folds back into the work: his references, the sea, the energy of a long shoot, the movement of strangers who never knew they were being studied.

jumper + trousers RALPH LAUREN
socks FALKE
shoes SANDRO
sunglasses THE AVANTGUARD
jacket THE FRANKIE SHOP

He rarely speaks in absolutes. Scripts are approached like open systems. Scenes are lived, not performed. He notes structure, then lets it bend. The repetition of a character over seasons becomes an act of endurance, not rehearsal. Ideas are planted early and left to unfold over time.

Memory plays a role. So does observation. He remembers the weight of theatre nights, the long haul of production days, the silence that follows a line well delivered. Meals with Pacino in Italy exist in the same archive as his first stage rehearsals—held not for anecdote, but for texture.

In conversation, Marshall cuts through sentiment. He speaks clearly about work. The physical toll. The mental timing. The need to rest before the next scene. Acting, for him, is not escape—it is a study in repetition, and the possibility of nuance inside repetition.
This interview traces Marshall’s ongoing practice—returning to characters not to resolve them, but to remain in conversation with them. He shares what drives him on set, what surprises still occur, and what advice he carries forward. No grand epiphanies. Just a steady commitment to showing up, seeing clearly, and staying inside the craft.

suit + shirt RALPH LAUREN
tie SANDRO

“Every character I play is a part of me… Which has to be true otherwise you’re not going to believe it yourself, so how can you expect other people to.”

Kris Marshall speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Digital SS25 - on Beyond Paradise

Alban E. Smajli
What keeps drawing you back to DI Humphrey Goodman? Is there still more of him to uncover, or do you just enjoy the ride?

Kris Marshall
Well, I’m not gonna lie and say that enjoying the ride isn’t a part of it, because both incarnations of him have lived by the sea, and I spend as much of my free time in it and on it as possible. Which is joyous. But there’d be no point if I didn’t feel there was more of his character to discover. As I get, shall we say, less young, it’s important to convey his changes as well, so there’s that, and I’m constantly throwing in new ideas and homages to my favourite detectives and other characters in TV and film that have influenced me.

From Love Actually to Beyond Paradise, your career spans rom-coms, crime dramas, and theatre. Where do you feel most at home?

Not working!.. No I’m kind of kidding. I came up through theatre, it’s all I did for the first 6 years, and even though after that I’d probably only do a play every 4 or 5 years, you can never replicate that kind of peril and immediacy on TV and film. But there’s something about building a character over a long shoot, and the fact no two days are the same, that I’ve always found beguiling.

Humphrey is a detective who sees the world differently. What’s a case you’d love to see him tackle in Beyond Paradise?

A corrupt politician. He’s renowned for being pretty open-minded, fair and kind, but he has a healthy disdain for and a delight in unpicking capricious and arrogant people who view him as strange and hopeless. It’s the Columbo/Marple gene, to lure antagonists to their doom!… Failing that, anything to do with surfing, for reasons mentioned above.


You’ve played both hopeless romantics and sharp-witted detectives. Which role is closer to the real Kris Marshall?

I would say both and neither. If that’s not too obtuse. I think Jack Nicholson said ‘Every character I play is a part of me’… Which has to be true otherwise you’re not going to believe it yourself, so how can you expect other people to. But also, they’re not me, because I study other people’s mannerisms and walks and use them as well. 


What do you think makes Beyond Paradise resonate so strongly with viewers?

Well, of course the location is beautiful, bucolic and colourful. But also, people love puzzle solving, so it’s somewhat interactive on that front. But the main reason is it’s not too dark and violent and doesn’t take itself too seriously, so it’s watchable across demographics. I’ve met people who say it means a lot to them as it’s something they can bond watching with their parents and children, which I think is delightful. 

You stepped back into Sanditon's Tom Parker and Beyond Paradise's Humphrey Goodman. How does revisiting a character change your perspective on them?

Filming is often arriving at a location you’ve never seen, and then getting the best takes within the allotted time, before you move on to another location you’ve never seen!… Whereas in theatre, you get to go back and slightly alter and hone your performance every night. So getting the chance to revisit a character again on film is, if you’ll forgive the mixed metaphors, another crack at the cherry. 


Theatre, film, TV—each demands a different energy. Do you approach acting differently on stage versus on screen?

I guess they all involve conserving energy. Filming is getting up at 5.30am, working until 7pm and then eating and getting enough rest to do that for anything up to 6 months. Theatre is all about building enough energy through the day for an evening performance, and then not getting too carried away with enjoying the nighttime after the show…Because the older I get the earlier I’m up!

Keeping in mind that you’ve worked with some of the most celebrated actors in the industry, what’s a moment that still sticks with you?

Working with Al Pacino on The Merchant of Venice. We were away on location in Italy and nearly every night after work he’d insist on us all having a sit-down meal in different restaurants. One night he even came clubbing with us younger actors, and seeing this absolute legend grooving to a heavy bass in a European nightclub was something I’ll never forget.

Have you ever been truly surprised by a plot twist in one of your own scripts?

Nothing that particularly springs to mind I have to say. Although I’ve had a fair few scripts through where you get to page 5 and it says ‘And then he dies’!… And you’re thinking, I’m actually quite insulted you thought I might want to play this role man…!!


If you could time-travel back in time, what advice would you give to your younger self?

That whatever it is you think is the right way to do it, is the right way to do it…
And stop smoking dude…

credits

talent KRIS MARSHALL
photographer DAVID REISS
stylist PRUE FISHER
grooming JOLANDA COETZER

full look RALPH LAUREN
socks FALKE
shoes SANDRO

---

also read
.aesthetic talk VIVIANE SASSEN *Light, Color, and Identity

suit + shirt FURSAC
boots SANDRO

“Getting the chance to revisit a character again on film is, if you’ll forgive the mixed metaphors, another crack at the cherry.”

Kris Marshall speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Digital SS25 - on Beyond Paradise

Deto Black - Interview

DETO BLACK
*Saves The Day

written + interview Hannah Rose Prendergast

In Deto Black’s educated opinion, sexy is a superpower. Outfitted in silver latex with an undergrad in social anthropology and a master's in global governance, she is a shining example of what it means to be multifarious.

headpiece ALIZEE QUITMAN
top ISSY BRIGHTMORE
thong POSTER GIRL
stockings ATSUKO KUDO
shoes CAROLIN HOLZHUBER

Sonically, her fate was sealed in 2020 with a hypnotic verse on Odunsi (The Engine)’s ‘Body Count. ’ In case you missed it, that number doesn’t matter to the chartered accountant. Aptly titled ‘Yung Everything, ’ Deto dropped her first EP the following year. Fashion-forward in all spheres, the “ass on his mind, foot on your neck” attitude will not quit. As a proud Naija Babe, setting us free from the evils of slut-shaming is incredibly close to her heart. Under the name Sex, Deto Black operates with her besties to make the world a wetter place.

“Sexy is a superpower.”

Deto Black speaks with Hannah Rose Prendergast
for LE MILE Magazine, Nr. 37, AGE OF CHANGE / 02/2024 Edition

ear cuff GREGORY KARA

Hannah Rose Prendergast
As a woman with two degrees, you have the peace of mind that there are no answers in life. Do you still have doubts about this? How do you maintain that wisdom?

Deto Black
I often overanalyze things, but knowing that fact gives me a bit of comfort. One of my favorite quotes is, “The man that knows something knows that he knows nothing at all,” by Erykah Badu.

Born in Delaware, your family home in Lagos, Nigeria, and living in London, you’ve formed your own culture. How has each place imprinted upon that?

Lagos will always be home in my heart. I grew up there, and it helped me develop self-confidence and thick skin. It was nice growing up around people who looked like me; that gave me a strong sense of self. Living in London opened my mind beyond Nigerian culture. I was able to experience other things, which also impacted my creativity. Summers and Christmas’s spent in the US inspired me to do things on a larger scale and taught me that the sky is the limit.

In Yoruba, your name Adetoun means “crown of my own” or “Princess. ” How do you think having that name helped you grow into it?

I never really knew the meaning of my name until I got older, but I definitely think names are manifestations. I can be a bit of a princess, but not the type that lives in a tower and gets saved. I’m more like the one who can defend herself and inspire people.

Not one to get stuck on labels, what made you embrace the term Nollypop?

It was one of my supporters on X. I posted a snippet of my song ‘Naija Babes’ and asked, what genre is this? There were a few responses, but Nollypop was the most fitting. I’ve always been really inspired by the Nigerian film industry, Nollywood. Back in the day, before I started music, I creatively directed a couple of my shoots with that aesthetic.

The video for Chi’s ‘Lizard People, ’ featuring you and Mowalola, dropped in spring. What makes this project so iconic, other than the obvious?

I love my girls. We create such iconic things together. The ‘Lizard People’ video definitely gives Death Proof vibes, which I love, and it really made an impact on the culture. Seeing three black girls depicted in that way is rare and just powerful. Chi, Mowa, and I have a band called Sex.
We wanted to create a girl group that supports women in the creative industry because we feel there aren’t enough of them. We make music, films, clothes, host parties, pretty much everything. It’s just a way to show that women can come together and create iconic things.

As an authority on female sexual empowerment, who do you think is missing from the conversation?

I think Nigerian women are missing from the conversation; very few of us speak on the subject or even want to associate with it. I find it ridiculous because Nigeria has the highest population in Africa, so let’s not kid ourselves.

Everyone’s fucking. Growing up in Lagos, sex was always such a secretive and demonized topic. I wish we had a safer space to discuss it. I think opening up that conversation will only make things better and, most importantly, safer for everyone.

Your mum has always been one of your biggest inspirations, a lawyer with a penchant for Louis Vuitton and Chanel who taught you that you could be anything and everything. How do you feel you’ve inspired her?

Aww, yes, I love my mom! She always tells me how proud of me she is. I feel like I inspire her to be even bolder and not care about the opinions of strangers. She has a completely different career, so it’s a bit different, but we are definitely very similar – my Aries Queen.

Fashion is your first love. What qualities (aesthetic and non) do you look for in clothing?

I think my taste changes over time, but I look for quality and uniqueness in everything. I want to look good but different and sexy, always sexy.

If you were a cartoon character, who would you be?

People always compare me and my friends to The Powerpuff Girls. Growing up, I felt like I was Bubbles, but now I’m a bit of Buttercup and Blossom because I’m the responsible but feisty one, allegedly.

I know you like to live in the present; what does the future hold?

I’m about to drop my second EP , which I am so excited about because I haven’t dropped one since 2021, so I’m really looking forward to it.

What was the last thing your gut told you?

Everything is working out in your favor.

sandals YING OU

“I can be a bit of a princess, but not the type that lives in a xtower and gets saved. I’m more like the one who can defend herself and inspire people.”

Deto Black speaks with Hannah Rose Prendergast
for LE MILE Magazine, Nr. 37, AGE OF CHANGE / 02/2024 Edition

production credits

talent DETO BLACK
creative + seen BRYAN TORRES
styled JADZIA SCOTT
producer ISABEL MARTÍNEZ-ZURITA
art direction PO TSUN LIN

make up CHELSEA UCHENNA
hair TAKUMI HORIWAKI
digital JEMMA HANSEN
light artists RENNATTO OLIVEIRA + ALEX JOSE
retoucher GUILLE SOTELO
nail artist CHAY
stylist assistants MARILENA ANGELIDES + YASMYN NTEGE
production assistant SOPHIE CHERRY

Thanks to TOO YOUNG TOO SIMPLE + GAS HIRE

Katinka Bock meets Nick Mauss at Espace Louis Vuitton Munich

Katinka Bock + Nick Mauss at Espace Louis Vuitton
*The Architecture of Resonance

written Alban E. Smajli

Espace Louis Vuitton München unveils RESONANCE, an incisive convergence of Katinka Bock's material meditations and Nick Mauss’s enigmatic visual narratives.

The exhibition crystallizes Fondation Louis Vuitton's ongoing mission of recontextualizing its collection, extending beyond its Paris epicenter into global territory. Katinka Bock shapes vulnerability into strength. Her sculptures, raw and exacting, manipulate elemental materials—clay, paper, stone, metal—each piece a quiet interrogation of balance and impermanence. The deliberate exposure of her work to natural processes results in forms saturated with the unpredictability of experience, echoing the human condition's nuanced complexities.

KATINKA BOCK
A AND I, 2013
Eiche, Bronze, Keramik, Stahl/Oak, bronze, ceramics, steel
180 x 55 x 80 cm
Courtesy of the artist and Fondation Louis Vuitton
Photo (c) Primae / Louis Bourjac

NICK MAUSS
DOUBLE MOTIF, 2016
9 Tafeln mit Hinterglasmalerei, Farbe/9 mirror panels, paint
221 x 160 cm
Courtesy of the artist and Fondation Louis Vuitton
Photo (c) Primae / Marc Domage

Nick Mauss articulates ambiguity. His practice dissolves distinctions between drawing, sculpture, performance, and text, producing works that are fragmented, ephemeral, and hauntingly precise. Layered transparencies, mirrored reflections, and delicate lines converge into compositions that resist static interpretation, continuously evolving as viewers interact with their spatial reality.

RESONANCE is a deliberate act of curation—two artists, distinct yet inherently aligned, exploring histories embedded in material and memory. Bock’s sculptures embody temporalities; each crack or fold a record of interaction between artist, environment, and time. Mauss reconfigures histories through intricate gestures, archival echoes transformed into immersive realities. The exhibition reframes historical narratives, stripping them from fixed contexts, releasing their latent energies into the gallery's architecture.

Experimental methodology defines RESONANCE. Bock’s materials—humble, potent, unpredictable—are elevated through her meticulous manipulation, becoming potent symbols of transformation and endurance. Mauss, meanwhile, perpetually reinvents his creative language, effortlessly transitioning between forms, mediums, and references, crafting immersive encounters that envelope viewers in reflective possibility.

The spatial dynamics of Espace Louis Vuitton München are integral to RESONANCE. Both Bock and Mauss actively harness and reshape architectural space, inviting their visitors into a choreography of movement and contemplation. The gallery becomes a resonant chamber, an activated stage for engagement, intimacy, and reflection.

KATINKA BOCK
ZARBA LONSA, POMPEI, 2015
Keramik, Stahl, Eisen/Ceramics, steel, iron
85 x 70 x 100 cm
Courtesy of the artist and Fondation Louis Vuitton

Fundamental to RESONANCE is Fondation Louis Vuitton’s commitment to disrupting the boundaries of contemporary art's accessibility. The exhibition is emblematic of the Foundation’s ethos—architecturally expressed through Frank Gehry’s iconic Paris structure and conceptually through global "Hors-les-murs" interventions. It underscores art's radical potential as a participatory and democratic force.

RESONANCE offers viewers an encounter with complexity distilled into form, materials eloquent in their silence, histories refracted through contemporary sensibilities. It is a provocation, an insistence on the vitality of dialogue within and beyond artistic boundaries.

RESONANCE runs from March 21 to September 6, 2025, at Espace Louis Vuitton München. Entry is open and complimentary.

(c) Katinka Bock & Nick Mauss
Espace Louis Vuitton Munich, 2025

KATINKA BOCK
ALASKA, 2014
Keramik, Holz, Stahl/Ceramics, wood, steel
426 x 198 x 142 cm
Courtesy of the artist and Fondation Louis Vuitton
Photo (c) Primae / Louis Bourjac

KATINKA BOCK
HORIZONT MIT LOT UND ZITRONE, 2011
Stahlstange, Filz, Holz, Plastikball, Zitrone, Stahldraht, Sand/Steel bar, felt, wood, plastic ball, lemon, steel wire, sand
250 x 600 x 10 cm
Courtesy of the artist and Fondation Louis Vuitton
Photo (c) Primae / Claude Germain

header image
NICK MAUSS, PROCESSION, 2017

15 Tafeln mit Hinterglasmalerei, verspiegelt / 15 panels with reverse glass painting, mirrored
159 x 365 cm
Courtesy of the artist and Fondation Louis Vuitton
Photo credits: (c) Primae / Marc Domage

Neil Zhao - Interview

.aesthetic talk
NEIL ZHAO
*The Material Alchemy

written + interview TAGEN DONOVAN

Neil is a designer redefining contemporary fashion with his sharp, conceptual approach to materiality and form. His work transcends traditional boundaries, transforming overlooked objects into thought-provoking statements that blur the lines between fashion, sculpture, and cultural commentary.

By challenging convention, Neil invites audiences to reconsider the value and potential of everyday materials, sparking a deeper reflection on the intersection of utility and aesthetics. At the core of Zhao’s work is an exploration of permanence and ephemerality—how garments, trends, and even the industry itself exist in a state of constant flux. His designs embrace the tension between the fleeting and the enduring, questioning what it means to create in a world where change is the only constant. This philosophy is embodied in Zhao’s acclaimed Tyre Bag, a piece constructed from industrial material and repurposed into a high-fashion object, subverting expectations and revealing the beauty in the mundane. Across his collections, Neil employs techniques such as layering, deconstruction, and exaggerated repetition, crafting garments that mirror the transient nature of contemporary culture.

Bastien Dausse
seen by Cécile Prunet / (c) Cécile Prunet

As the fashion industry navigates an era of profound socio-political, and environmental shifts, Neil stands among a new generation of designers reshaping its trajectory. His work responds to the moment yet resists easy categorisation—offering a perspective that is as inquisitive as it is uncompromising. By pushing the boundaries of materiality, Neil not only captures the spirit of the times but also challenges the industry to rethink its assumptions about creativity, consumption, and sustainability. In this interview, we explore Neil’s creative process, his evolving relationship with fashion, and what it means to design in an era defined by constant change. Through his innovative vision and commitment to reimagining the ordinary, Neil offers a fresh perspective on the future of design.

“For me, lasting means never settling for what is safe or what already works. Reinvention is key.”

Neil Zhao speaks with Tagen Donovan
for LE MILE .Digital - THE MATERIAL ALCHEMY

(c) Neil Zhao

(c) Neil Zhao

Tagen Donovan
Your use of the unexpected pushes the boundaries of what fashion can be. How do these choices speak to the theme of impermanence, and what do they reveal about the lifecycle and reinvention of everyday objects?

Neil Zhao
I'm captivated by the mundane and the present moment. My latest collection, showcased last November, reflects this fascination. Currently, as a second-year fashion design student, I'm fully immersing myself in this unique phase—observing my environment and drawing inspiration from it. This might be my only time as a fashion design student, and I aim to capture this transient experience.

Viewing fashion through an anthropological lens offers unique insights. How does this approach help you decode the cyclical nature of the industry?

At its core, fashion reflects human nature—people crave novelty, whether driven by seasonal trends or the pressures of capitalism. Yet, while fashion constantly reinvents itself, certain staples remain.

Blazers, jeans, and button-down shirts don’t disappear; instead, they evolve. Each cycle brings a fresh perspective—through cuts, fabrics, or styling—breathing new life into familiar silhouettes while maintaining their essential form.

With roots across Australia, China, and Norway, how has this multicultural backdrop shaped your perspective on cultural aesthetics?

I think my background has given me a sharper sensitivity to cultural nuances. Having lived in each of these countries for at least six years, I’ve become attuned to the subtle, often unspoken differences between them. It’s not just the obvious distinctions—like food, language, or greetings—but also the ways people from different places naturally respond to certain situations.

At the same time, I find it fascinating to observe the common threads that connect people across cultures. Despite their differences, there are shared instincts and behaviors that transcend borders, revealing an underlying universality in how we interact and relate to one another.

Your work is guided by conceptual underpinnings. In your 2023 RESET showcase at Central Saint Martins, you layered multiple jackets atop one another, creating a striking visual. How does this technique of superimposing reflect the transient meanings of contemporary fashion?

I’m fascinated by the fact that every time I walk into a mall, I see the same garments on the racks—again and again. There’s something compelling about that repetition, the way fashion continuously recreates the same pieces with only slight variations.

It’s intriguing how trends evolve, yet certain silhouettes, fabrics, and styles resurface in endless cycles, reinforcing the idea that fashion is in a constant state of reinvention rather than true transformation.

Your first presentation at Sarabande’s East London Space, If You Don’t Get It, It’s for You, reimagined pin cushions, buttons, and fabric swatches as garments. Could you elaborate on the symbolism behind this collection?

These are the tools of fashion—the things that all of us at my school share in common. Beyond that, we are very different. We come from different countries, subcultures, and ethnicities. We may dress differently, but we all share the same workspaces, hang out in the same smoking areas, go to the same bars, and talk to each other. This kind of community, where such a diverse group of people are brought together through a shared craft, is something you wouldn’t see anywhere else outside of a fashion school. And I find that really interesting.

Fashion often captures the spirit of its time. How does the zeitgeist inform your creative process, and how do you balance creating designs that feel relevant to the present while embracing their inevitable transience? In such a fast-paced industry, do you believe timelessness is still possible?

I’m deeply interested in what’s happening right now. However, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how the zeitgeist influences my practice—it's difficult to recognise when you’re living through it. That’s what I find exciting about it. I want to look back at my work and see that it was truly reflective of its time.

As for timelessness, I don’t really believe in it—at least not at this point in my career. Sometimes, it feels like the concept of timelessness is used as an excuse to create uninspired work. But who knows? Maybe one day I’ll want to create something timeless, too.

What does “lasting” mean to you in an industry defined by constant change?

For me, lasting means never settling for what is safe or what already works. Reinvention is key. I admire artists who completely depart from their previous work—sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but that’s what makes it interesting. The ability to take risks and keep evolving is what makes something truly lasting.

Lastly, what’s next for you? What are you excited to explore in 2025?

I want to reinvent myself—try something new. Of course, I’ll hold onto the things I love and stay true to myself, but I’m curious to see how I can use my sensibilities to create something that feels fresh and different.

Follow @kan_du_choke_meg_litt

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also read
.aesthetic talk STIJN KOKS *Fashion, Process, and the Power of Objects

(c) Neil Zhao

(c) Neil Zhao

“Sometimes, it feels like the concept of timelessness is used as an excuse to create uninspired work.”

Neil Zhao speaks with Tagen Donovan
for LE MILE .Digital - THE MATERIAL ALCHEMY

Spencer Carroll - Interview

.aesthetic talk
SPENCER CARROLL
*Chromatic Visions

written + interview TAGEN DONOVAN

Spencer Carroll is emerging as a distinctive voice in the fashion industry, capturing attention with a compelling blend of heritage and innovation.

A recent graduate of Central Saint Martins, Carroll’s work stands out for its seamless integration of traditional influences with modern, forward-thinking designs. Each garment not only showcases the designer’s technical skill but also reflects a unique ability to engage viewers through visual deception and a playful sense of nostalgia.

Alongside Carroll’s formative material experimentations, his early involvement with the sport of fencing played a crucial role in shaping his design ethos. The sport’s protective uniform introduced him to the concepts of structure and protection—elements that have become central themes in his design philosophy. This influence prompted a departure from conventional fashion boundaries, evolving each collection into complex constructions that challenge traditional perceptions of clothing. Carroll artfully balances vulnerability with strength, reflecting the protective and transformative aspects of fencing, which continue to permeate his practice, imbuing each piece with layers of meaning and complexity.

Spencer Carroll, atelier

“I tend to draw inspiration from my immediate surroundings. As for my philosophy, I believe it cannot be pinned down; it is an ever-evolving space.”

Spencer Carroll speak with Tagen Donovan
for LE MILE Issue N3. 37 - AGE OF CHANGE

Tagen Donovan
How would you describe your design philosophy?

Spencer Carroll
I tend to draw inspiration from my immediate surroundings. While maintaining a very optimistic outlook, which also informs my perspective. Altogether, these elements work together in guiding my exploration into contemporary and dynamic areas. And as a naturally curious person, I’m constantly observing and engaging with everything around me. As for my philosophy, I believe it cannot be pinned down; it is an ever-evolving space.

Can you walk through the process of developing your graduation collection from initial concept to final execution?

The concept was developed in response to specific art galleries and exhibitions. Viewing the works of Jeff Koons and John Chamberlain, and observing the craftsmanship required to create these metal structures, was truly inspirational. Further exhibitions showcased by Mika Rottenberg (’GRUPPENAUSSTELLUNG’ at Hauser & Wirth) and Senga Nengudi (DIA Foundation, Beacon) reinforced my connection to the colours, textures, and shapes that were evolving in my mind. It provided the visual confirmation that I needed to pursue the collection, merging art with fashion.
Once I had finalised my concept, I began designing the shapes. The initial stage of experimentation involved a long, playful period of absorbing all of the elements. In part, this approach led to a refinement process, ensuring that the collection was both wearable and desirable. Throughout the conceptualisation stage, it was key to keep the influence of art integrated, defining the shapes within the narrative.

Your collection aims to evoke a sense of playful nostalgia. How do you see this balance between past and present fitting into a broader narrative of cultural change and modern expression?

By drawing on nostalgia, it compels one to reflect and process ideas with a contemporary expression. Sometimes, you might not realise that you are referencing the past because you are working on it in the present; thus, all the modern elements naturally integrate into your narrative subconsciously.
Although the objects I create are physical, they often acquire a much larger presence in the digital realm. Similar to art, clothing is viewed through various media formats, and stories are shared on social media. Therefore, a digital presence is crucial to me as a designer. My collection translates well into the digital space, which is a modern expression that will continue to resonate.

What aspects of Koons' and Chamberlain's work resonated with you the most, and how did you reinterpret these elements to reflect the cultural metamorphosis we see in today's fashion landscape?

With both of these artists there is an alchemy at play. Chamberlain's sculptures, made from steel auto parts, turn something that was designed to be of use – that had a previous life – into powerful pieces of art. It is this transformation of auto parts into these beautifully and intricately constructed sculptures that is so compelling. The shape of his works influenced the silhouettes within my collection.
Koons’ work draws on pop iconography and advertising to create unique and highly desirable pieces of art. Seeing his colourful balloon sculptures in a bright white gallery, with all of the reflections of the gallery environment, was incredibly inspiring. They naturally felt fashionable to me, so it was an easy transition to incorporate their appeal into my collection. There is an optimism in Koon‘s work which I’ve always loved.

Drawing further inspiration from shiny objects, packaging, and digital brights found in newsagents and market stalls, how did you ensure that these everyday inspirations maintained a cohesive and elevated aesthetic in your collection?

These elements are very much a part of my childhood memory and provide an atmosphere that I wanted to incorporate into my collection. At first, I fully indulged in exploring these elements to an extreme via the methods of drawing and production of prototypes. As I began the process of gradually refining to a core essence, this latterly informed my final designs.
My initial experiments were not about clothing per se , but a more literal take on art and playfulness, using balloon shapes and forms wrapped around the body. I didn’t want that element to be filtered out. In essence, each outcome of the engineered prints were maintained with the refinement of the silhouettes.

The rigorous process of playfulness and experimentation gradually distilled into the final pieces, through colour and maintaining the integrity of the story.

In the spirit of radical creativity, how did you incorporate the idea of visual deception, seen in Koons' solid aluminium works, in your garments?

It was important to me to honour the visual deception evoked in Koons' work—the play of the illusion of metallic foil fabric giving the appearance of inflated parts – when the reality is that the fabric is not metallic and that the parts are not inflated. I liked the blend of the overall play on the theme of Koons' work into a fashion landscape.

Can you explain the techniques you used to create the illusion of inflated structures and metallic sheens, and how these methods represent a blend of innovation and traditional craftsmanship?

After I finalised the concept, I produced a high volume of photography to capture the light diffusion on the balloon's surface. Metallic balloons have a joyful appeal to me, and I knew the print needed to be strong. It took a lot of print and colour testing, alongside fabric selections to get the right finish. The digitally engineered prints involved copious experimentations and perfecting, in order to maintain the desired visual impact.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while creating this collection?

Maintaining the integrity and desire to fabricate them as if they are pieces of art was a constant focus for me in this collection. Also, blending this process with intricate garment detailing through precise pattern cutting was essential to the collection's success from its conception.

Each silhouette was carefully designed and draped. Ultimately, the real challenge was rooted within the engineering of the prints—ensuring believability through rigorous material trials, while integrating sculptural elements.

From your experience at CSM and your professional roles at AREA and Alexander Wang, what do you see as the biggest challenges for new designers entering the industry today?

CSM is an incredible environment to experiment – allowing space for challenging yourself and your perceived limitations. Similarly, my roles at AREA and Alexander Wang made sense of the reality of the industry. Fashion thrives on experimentation, and both brands encourage forward thinking and creative ideas. Overall, the challenges for new designers and production within the industry will be to embrace environmentally sound practices. I believe this may become apparent through the means of technology and innovation. Looking towards the future, I am confident that we will see change, as at the core of design is an intrinsic link to change.

Now that you’ve graduated, what’s next for you and your label?

My immediate plan is to work within the industry, perfect my craft, and learn the business. I am currently creating the 'Chromatic Inflation' made-to-order capsule collection. This made-to-order approach aligns perfectly with the brand’s ethos of creating truly dynamic garments and artworks. Looking more broadly to the future, I am also working towards exhibitions in London and New York. These exhibitions will continue my exploration of the materiality of fashion fabrication and contemporary art, allowing me to showcase my work to a broader audience. While continuing to develop new collections, each inspired by themes discovered by art and my immediate surroundings.

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also read
.aesthetic talk BASTIEN DAUSSE *Choreographing New Realities

Spencer Carroll, portraits

“By drawing on nostalgia, it compels one to reflect with a contemporary expression. A digital presence is crucial to me as a designer.”

Spencer Carroll speak with Tagen Donovan
for LE MILE Issue N3. 37 - AGE OF CHANGE

Visually inspired by the iconic inflated art of Jeff Koons and the welded metal sculptures of John Chamberlain, Carroll adeptly translates the gleaming, reflective qualities of these robust art forms into fashion. The paradoxes in these works—such as the illusion of inflated balloons in Koons’ solid aluminium sculptures—provide the conceptual foundation for Carroll’s latest collection. Each garment amplifies these contradictions, appearing both light and airy yet grounded in meticulous craftsmanship. This is achieved through Carroll’s innovative use of photographically engineered prints, which create the illusion of inflated structures within his garments. By combining high-resolution digital imagery with textile manipulation, he replicates the appearance of volumetric forms and metallic surfaces with remarkable precision.

Spencer Carroll stands out as a designer who deftly navigates the intersection of tradition and modernity, engaging profoundly with the ongoing dialogue between the past and the future. In an era marked by rapid transformation, Carroll’s approach to fashion is both a tribute to historical craftsmanship and a bold leap into contemporary innovation. His work, distinguished by a seamless blend of time-honoured techniques and forward-thinking principles, reflects the zeitgeist of an age characterised by significant cultural and technological shifts. Through his creations, Carroll not only mirrors current trends but also embeds his designs deeply in the narratives of change, defining a new chapter in the evolving story of fashion.

visuals (c) Spencer Carroll, 2024

Bullyache - Interview

.aesthetic talk
BULLYACHE
*Grit and Glamour

written + interview ALBAN E. SMAJLI

BULLYACHE crafts a visceral blend of working-class grit and queer defiance, a raw reflection of the world’s chaotic pulse.

Emerging from the intensity of sobriety and the tight-knit bond of collaboration, their art fuses mythology with the stark realities of contemporary life. Each performance is a live confrontation with anxiety, absurdity, and the relentless push to create meaning in a fractured world. Disrupting traditional spaces and narratives, BULLYACHE redefines what it means to connect through art, turning instinct into a powerful force that challenges and captivates.

Bullyache
seen by Will Hazel at Abbey Road Studios

“We make performance works in a world on fire, which feels a little absurd, but maybe that reflects a general dissociation and anxiety that's going on.”

Bullyache speak with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Issue N3. 37 - AGE OF CHANGE

(c) Will Hazel

(c) Will Hazel

Alban E. Smajli
BULLYACHE has been described as a pop-culture collision of working-class and queer expression. How does your art reflect the changing dynamics of society, particularly in terms of class and identity?

Bullyache
It reflects it in that we have elevator pitches like this that generalize who we are and make massive claims about what we do. Which isn’t all bad, it's a double-edged sword. There's more of an immediate relationship with someone who hears about the work but at the cost of subtlety and complexity.
We reflect a tiny subcategory of people, but we’re at least trying to do that in a way that feels good for us and the people we work with. If we’re good at that, then maybe it can reach out to wider groups of people. We make performance works in a world on fire, which feels a little absurd, but maybe that reflects a general dissociation and anxiety that's going on. Our end goal is that the work has a relationship to the viewer that blurs boundaries of feeling and definition. It's probably that act of blurring and anxiety that's most reflective.

Your work merges mythology with contemporary socio-political themes. In today's era of rapid change, how do you balance the preservation of cultural narratives with the need to innovate and disrupt?

We don't really care about any sort of preservation. I don't think it’s in our head to disrupt either. We’re trying to get at a feeling we have personally and we use what comes to us to get at that. Mythology can be tragic or kitsch or camp. It’s however the audience feels about it. Most disruption comes from failure.

BULLYACHE started during the pandemic as a manifestation of your friendship and sobriety. Can you share how these personal experiences influenced the birth of your artistic vision?

We couldn't do anything, then we got sober and filled the void with work, co-dependence with each other, and narrowing the vision we have. We spend every day together so we never really have to talk about what the vision is; it's a felt thing.

Your style has been likened to 'Pina Bausch cosplaying as Dua Lipa in Cradle of Filth makeup.' Can you tell us how these diverse influences shape your creative process and stage aesthetics?

We steal, take, reuse, resample, remake, reform until it becomes ours. We take inspiration from everything and nothing. It’s how to interpret our lives with the resources we have available, and ultimately everything just becomes a really practical decision. It's a gut instinct in response to what’s around us.

Congrats on being the first act to bring dance to Abbey Road since Kate Bush. How did it feel to perform in such an iconic space?

It’s a great space and a great team. They were fantastic and the skill level and resource was wild, but we don’t really put too much weight on legacy institutions. It’s incredible, all the people who have been there before, and it’s amazing to join that roster of artists so early on.

We got some homophobic comments on socials from that shoot which we didn’t expect, which was fun. Inviting all our collaborators to the space was super special.

Bullyache ́s performances are noted for their gazelle-like choreography and intense theatrics. How do you use movement and dance to enhance the storytelling aspect?

Movement and dance are the storytelling. You can communicate so much with a body by doing so little with it. If you create a narrative device for it, people will project their own images onto what they see.

Everyone can watch the same piece and have completely different takeaways, that's what we hope for. If there was an A to B thing we were getting at, we could put our energy into being on Twitter [now X].

How do you ensure that the stories of working-class and queer experiences are authentically represented and resonate with a broad audience?

We don’t know if they resonate or not. They should because they are ultimately about the attempts at success and failure that comes with being in the world. Hopefully, everyone can take something away from it.

If it doesn’t resonate, then that's fine. We’re also excited if people hate it. We know it’s not for them, and we’re doing something right. We’d rather concentrate on developing the channel of communication for who it does speak to.

Looking ahead, are there new themes or concepts you're ready to explore in the future?

Suicide and femcels, Luke Belmar, English cuckoldry.

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also read
.aesthetic talk BASTIEN DAUSSE *Choreographing New Realities

(c) Will Hazel

“We steal, take, reuse, resample, remake, reform until it becomes ours.”

Bullyache speak with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Issue N3. 37 - AGE OF CHANGE

Bastien Dausse - Interview

.aesthetic talk
BASTIEN DAUSSE
*Choreographing New Realities

written + interview SARAH ARENDTS

Bastien Dausse is redefining the laws of physics on stage, where gravity becomes just another element to manipulate. 

From his early days at the Bordeaux Circus School to co-founding Compagnie Barks, he has pursued a relentless fascination with weightlessness and the surreal. His performances challenge our perceptions, blurring the lines between reality and illusion, and inviting audiences into a space where the impossible feels within reach. Dausse’s vision keeps expanding, crafting performances that provoke deeper thought and leave audiences with a lingering sense of curiosity and wonder.

Bastien Dausse
seen by Cécile Prunet / (c) Cécile Prunet

“My fascination with weightlessness stems from a childhood dream of defying the physical limitations imposed by gravity.”

Bastien Dausse speaks with Sarah Arendts
for LE MILE Issue N3. 37 - AGE OF CHANGE

(c) Marc Lahore

Sarah Arendts
Your work often defies gravity and challenges conventional physics. What inspired your fascination with weightlessness, and how do you envision this theme evolving in your future performances?

Bastien Dausse
My fascination with weightlessness stems from a childhood dream of defying the physical limitations imposed by gravity. Watching martial arts films and seeing characters perform seemingly impossible feats ignited a desire in me to explore and push those boundaries. This theme of defying gravity has always been a central element in my work, representing both a physical and metaphorical escape. It's a research theme I'm particularly interested in at the moment because I feel there's a kind of universality to it—the universality of the relationship with gravity. I enjoy the thought that the audience can relate to what I present on stage.

For the future, I have quite a few ideas where weightlessness is no longer central. Instead, I will concentrate more on the design and reflection of new types of scenography and choreography. Even if I think that gravity will always underlie my work.

"Moon" features a series of anti-gravity devices. Can you walk us through the creative process of designing these devices?

The creative process for designing the anti-gravity devices in "Moon" began with the idea of a specific motion or sensation I wanted to achieve, such as simulating lunar gravity or walking on a wall. From there, I engaged in extensive experimentation and research, often working empirically to find the most effective solutions. This involved numerous trials, modifications, and sometimes completely reimagining the devices. The design process is iterative, requiring patience and a willingness to learn from each failure. Once the devices were perfected, the choreographic work could begin. I then spend several weeks working on a new acrobatic and choreographic vocabulary specific to each object I design.


Your performances often play with the audience's perception of space and reality. How do you approach the psychological aspects of your work, and what unexpected reactions from your audience have left a lasting impression on you?

The psychological aspect of my work comes quite naturally into my creative process. It's like a continuation of my approach. I strive to create experiences that challenge the audience's perceptions and invite them to see the world from a different perspective. I always get a lot of feedback from the audience after my shows, as if there was a need to share an experience, and that gives me great pleasure. Recently, several people have told me that they felt as if they were dreaming while awake, like a breath in their daily lives, and that my work had a calming effect. It really touched me that my work could touch people on an emotional level.

From your training at the Bordeaux Circus School to co-founding Compagnie Barks, how has this personal odyssey sculpted your artistic vision, and what core messages are you driven to communicate through your work?

I think that my training in Acro-dance at the Bordeaux Circus School, then at the Fratellini Circus School in Paris, laid the foundation for my artistic vision by providing a comprehensive education in circus and choreographic arts, emphasizing both technical skill and creative expression.

I'm also keen to see different kinds of shows and exhibitions regularly to keep my curiosity alive. Co-founding Compagnie Barks with François Lemoine allowed me to further explore and refine my artistic ideas in a friendly and collaborative environment.

In these times of profound societal change, how do you see your work not just reflecting but actively contributing to the transformations happening around us?

I see my work as a moment of escape from harshness and, I hope, as a way of provoking thought and encouraging people to envision new possibilities. Perhaps it inspires a form of lightness, a need to see the world more playfully, and to find creativity in everyday life.

Your performances transform and breathe new life into familiar spaces. How crucial is the environmental context to your work?

Each performance space offers unique challenges and opportunities, influencing how I design and execute my work. By adapting to and transforming familiar spaces, I aim to create a dialogue between the performance and its surroundings, encouraging the audience to see both the space and the performance in a new light. I like to be not just a performance that fits into a place, but one that fits with the place.

You’ve often highlighted the role of failure in sparking innovation. Can you share a specific moment when a misstep or unexpected challenge led to a breakthrough in your creative process?

One memorable moment of failure that led to a breakthrough was during the development of an anti-gravity device. An early prototype failed to provide the desired effect, leading to frustration and a sense of setback. However, this failure forced me to rethink my approach and explore alternative solutions. This process of trial and error ultimately led to a more innovative and effective design, demonstrating that failure can be a powerful catalyst for creativity and progress.

Your work consistently redefines the boundaries of contemporary performance art. As you peer into the future, what radical vision or wild ambition drives you, and how do you see your legacy disrupting and reshaping the artscape?

I feel I've barely scratched the surface of the subject at the moment. I have the impression that there are still an infinite number of possibilities and ways of developing my subject, perhaps by using new materials and new technologies. But also by creating more immersive experiences and involving spectators even more in the sensation I want to communicate. 

I hope that my work will open up the field of possibilities for other circus and choreographic artists, inspiring them to take an even greater interest in objects and design to enhance their relationship with the body and performance. In the same way that so many visual, choreographic, photographic, and circus artists have inspired me and shown me that it's possible to create differently.

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also read
.aesthetic talk STIJN KOKS *Fashion, Process, and the Power of Objects

Table et chaises, Bastien Dausse
seen by Marc Lahore

“Recently, several people told me they felt as if they were dreaming while awake, like a breath in their daily lives.”

Bastien Dausse speaks with Sarah Arendts
for LE MILE Issue N3. 37 - AGE OF CHANGE

Stijn Koks - Interview

.aesthetic talk
STIJN KOKS
*Fashion, Process, and the Power of Objects

written + interview SARAH ARENDTS

Stijn Koks builds worlds. Objects hold weight, fabric carries memory, silhouettes tell untold stories.

His work moves through instinct, shaped by process rather than control. Knights of Nostalgia extends this language—sci-fi headpieces, repurposed textures, the raw and the unreal. Film becomes a pulse, turning garments into atmospheres. Koks reworks discarded pieces, not to recycle, but to shift meaning. In this interview, he speaks about movement, material, and the tension between impulse and precision.

watch KNIGHTS OF NOSTALGIA

“It’s a childlike imagination. Playful, but with depth. Irony never outweighs sincerity.”

Stijn Koks speaks with Sarah Arendts
for LE MILE .Digital

Sarah Arendts
Your designs feel like relics of a past that never existed—surreal and nostalgic. Is your work about rewriting childhood or weaponizing it?

Stijn Koks
Weaponizing it. Reclaiming its imagination, but with a mature edge. It's about tapping into the raw, unfiltered emotions of that time—when everything was heightened, strange, and full of possibility—and turning them into something more potent, even unsettling. Harnessing childhood elements is not just a sweet reminder of the past, but a tool for imagining the future.

"Knights of Nostalgia" feels like a playground for the imagination. What’s the first thing you built when the idea hit you, and what did you destroy along the way?

I started with sci-fi-inspired headpieces, repurposing old cowhides and jeans—blending raw with refined. The goal was to create something that felt both nostalgic and futuristic? ‘Vintage sci-fi’ might be the best way to put it. I relied heavily on intuition throughout this collection, which sometimes led me to ideas that will never see the light of day. Still, I already have a million things I’d do differently next time, but I wouldn’t have reached that realization without going through this first. Because the process was so instinctive, editing became a constant push and pull—stripping things until the collection as a whole felt right (for now).


Fashion is often called armor, but your pieces feel more like portals. Are you dressing people to escape or confront the world?

I’d say confront, I don’t think there is much happiness in escaping. If I could spark a little imagination, that’d be great. It’s about navigating the complexities of the world, not running from them. There’s strength in facing the chaos head-on, and wearing something that makes you feel invincible. These pieces are tools for transformation, not retreat—focusing on things we can engage with, rather than escape from.

Walter van Beirendonck and Henrik Vibskov are both titans of the absurd. What lessons from their studios have you carried into your own chaos?

Mainly, the pace. At that level, creativity isn’t just about ideas—it’s intertwined with the business side of fashion. In art school, there’s endless room for absurdity, but in the industry, that space shrinks. Yet, they both find a way to make it work regardless. What intrigues me is the constant tension between artistic integrity and commercial viability. If you lean too much into what sells, you risk diluting your authenticity.

They were careful to preserve that balance. It reminds me of that Henry Ford quote: “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” I have zero interest in cars but that quote is cool.

Which designer or brand feels like a kindred spirit to your vision?

It shifts all the time but currently I like ERL. They have a nice, nostalgic, playful feel.

Your work demands a kind of physical interaction—it’s loud and textured. Do you think fashion in the metaverse can ever match the tactility of the real?

No. I’m currently in the middle of creating a large installation for my upcoming show, working with wooden branches and metal elements—letting the process take the lead. It’s all about problem-solving in real time, finding ways to connect and shape different materials as I go. I start with a general idea, but the execution is always shaped by the process itself. The same applies to my garments—the concept evolves as I dive deeper into creation. Along the way, you discover better ways to bring an idea to life, and materials often behave in unexpected ways. That kind of tactility simply doesn’t translate to the digital world. Sure, it’s fun to customize your metaverse avatar, but isn’t it cooler to be the actual avatar in real life?

Recycling, repurposing, rebuilding—your process feels part alchemy, part storytelling. Do you see discarded objects as ghosts waiting to be reanimated?

Absolutely. That’s where the idea of readymades comes in—transforming everyday objects, often discarded or overlooked, into something more profound just by shifting their context. A broken chair or a chandelier, for example, both hold certain references and could become vessels for something new—or something funny and unexpected, triggering a fresh perspective. That said, not everything carries that kind of value. Some things are just trash.

The film for "Knights of Nostalgia" is pure fantasy, but it’s also a manifesto. How do you use moving images to expand the language of your line?

The film for Knights of Nostalgia is almost the soul of the collection—like a visual pulse that injects life into the narrative. Moving images allow me to create an atmosphere that transcends static imagery or theusual fashion show format. Through film, the viewer can engage with the collection on a deeper, more visceral level. Fashion is fundamentally storytelling, but film gives that story a fluidity—it’s where fantasy and reality blend, and I get to play with those boundaries. It’s the ideal medium to expand the collection’s universe, capturing not just the look, but the mood, the atmosphere, and the symbolism. The movement, the soundtrack, the pacing—all contribute to turn the collection from something you wear into something you feel. Shoutout to the team for bringing this attitude to life.

There’s something wildly anarchic about pulling childhood toys into adult wardrobes. Are you reclaiming innocence, or are you throwing it into the fire?

I could never part ways with my action figure collection. Showing them off feels right, almost like paying tribute to a part of myself that shaped who I am today. I don’t think you ever truly outgrow your toys; they’re woven into the foundation of who you’ve become. The toys you played with as a kid reveal a lot about your personality, your interests, your imagination. So, why not embrace that? Incorporating them into adult life feels less like clinging to innocence and more like honoring the things that made you, you.

How do you stop irony from swallowing sincerity?

I’m always trying to strike a balance between kitsch, a bit of wittiness, and a level of maturity. I’m not interested in childishness, but rather in a childlike sense of imagination—something playful without losing depth. Back in art school, I was constantly experimenting, mocking certain aesthetics while exaggerating others, trying to find that sweet spot. It’s a careful process of navigating irony without letting it overpower the sincerity I want to preserve. So, I’d say it’s a fine line that I continue to explore.

Since your silhouettes blur edges and identities, breaking free from binaries, does gender even exist in your design vocabulary?

So, if I’m a rabbit walking into a local giraffe store, and I find this knitted balaclava made for zebras—it has two holes for ears, two for eyes. I have four legs, so it suits me as an oversized Raf Simons sweater. I’m walking out of the store with the zebra balaclava. I guess, as a designer, all I’m doing is giving suggestions based on how I feel at the time. A particular casting doesn’t exclude any other wearers—someone else might pull off the look even better. I can only encourage that.

What’s the last fashion show or collection that stopped you in your tracks, and why did it feel so electric?

I’m afraid I’m stating the obvious, but Maison Margiela’s Artisanal 2024 show was absolutely mental. Storytelling at its finest, and truly beautiful.

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also read
.aesthetic talk VIVIANE SASSEN *Light, Color, and Identity

STIJN KOKS
Portrait

“There’s no happiness in escape. Strength comes from facing the chaos head-on. They’re tools for transformation.”

Stijn Koks speaks with Sarah Arendts
for LE MILE .Digital

credits
director JEROEN KOOISTRA
creative director STIJN KOKS
production company UNDERSCORE
producer WILLEM BEELAERTS VAN BLOKLAND
D.O.P. BOYD BAKEMA
1st AC TOM SELBECK
steadicam JARON JOOSTEN
gaffer BORIS PETERS
bestboy LENNERT ROIJACKERS
edit STAN VRIEND
grading BOYD BAKEMA
music TOM BRUINS
music mastering TIJMEN VAN STEKELENBURG

models
CARLOS KOK + MEGAN IRUSTA CORNET + KRISTJÁN STEINN KRISTJÁNSSON + COOSJE FROENTJES
styling assistant SOPHIE KOKS
production assistant JADE KLOET
all lookbook images seen by JELLE KOITER