ELFS meet Zoe Leggings by Mario Vukelić

Beanie by ELFS
Leggings by Zoe Leggings
Photo Mario Vukelić

Je li ljepota zaista estetska kategorija?

„Ljepota je dio povijesti idealizacije koja je sama dio povijesti utjehe. Ali ljepota možda neće uvijek utješiti. Ljepota lica i tijela muči, pokorava; ljepota je bahata. Ljepota koja je ljudska i ljepota koja je stvorena (umjetnost) – obje pobuđuju fantaziju o posjedovanju. Naš model ravnodušnosti dolazi od ljepote prirode – prirode koja je rezervirana, nadsvođujuća, koju je nemoguće posjedovati„ - rekla je Susan Sontag.

Sontag je tako bar donekle definirala pojam koji nastojimo dešifrirati već stoljećima, no postoji li zaista konkretan odgovor na pitanje štoljepota jest?

Iako mit o ljepoti u nekoj formi postoji od kad postoji patrijarhat, u svojoj je modernoj formi izum koji je relativno nedavno izmišljen. Svoj je procvat doživio u doba industrijske revolucije. Sasvim logično, prije razvitka tehnologija i masovne produkcije sadržaja kao što je fotografija, obična žena bila je rijetko izložena prikazima ljepote izvan Crkve. Budući da je obitelj bila produktivna jedinica, a ženski je rad nadopunjavao muški, vrijednost žena koje nisu bile aristokratkinje ili prostitutke, ležala je isključivo u njihovim radnim sposobnostima, ekonomskoj snalažljivosti, fizičkoj snazi i plodnosti. Fizička privlačnost je tako igrala ulogu za obične žene na tržištu braka, ali ljepota kakvom je mi razumijemo nije.

Nakon industrijalizacije obitelji kao radna jedinica biva uništena, a i sama veličina obitelji se smanjuje. Ovi promijenjeni obiteljski uvjeti, uz urbanizaciju, povećan tvornički sistem i bolji standard života stvaraju sasvim odvojenu sferu kućanstva, sferu čiji je primiran cilj ugoda. U skladu s tim, razvila se nova klasa pismene, aktivne žene o čijoj je submisiji ili bolje rečeno konzumerizmu kapitalizam ovisio.

Stvar se zahuktala 50- ih. Nakon Drugog svjetskog rata i potrage za novim tržištima došlo je do redefiniranje ženske ljepote pa je žena po novom modelu morala biti vječno mlada, lijepa i vitka. Kako bi prodali svoje proizvode, oglašivači su kod novih potencijalnih kupaca morali umjetno izazvati nezadovoljstvo i potrebu za nečim. Tako im je bilo lakše prodati proizvod koji bi kupcima trebao „pomoći“ da ponovno budu „sretniji“. A gdje pronaći bolju nišu za zaradu nego u industriji ljepote. Ljepota je ionako, kako to je to objasnila Susan Sontag, dio povijesti idealizacije koja je sama dio povijesti utjehe.

Ideju ljepote pobliže opisuje i Naomi Wolf koja je najpoznatija po svojoj knjizi „Mit o ljepoti“ („The Beauty Myth“) iz 1991. U predgovoru drugog izdanja iz 2002. navodi kako su uz neke od reakcije na prvo izdanje išle u smjeru Platonovog Simpozija, poznatog dijaloga na temu vječnih i nepromjenjivih ideala, u vidu rečenica poput: "Žene su ionako oduvijek patile zbog ljepote!" Spisateljica ističe kako je zanimljivo da nikom nije bilo jasno da ideali ljepote nisu pali s neba, nego da su došli od nekud i kako su tu da služe svrsi. Ta je svrha, objašnjava Wolf prvenstveno financijska, kako bi se povećao profit oglašivača čiji dolari koji dolaze od reklama dovode do toga da mediji zauzvrat kreiraju ideale. Dodaje kako je u pozadini i politička svrha. Što su žene postajale snažnije politički, to su ideali ljepote postajali teži za dostignuti, uglavnom kako bi im oduzeli energiju i usporili njegov napredak.

"Mit o ljepoti priča ovu priču: Kvaliteta pod imenom "ljepota" postoji objektivno i univerzalno. Žene moraju željeti utjeloviti tu kvalitetu, a muškarci moraju željeti posjedovati žene koje utjelovljuju taj ideal. Ovo je utjelovljenje imperativ za žene, a ne za muškarce, isto je opravdano i prirodno jer to tako biološki, seksualno i evolucijski: Snažni se muškarci bore za lijepe žene , a lijepe žene su reproduktivno uspješnije. Ženska ljepota mora biti u korelaciji s njihovom fertilnošću, a budući da je sistem baziran na na seksualnoj selekciji, to je neizbježno i nepromjenjivo", objašnjava Wolf.

Ništa od ovog nije istina. "Ljepota" je valutni sistempoput zlata. Kao svaka ekonomska jedinica, određena je politikom, a u modernim je vremenima na Zapadu postala sistem vjerovanjakoji osigurava mušku dominaciju netaknutom. Kroz pripisivanje vrijednosti ženama u vidu vertikalne hijerarhije, vodeći se kulturalno nametnutim fizičkim standardima, to je ekspresija odnosa moći u kojoj se žene moraju neprirodno natjecati za resurse koji su muškarci zauzeli za sebe. "Ljepota" isto tako nije univerzalna i nepromjenjiva. Primjerice, Zapad tvrdi da svi ideali ženske ljepote proizlaze iz Platonovog ideala žene, dok se Maori pak dive golemoj vulvi, a pleme Padug velikim grudima. Niti je "ljepota" funkcija evolucije: Njeni se ideali mijenjaju puno bržim tempom nego što je to evolucija vrsta. I Charles Darwin je sam bio neuvjeren vlastitim objašnjenjem da je "ljepota "rezultat seksualne selekcije koja je devijacija od pravila prirodne selekcije. Antropologija je opovrgnula misao da žene moraju biti lijepe kako bi bile odabrane da bi se parile...Niti je to nešto što samo žene rade, a muškarci gledaju: među Nigerijskim plemenom Woodabe, žene imaju ekonomsku moć, a pleme je opsjednuto muškom ljepotom, muškarci iz ovog plemena provedu sate u detaljnim make up seansama te se natječu provokativno naslikani uz ples, pritom koristeći zavodničke izraze lica u izborima za ljepotu u kojima su suci žene.

Wolf izvodi zaključak kako mit o ljepoti, nema povijesno i biološko opravdanje. Ona postavlja pitanje: Ako mit o ljepoti nije baziran na evoluciji, spolu, rodu, estetici ili Bogu, na čemu je onda baziran? Taj isti mit tvrdi da se u njemu radi o intimnosti, seksu, životu i slavljenju žene. Onda daje odgovor i kaže: Zapravo je sastavljen od emocionalne distance, politike, financija i seksualne represije. U mitu o ljepoti nije uopće riječ o ženama. Riječ je o muškim institucijama i institucionalnoj moći. Kvalitete koje određeni period naziva ljepotom u ženama su samo simboli ženskog ponašanja koje taj period smatra poželjnima. Kod mita o ljepoti se uvijek zapravo radi o propisivanju ponašanja, a ne izgleda.

photos by Viktor Shalom, Instagram and Pinterest

text by Iva Hanzen

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Is beauty really an aesthetic category?

"Beauty is part of the history of idealization that is itself part of the history of consolation. But beauty may not always console. Beauty of face and body tortures, obeys; Beauty is arrogant. Beauty of the human and beauty that is created (art) - both excite the fantasy of possession. Our model of indifference comes from beauty of the nature - the nature which is reserved, arching, which is impossible to own " - said Susan Sontag.

Sontag at least partially defined the notion that we are trying to decipher for centuries, but is there really a concrete answer to the question of what beauty is?

Although beauty myth in some form exists since patriarchy, in its modern form is an invention that was invented relatively recently. It reached its peak in the era of the Industrial Revolution. Logically, before the development of technology and mass production of content such as photography, ordinary woman was rarely exposed to images of beauty outside the Church. Because the family was a productive unit, and women's work complemented the male's, the value of women who were not prostitutes or aristocrat, lay solely in their capacity for work, economic resourcefulness, physical strength and fertility. Physical attractiveness played the role for ordinary women in the marriage market, but beauty how we understand it today didn't.

After the industrialization, family as a work unit was destroyed, and it also decreased in size. These changed conditions of families, along with urbanization, increased factory system and better standard of living created a completely separate sphere of the household, the sphere whose uncompressed goal was pleasure. Accordingly, we developed a new class of literate, active women whose submission or should we say consumerism capitalism depended on.

The thing heated up in the 50s. After the World War II and search for new markets, there has been a redefinition of female beauty and a woman according to the new model had to be eternally young, beautiful and slim. In order to sell their products, advertisers had to artificially provoke dissatisfaction and the need for something with new potential buyers. It was easier that way for them to sell products to customers which were supposed to "help" the customers to be "happier". And where better to find a niche for making money than in the beauty industry. Beauty is anyway, as it was explained by Susan Sontag, part of the history of idealization that is itself part of the history of consolation.

The idea of beauty was also closely described by Naomi Wolf, who is best known for her book "The Beauty Myth" from 1991. In the preface to the second edition from 2002. she states that some of the reaction to the first edition went in the direction of Plato's Symposium, the famous dialogue on the eternal and immutable ideals, in the form of sentences like: "Women have always suffered because of beauty anyway!" The writer points out that it is interesting that no one realised that the ideals of beauty have not fallen from the sky, but that they came from somewhere and that are there to serve a purpose. The purpose, explains Wolf is primarily financial, to increase profits of the advertisers whose dollars which come from advertising have led the media to cerate the beauty ideals in return. She adds that in the background there is also a political purpose. As women were becoming more powerful politically, the ideals of beauty became more difficult to achieve, mainly so their energy could be weaken and their progress slowed down.

"Beauty myth tells this story: The quality called 'beauty' exists objectively and universally. Women must want to embody this quality, and men must want to possess women who embody this ideal. This embodiment is an imperative for women and not for men, the same is legitimate and natural for it is so biologically, sexually and evolutionary: Strong men battle for beautiful women, and beautiful women are reproductively successful. Female beauty must be correlated with their fertility, and since the system is based on the sexual selection, it is inevitable and unchangeable, "explains Wolf.

None of that is true. "Beauty" is an exchange system, such as gold. As each economic unit, it is determined by politics, and in modern times in the West it became a belief system that ensures male dominance intact. Through the attribution of value to women in the form of a vertical hierarchy, led by culturally imposed physical standards, it is the expression of power relations in which women must unnaturally compete for resources that are occupied by men for themselves. "Beauty" is also not universal and unchanging. For example, the West maintains the notion that all the ideals of feminine beauty derive from Plato's ideal of women, while the Maori admire enormous vulva, and tribe Padug large breasts. Nor has "beauty" any evolution function: Its ideals are changing much faster than evolution of species. And Charles Darwin himself was unconvinced with his own explanation that "beauty" is the result of sexual selection, which is a deviation from the rules of natural selection. Anthropology has refuted the idea that women must be beautiful in order to be selected to be mated ... Nor is it something that only women do, while men watch: in the Nigerian tribe Woodabe, women have economic power, and the tribe is obsessed with the male beauty, Men from this tribe spend hours in the detailed make-up sessions and compete provocatively painted while they dance, at the same time using sexy expressions in the beauty elections in which judges are women.

Wolf concludes how there is no historical and biological justification in beauty myth. She raises the question: If the beauty myth is not based on evolution, sex, gender, aesthetics, or God, what is it based on then? This same myth claims that it is about intimacy, sex, life and celebration of women. Then she gives the answer and says: It's actually made up of emotional distance, politics, finance, and sexual repression. In the beauty myth there is not even a word about women. It is about male institutions and institutional power. Qualities that a certain period calls the beauty in women are only symbols of female behavior that this period consideres desirable. eauty myth is always really about prescribing behavior, not appearance.

photos by Viktor Shalom, Instagram and Pinterest

text by Iva Hanzen

Tko je Lana Biželj i što znači biti žena?

Tko je Lana Biželj?

Lakše bi mi bilo odgovoriti na bilo što drugo nego na ovo :)

Lana Biželj je samostalna mlada žena, koja na van djeluje jako samouvjereno i čvrsto, a zapravo je dosta nesigurna i jako osjećajna. Lana Biželj je borac protiv nepravde bez dlake na jeziku s velikim ambicijama za svoj život. Ona je novinarka, studentica, strastvena obožavateljica mode i žustrih rasprava o životu. 

Top 3 žene koje će te inspirirati do kraja života?

Prije svih, koliko god patetično zvučalo, iskreno to mislim - moja mama. Žena koja je prošla toliko oluja u životu, kako god da je bila raspoložena, uvijek je bila prepuna ljubavi i pažnje za sve. Žena koja je raširenih ruku davala drugima, bila je najbolji prijatelj, osoba za razgovor i rame za plakanje. Naučila me da dajem ljubav 200%, makar kasnije i patila, barem ću je doživjeti kako treba. Druga, Waris Dirie, ona je somalijski model i veleposlanica UN-a za borbu protiv genitalnog sakaćenja žena. Napisala je predivnu, emotivnu i strašnu biografiju 'Pustinjski cvijet', osakatili su je s njenih 5 godina, a kada je napunila 13, roditelji su je željeli udati za čovjeka iz dobrostojeće obitelji s kojim je imala dogovoreni brak. Pobjegla je u London, ali tu nije bio kraj njezinim borbama. Žena koja je danas uspješni model, veleposlanica UN-a, s obitelji i toliko proživljenih trauma u životu, da jedna knjiga nije ni dovoljna. Ona je dokaz da se sve može preživjeti i da nas sve prepreke koje nam dođu u životu, mogu samo ojačati za dalje. Sve je samo u glavi, kojim putem ćeš krenuti nakon što padneš. Nažalost, još uvijek toliko malo ljudi zna za nju. I treća, Ellen Degeneres, ne treba puno reći o njoj. Žena se proslavila ulogom komičara, usrećivala je ljude i na kraju tu slavu danas upotrebljava kako bi pomagala drugima. Prva javna ličnost koja je tek 90 i neke javno istupila i deklarirala se kao gay. Hrabra, divna, osjećajna, snažna žena.

Što za tebe znači biti žena?

Uh, nisam mislila da će mi ovo pitanje zahtijevati toliko razmišljanja. Biti žena znači biti neovisna, samostalna, izgraditi sama svoj život, postaviti karijeru na noge, osigurati se, ne dopustiti da ju pokolebaju kritike i komentari primitivnog društva, biti žena znači biti jaka, ne mora čak biti niti sigurna, malo nas je sigurnih u sebe, ali žena je ona koja je dovoljno veliki borac da preživi sve što joj se nađe na putu. Biti brižna, biti erotična, uživati u sebi i svom tijelu, raditi na sebi, raditi na tome da se osjeća dobro u svojoj koži, biti svoja, biti žena znači istupiti iz svoje komforne zone i izboriti se za sebe, dići glas, jer ipak, uvijek ćemo se osjećati bolje ako napravimo nešto same za sebe, sposobne smo za to. Sposobne smo za sve.

Savjet koji bi dala 16-godišnjoj sebi?

Sad, kad se vratim tih 8 godina unatrag, rekla bih si ono što sam čak i tada, duboko u sebi znala, zapravo, ne bih ništa mijenjala. Možda bih si rekla, da sve prođe, nemoj žaliti ni za čim, nemoj izgarati od želje da promijeniš barem nešto, samo da ona ostane tu, upravo zato što ti je mama sad umrla, izgradit ćeš se u snažnu ženu koja će moći preživjeti sve. I kada se osjećaš najgore na svijetu, kada si u najdubljoj crnoj rupi, i tamo nešto naučiš, sve ispadne baš onako kako treba, sve se događa s razlogom. Koliko god da te sada kida na tisuću komadića sve što se događa, smirit će se, nijedan tornado ne traje vječno i tako je uvijek, i uvijek će biti. Rekla bih si i da nemam razloga biti nesigurna, da budem bitna sama sebi, da volim sebe, da nemam razloga hvatati se za slamke koje mi se nude, jer, zaslužujem više od toga. Zaslužujem upravo sve ono što i mogu dati.

Kako uz malo para stvoriti savršen stil?

Uh, napokon lakše pitanje.  :)

Hm, u principu nemam neki poseban trik. Svako malo nađem u ormaru nešto na što sam zaboravila, bilo u maminom, tatinom ili u svom. Buvljaci, second hand shopovi, rasprodaje, a napokon sam počela shvaćati i da mi se više isplati uložiti u neki dobar basic komad pa ga imati duže i nadograđivati ga detaljima. Dobar trik su basic komadi, a uz njih, boje za tkaninu i škare. Čovjek bi se iznenadio koliko dobre stvari može dobiti uz pomoć DIY projekata, sva sreća, Internet je rudnik takvih projekata pa to danas nije problem.

Kod mene su definitivno zaštitni znak šeširi i kape, to vjerujem da digne baš svaki styling. Bitno je da znamo prepoznati ono što nam stoji, u čemu se osjećamo ugodno i to je to. Ja sam zaista prošla svakakvih faza i stilova, i trenutno ga isto ne bi mogla dugoročno definirati, ali rekla bi da odjeća koju ja nosim, na svoj način, barem sada, zna ispričati moju priču.

photo: Tea Teuta Dalić 

model: Lana Biželj

interview, stylist, location scout: Iva Hanzen

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                            Who is Lana Biželj and what does it mean to be a woman?

Who is Lana Biželj?

I would respond easier to anything other than this. Lana is independent young woman who looks very confident and strong, but in fact is quite uncertain and very sensitive. Lana is outspoken fighter against injustice with great ambitions for her life. She is a journalist, a student, a passionate fan of fashion and hot discussions about life.

Top 3 women that will inspire you for the rest of your life?

First of all, no matter how pathetic it may sound, I sincerely mean it - my mom. A woman who has gone through so many storms in her life, no matter what mood she was in, she was always full of love and care for all. The woman who gave others love with open arms, she was my best friend, person to talk to and a shoulder to cry on. She taught me to give love 200%, though later I would suffere, at least I'll experience it the right way. Second, Waris Dirie, she is a Somali model and ambassador of the UN againsts female genital mutilation. She wrote a beautiful, emotional and terrifying biography 'Desert Flower', she was mutilated at the age of 5, and when she was 13, her parents had wanted to marry her for a man from a wealthy family with whom she had an arranged marriage. She fled to London, but it did not end her struggles. A woman who is now a successful model, an Ambassador of the United Nations, with family and with so much trauma behind her that one book is not enough. She is a proof that you can survive everythig, and that all the obstacles can only strengthen us. It's all in your head, which way are you going to go after you fall. Unfortunately, still so few people know about her. And third, Ellen Degeneres, about whom I don't need much to say. The woman made her name as a comedian, made people happy and at the end used her fame to help others. Also the first public figure who declared herself as gay in the 90s. A brave, beautiful, sensitive, strong woman.

What does it mean to be a woman for you?

Uh, I didn't think that this question will require so much thinking. Being a woman means to be independent, autonomous, build your life by yourself, set up your career, secure yourself, do not let criticism and comments of primitive society to discourage you, being a woman means to be strong, not necessarily confident, not many of us are confident, but a woman is the one who is enough fighter to survive everything that gets in her way. To be loving, to be erotic, to enjoy yourself and your body means to be a woman, work on it, work on it to make yourself feel good about yourself, be yourself, being a woman means to step out of your comfort zone and fight for yourself, raise your voice, because, we will always feel better if we do something for ourselves, we are capable to do so. We are capable of everything.

The advice you would give to your 16-year-old self?

Now, when I return myself to that period 8 years ago, I would say to myself what I knew even then deep down, actually, I would not have changed anything. Maybe I would say to myself that everything goes away, that I shouldn't complain about anything, that I shouldn't burn with desire to change at least a little, only important thing is to remain the desire there, just because your mother is dead now, you will develop into a strong woman who will be able to survive everything. And when you feel the worst in the world, when you are in the deepest black hole, even there you can learn something, everything turns out exactly as it should be, everything happens for a reason. No matter how much everything that happens breaks you in a thousand pieces, it will calm you down, no tornado lasts forever and so it is, and always will be. I'd say to myself that I have no reason to be insecure, that I should be important to myself, I should love myself, I shouldn't grab for the straws that are offered to me, because, I deserve more than that. I deserve exactly everything I can give.

How do you create the perfect style with a little money?

Uh, finally an easier question. Well, I don't really have a special trick. Every now and then I find something I've forgotten in my closet, my mom's, my dad's, or my own. Flea markets, second hand shops, sales are the answer and I finally began to realize that it is more profitable to invest in some good basic piece, to have it for a long time and upgrade it with details. A good trick are basic pieces, and with them, fabric colors and scissors. You'd be surprised how many good things you can get with the help of DIY projects, luckily, the Internet is full of projects like that so today that really isn't a problem. My trademark are definitely hats and caps, they make every styling better. It is important that we recognize what we look good in, what we feel comfortable in and that's it. I really went through all kinds of stages and styles, and now I also wouldn't be able to define my style in the long term, but I'd say the clothes that I wear, in their own way, at least for now, tell my story. 

photo: Tea Teuta Dalić 

model: Lana Biželj

interview, stylist, location scout: Iva Hanzen

Josip Tešija: " I Hrvatska ima svoje McQueenove"

Josip Tešija dočekao nas je u svom drugom domu - Galeriji Kranjčar te nas kao pravi domaćin nakon poljubaca dobrodošlice ponudio sušenim smokvama. Ova me poslastica momentalno vratila u djetinjstvo provedeno u Dalmatinskoj Zagori, koje smo se Josip i ja odmah dotaknuli, budući da dijelimo iste korijene. Korijeni su dijelom i razlog zbog čega se ovaj uspješan model, kustos i ono što bismo nazvali "pravi čovjek" odlučio vratiti u zemlju iz koje je otišao kako bi pokorio modne piste od Milana do Pariza. Kakva je privatno Vivienne Westwood, zašto je Paris tako magičan, a Hamburg pravi grad za kulturu, kao i što čini uspješnog dizajnera, pročitajte u tekstu koji slijedi. 

Tko je Josip Tešija svojim riječima?

Jednostavan, normalan, skroman, osoba koja voli pomoći ljudima, koja voli ljude, životinje, umjetnost, svestrana osoba...

Tko je Josip Tešija u profesionalnom smislu, što je on sve prošao, što smatra da su njegova najveća postignuća?

Moja najveća postignuća su...zapravo najvažnije što sam prošao je jedno veliko životno iskustvo, život u stranim metropolama, život s ljudima, upoznavanje ljudi, malih, velikih, svih, svih nacija, narodnosti. Mislim da je to moje veliko životno iskustvo, a ovo što sam kustos, model ili maneken, to je dio mene, dio mog života, ali nekako stavljam čovjeka na prvo mjesto jer držim se one poznate Henryja Millera, najvećeg pisca američkog, europskog, svjetskog koji je rekao: "Čovjek je onoliki koliki je pred Bogom i ništa više".

Spomenuo si život u metropoli. Kako taj život u metropoli, pogotovo izvan granica Hrvatske, utječe na čovjeka, koliko ga promijeni? I koja je osnovna razlika kada govorimo o životu vani i životu u Hrvatskoj?

Puno, puno ga promijeni. Razlika je u toj jednostavnosti, ljudi gore žive drugačije, ne zanimaju ih tuđi životi, ne zanimaju ih nekakve gluposti kojima se mi ovdje zamaramo, neke trivijalnosti. Sve što rade, gledaju da rade na ispravan način. Ne zanima ih ništa drugo, ne zanima ih ni moda.

Stvarno?

Tako je. Samo malu skupinu ljudi u jednoj Francuskoj, Njemačkoj ili Španjolskoj zanima moda. Ostali ljudi su vrlo ležerni i cijene ono što mi ne cijenimo. To su zrak, voda, prijatelji, te elementarne stvari u životu, koje mi još ne znamo cijeniti.

A kažu da smo mi Hrvati prisni, topli, više volimo te "ljudske" osobine nego stranci....

Ne bih se složio, stranci se možda sporije otvaraju i treba im duže vremena, ali kad postanete prijatelji, prijatelji ste do kraja života. Mi njegujemo drugu vrstu prijateljstva, mi smo na prvo upoznavanje prijatelji, to je odmah suživot, iza toga dođu problemi, dođe do svađa...Mi zapravo dosta često mijenjamo prijatelje, to sam primijetio i često tražimo prijatelje. U stranim zemljama to nije tako. Dugo treba dok te upoznaju, ali kad te upoznaju, onda je to prijateljstvo zagarantirano.

Koji gradovi su se te posebno dojmili dok si živio vani?

Pariz i Hamburg?

Zašto?

Pariz svojom otvorenošću kao prvo...

Ah taj Pariz, magičan baš svima, gotovo da je ta opčinjenost Parizom već postala klišej...

Pariz ima to nešto što mi ne možemo zamisliti. Prvo ta sloboda, ta jednakost, ta supomoć, taj grad ti pruža sve, ljudi u njemu ti pružaju sve, taj grad ti otvara svoja vrata, želi te upoznati, proučiti i pokazati Francusku i Pariz na jedan drugačiji način. Recimo, kažu za Parižane da su tri momenta bitna. To su chic, crna boja i mršavost. Ja se ne bih složio. Ima tu još stvari koje su zanimljive za Francuze. To je stvarno jedna čudna energija, puna ljubavi. Pritom, ja govorim iz svoje perspektive. Ne moraju ga svi baš tako doživjeti. Ja sam radio i druge poslove tamo uz modeling, čovjek mora kako bi preživio. To je skup grad, ali ja sam imao sreću u životu što sam naišao na prave ljude, prave prijatelje. Uvijek govorim da je najvažnije u životu to što sam naišao na prave prijatelje.

Kod Pariza me osvaja i ta visoka kultura, nema tu površnosti. Kad ste s takvim ljudima, u takvom okruženju, učit ćete od najboljih. Tu su i muzeji, vi jednostavno lepršate od arhitekture, od izgleda...

A Hamburg?

Hamburg je grad kulture. Kad mi ljudi kažu da su Nijemci hladni... ma nisu hladni, nego normalni i pristupačni. Taj grad...to je grad s najviše teatara. Kao prvo ima predivnu kinoteku, koja odiše prošlošću Hamburga, mirišeš u kinu taj stari ambijent, premda sam sad čuo da je renovirana...Ti filmovi koji su na repertoaru...Tu je i posebno kazalište za balet, posebno za dramu...oni imaju nekoliko kazališnih kuća, a uz to imaju i oko 45 institucija koje se bave kulturom. Što se tiče samog plesa, imate balet, što sam već rekao, pa moderni ples, afrički ples... Tu su i dokovi Elbe koji su bili srušeni u Drugom svjetskom ratu, a onda su renovirani i pretvoreni u prekrasne šetnice...i sva ta skladišta koja su nekad bila napuštena su iskoristili za umjetnička događanja. Vi ne znate gdje ćete u jednom Hamburgu van. Pa ta arhitektura...to vam je jedan vrlo egzotičan grad. I susretnete stotinu nacija u jedan dan. Nitko ne pita nikog ni tko je, ni što je, ni odakle je.

Kako to da si se vratio?

Meni je Hrvatska uvijek bila zanimljiva, draga, ja je volim, to je moj dom, nekako sam i kasnije otišao van. Smatram da je bolje otići van što ranije kako čovjek ne bi imao toliku povezanost. Ali ta povezanost ipak nekako uvijek ostaje. Mi Hrvati imamo tu specifičnu povezanost sa svojom zemljom. Tu je vam je obitelj...ima tu nešto. Uvijek nekako žudite. Ali moram nešto reći, u Hrvatskoj je život lakši.

Je li za osobni razvitak čovjeka bitno da putuje i živi vani?

U...vama mladima pogotovo. Samo multifolkloralnost, multikulturalnost čovjeku daje bolje poglede na život, bolje shvaćanje drugačijeg, bolje shvaćanje ljudi.

Koja bi bila tvoja definicija uspjeha? Postoji li uopće definicija uspjeha?

Uspjeha...hm...ljubav. Po meni je to ljubav. Kada nekoga voliš u životu, od koga nemaš koristi i ne tražiš korist. Kad ga voliš svim srcem i kad si došao do te stepenice da ti on nije potreban u materijalnom smislu, da ga ne gledaš kroz materijalno, nego kao osobu. To je dostignuće u životu.

Možeš li reći da si uspješan u životu i da si se profesionalno ostvario?

Mislim da jesam, nisam tražio puno, ali nisam ni malo, mislim da još mogu. Mislim da sam još na razvojnom putu. Kažu da su najbolja književna djela nastajala u 70-im godinama života, i da tada pisci dobivaju nagrade pa čak i u devetom desetljeću svog života. Dobro, ne mogu se usporediti s njima, ali nije još kasno. Dok god živimo, nije nikad kasno.

Misliš li da je danas moda pretjerano trivijalizirana?

Da!

Što misliš da je dovelo do toga?

Brzina nastajanja. Nema više sporosti u modi koja je vladala 90-ih, pa čak i početkom 21. stoljeća. Sada se u sve upleo kapitalizam. Danas je moda brza, kapitalistička. Brzo se mijenjaju i manekene i dizajneri, sve je novac, samo novac, velike kuće samo grabe....Nema više te profiliranosti, da dizajner može kreirati ono što on želi. Čak i kada to zaista želi, kaže mu se: "Ali znate mi moramo misliti na novac, mi se moramo pokriti". Također sve više modela mora raditi druge poslove kako bi preživjeli jer ne zarađuju dovoljno samo od modelinga.

Koji dizajneri s kojima si surađivao su te najviše osvojili? Tko je ostavio najveći dojam na tebe kao na čovjeka?

Vivienne Westwood i muž Andreas Kronthaler te Jean Paul Gaultier.

Što je to u Viviene što te osvojilo?

Ludost, jedna životna ludost, energija, ljubav prema dizajnu i kreativnosti. Ona je potpuno otvorena, slobodna, najslobodnija osoba koju sam upoznao u životu.

Zanimljivo da ju taj kapitalistički stroj o kojem si pričao nije pojeo...

Da, ona smatra da mora imati zaradu za sebe, svoga muža, sve ljude koje mora pokriti, i kad sve pokrije, to je za nju sasvim dovoljno. Ona želi i dalje prikazivati ono što želi, ne želi da ju itko sputava i uništava. Dok je jedan Valentino, haute coutureovac kakvog nema, čijih je 90 posto stvari rađeno ručno, morao prodati svoju firmu. Nije to lako baš lako. Možda ipak treba i malo sreće.

U kojem omjeru nam treba sreća za uspjeh, a u kojem onaj neki unutrašnji pokretač?

Mislim da je ta kreativnost presudna. Pravi dizajner koji je kreativan, koji se zna izraziti, koji je buntovan, on će uspjeti. Velike struje, korporacije, mediji, novinari, muze i pojedinci će obratiti pažnju na njega i to je uspjeh. Znači treba biti čudan, drugačiji, kreativniji. To je plod uspjeha jednog dizajnera. To je recimo bio McQueen. Na prvoj mojoj ljestvici života, na prvom pijedestalu to je Alexander McQueen.

Misliš da Hrvatska ima svoje McQueenove?

Naravno, to su prvo moram reći stara trojka Nada Došen, Branka Donassy i Keti Balogh. Od mlađih dizajnera to su Silvio Ivkić, Matija Čop, a tu je i Ivana Popović za koju kažu da je naša Vivienne Westwood. Imate i Anu Kujundžić, Ivanu Srzić Budić, Ivana Midžića što se tiče nakita, koji radi čuda, koji je vani već uspješan, a koji iz nakita radi skulpture. Nedavno je imao izložbu u galeriji Kranjčar.

I na kraju da se osvrnemo na Galeriju Kranjčar kad si je spomenuo. U čemu je čar ove galerije koja je i meni osobno magičan prostor?

To su energija, gospođa Elvira i treće mali Palais de Tokyo. Dakle, ljubaznost gospođe Elvire koja je od ovog prostora zaista napravila mali Palais de Tokyo. A i na Gornjem gradu smo, tu je ta blizina i energija katedrale u kojoj se stotine ljudi moli svaki dan pa se ta energija širi dalje u obliku molitve. I to je jedan dio igre.

Što nam Galerija Kranjčar posebno priprema?

Projekt koji je definitivno obilježio prošlu godinu, a s kojom nastavljamo i dalje je Mentalni sklop.

Da, Mentalni sklop je bio pravi hit, čemu po tebi ovaj projekt duguje toliki uspjeh?

Dakle, imali smo 10 suvremenih umjetnika, odnosna mentora i sljedbenika, to je bilo 10 najboljih i publika je oduševljena, dobili smo jednu urbanu publiku kao i poštenu celebrity publiku. I da se razumijemo, nema vam nikakve razlike između celebrityja u Zagrebu i onog u Parizu. Samo što će vam na promociju vani doći novinara Voguea i Ellea, a ovdje Storyja i Glorije. Mi smo dobili tu pozitivnu publiku, školovanu, intelektualce. A ta urbana publika vam je ona koja se povukla u kuće od ove folk parade trenutno vlada i mi smo je evo dobili da izađe, i to sa zvučnim imenima te dobro postavljenim izložbama koje su pokazale kao pravi hit.

Photo by Juraj Vuglač

Intervju by Iva Hanzen

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                 Josip Tešija: "Croatia has its McQueens too"

Josip Tešija welcomed us in his second home – Kranjčar Gallery and as a real host after kisses of welcome he offered us dried figs. This treat immediately took me back to my childhood spent in Dalmatian Zagora, about which Josip and I had to say few words, since we share the same roots. Roots are part of the reason why this successful model, curator and what you would call "a real man" decided to return to the country from which he left to conquer the catwalks from Milan to Paris. What isVivienne Westwood like, why is Paris so magical, and Hamburg the best city for culture, plus what makes a successful designer, read below.

Who is Josip Tešija using his own words?

Easy, normal, humble person who likes to help people, who loves people, animals, art, an all-rounder.

Who is JosipTešija in the professional sense, what does he consider to be his greatest achievement?

My greatest achievements are... actually the most important is my great life experience, life in foreign capitals, life with people, getting to know people, small, big, all, all nations and nationalities, I think it is my great life experience that matters, and the fact that I am a curator or a model, it's just part of me, part of my life, but somehow I put people first. Because I believe in well-known Henry Miller sentence, who is the greatest American, European, World writer, who said: "A man is as big as he is with God, nothing more".

You mentioned life in a metropolis. How does living in a big capital city, especially outside Croatian borders, affects the man, how much it changes him? And what is the main difference when we talk about life abroad and life in Croatia?

A lot, it affects the man a lot. The main difference is the simplicity, people abroad live differently, they are not interested in other people's lives, nonsense and trivia we bother with here. Everything they do, they are trying to do the right way. They don't care about anything, they don't even care about fashion.

Really?

That's right. Only a small group of people in let's say France, Germany or Spain is interested in fashion. Other people are very casual and appreciate things we don't appreciate here. Things like air, water, friends, basic things in life, which we still don't know how to appreciate.

And they say we Croats are so warm and that we like those "human" atributes more than the others ....

I can not agree, foreign people may be slower to open up and they need a long time, but when you become friends, you are friends forever. We cultivate other type of friendship, we are friends from the start, we immediately seek for co-existence, after that come problems and quarrels ... Actually we change friends quite often, I noticed, and we often seek for friends. In foreign countries, that is not the case. I takes long until they get to know you, but when they do, friendship is guaranteed.

What cities you lived in particularly impressed you?

Paris and Hamburg...

Why?

Paris with its openness ...

Ah that Paris, the magic city, it's almost like this fascination with Paris became a cliché ...

Paris has something that we can not imagine. First, the freedom, the equality, the help, this city provides you all, people in it give you all, this city opens its doors to you, it wants to know you, study you and show France and Paris in a different way. They say that there are three important moments for Parisians. The chic, the black and the thinness. I would disagree. There are more interesting things about French. It's really a strange energy, full of love. In doing so, I speak from my own perspective. It is possible that not all people have experienced this. I had other jobs when I was there beside modeling, you must in order to survive. It is an expensive city, but I had good fortune in my life and encountered many good people, real friends. I always say that the most important thing in my life is that I've encountered some really good friends.

I also have to say that Paris overwhelmed me with its high culture, there is no superficiality in Paris. When you are with people like that, in such an environment, you will learn from the best. There are also museums, you just flutter from the architecture, from the looks ...

And Hamburg?

Hamburg is the city of culture. When people tell me that Germans are cold... they are not cold, but normal and accessible. The city ... this is a city with the most theaters. Firstly a wonderful cinematheque, which evokes the past of Hamburg, smell in the cinema gives that old ambience, although I heared that they renovated it now ... These films that are in the repertoire ... There is a special theater for ballet, special for drama .. .they have several theaters, and they also have about 45 culture institutions. As for the dance, they have ballet, as I mentioned, and then modern dance, African dance ... There are also docks of Elba, which were destroyed in World War II and then were renovated and turned into beautiful promenades..there also all the warehouses that used to be abandoned and now they are used for artistic events. You don't know where to go out when you are in Hamburg. And the architecture ... it is a very exotic city. You meet hundred nations in one day there. Nobody asks anybody where are they from, who they are and what are they doing.

How come you came back?

Croatia has always been interesting and dear to me, I love it, that's my home, and I went abroad in my later years also. I think it is better to go abroad as early as possible so you wouldn't have such a connection. But this relationship somehow always remains. We Croats have that specific relationship with our country. There is your family ... there's something. You always somehow crave. But I have to say something. In Croatia, life is easier.

Is it for personal development of a man essential to travel and live abroad?

O yes ... for you young people especially. Only multiculturalism gives better view of life, a better understanding of all things different, better understanding of other people too.

What would be your definition of success? Is there a definition of success?

Success ... um ... love. I call that love. When you love someone, from who you do not have any use. When you love him or her with all your heart, and when you came to that point when you don't need him or her in the material sense, when you don't care for material things, but for a person. This is an achievement in life.

Do you think that fashion is excessively trivialized today?

Yes.

What do you think led to this?

The fast pace of everything. There is no more slowness in fashion that ruled in the 90's, and even at the beginning of the 21st century. Now capitalism is involved in everything. Today fashion is fast, capitalist. Everything is changing quickly, models and designers as well, everything is about the money, only money, big houses just grab for themselves .... A designer can't create what he or she wants. Even if he or she really wants to do something, they say: "But you know we have to think of money, we have to cover ourselves". Even more and more models have to work other jobs to survive because they do not earn enough from modeling.

Which designers you worked with abroad left the biggest impression on you as a person?

Vivienne Westwood and her husband Andreas Kronthaler and Jean Paul Gaultier.

What is it about Vivienne that won you over?

Crazyness, craziness for life, her energy, her love for design and creativity. She is completely open and free, the freest person I've met in my life.

It is interesting that this capitalist machine you were talking about did not eat her up ...

Yes, she consideres she has to be make profit for herself, her husband and all the people she must cover, and when she pays them all, that's enough for her enough. She wants to continue to show what he wants, she doesn't want anybody to imprison and destroy her. While Valentino, a haute couture designer like no other, whose 90 percent of things were done by hand, had to sell his company, is not so easy. Maybe you need a little luck also.

To wich extent we need luck to succeed, and in which that internal drive?

I think that creativity is crucial. Genuine designer who is creative, who knows how to express, who is rebellious, he/she will succeed. Corporations, media, journalists, muses and individuals will pay attention to him/her and it will lead to success. You have to be weird, different, creative. It is the fruit of the success for a designer. It is for example McQueen. I hold Alexander McQueen on a pedestal.

Do you think Croatia has its McQueens?

Of course, first I have to mention the old trio Nada Došen, Branka Donassy and Keti Balogh. From young designers there are Silvio Ivkić, Matija Čop, and there is also Ivana Popović who they call Croatian Vivienne Westwood. Then you have Ana Kujundžić, Ivana Srzić Budić, Ivan Midžić who designs jewelry, and creates wonderful pieces, and who is also already successful abroad. He also makes sculptures out of his jewlery. He recently had an exhibition at the Kranjčar Gallery.

Let's talk about Kranjčar Gallery at the very end, now when you mentioned it. What is the charm of this gallery which is also my personal magical space?

It's all about energy, Mrs. Elvira and third small Palais de Tokyo. So, it's warmth and courtesy of Mrs. Elvira who really made a small Palais de Tokyo from this place. And we are also settled in the Upper Town area, there is the proximity and energy of the Cathedral where hundreds of people pray every day, and this energy is passed on in the form of prayer. And that's part of the game too.

What is Kranjčar Gallery preparing for us in the future?

The project, which definitely marked previous year, and with which we continue is Mentalni sklop

Mentalni sklop was a real hit, what according to you made this project so successful?

We had 10 contemporary artists, both mentors and followers, it was the top 10 artists in Croatia and the audience was thrilled, we got this urban audience and honest celebrity audience. And to be sure, there is no difference between celebrities in Zagreb and those in Paris. The difference is that abroad you  will get journalists from Vogue and Elle to come, and here those from Story and Gloria. We have got that positive audience, educated, intellectuals. And urban audience is the one that stays at home away from the folk parade that is currently on and we made them go out, with renowned names and good exhibition, which proved to be a hit.

Photo: Juraj Vuglač

Interview by Iva Hanzen