Just some of the highlights in this issue include bike-builder Dustin Kott giving insight into ‘the art of customizing motorcycles’; a skatepark in Bolivia — involving 100 skaters from 10 different countries — which Levi’s® helped build; turning the everyday two-wheeler into an E-Bike; and announcing the winners and runners-up of the #Yourcult competition.

And talking about competitions — we’re super hyped about our new tattoo photography competition called #YourINK – Part I! You can read all about it in the second issue of Cult of Self Magazine.

Click here for the #YourINK – Part I competition guidelines and here to view entries and vote.

Image: © Viviane Sassen

In And Out Of Fashion is the summation of 17 years worth of work for some of fashion’s most honoured brands. Sassen’s images brush through the shelves of powerhouses like Stella McCartney, Adidas and Levi’s and onto the pages of Pop, AnOther Magazine, Purple, and Dazed & Confused. The book illustrates the visual aesthetic of Sassen’s photography as her models transform into fine art sculptures and their fashions become the threads of colour covering an artwork. Sassen portraits her subjects in unusual poses that simultaneously induce movement and the statuesque ambience of moulded sculptural art. Landscapes play as much a role in Sassen’s photography as her models, as she juxtaposes the colours and motion of her models against the shapes and hues of the backdrop. Ultimately Sassen’s work is an invigorating peek into the way in which art can re-envision fashion. Although she claims that fashion and art belong to different ends of the creative world, Sassen has seamlessly pieced together the parts of her fantastical puzzle:

Art photography doesn’t have to serve any purpose, fashion photography does, and that makes a difference. It’s a kind of puzzle that has to be solved

Image: © Viviane Sassen

Image: © Viviane Sassen

Image: © Viviane Sassen

Image: © Viviane Sassen

Image: © Viviane Sassen

Image: © Viviane Sassen

Image: © Viviane Sassen

Image: © Viviane Sassen

Image: © Viviane Sassen

Image: © Viviane Sassen

Image: © Viviane Sassen

Image: © Viviane Sassen

Image: © Viviane Sassen

Image: © Viviane Sassen

Images: ©Viviane Sassen

To celebrate 140 years of an American icon, eight SA creatives have taken the Levi’s® 501® out on the town and documented their ventures through photographs showcased on onesmallseed.com as part of a global campaign called ‘What’s Your Interpretation?’ It is now up to you to vote for who you think interpreted the iconic pair of jeans best.

And, to make it more exciting, we’re giving away two Levi’s® vouchers – one in CPT and one in JHB. In order to win, follow @onesmallseedSA and LevistraussSA on Twitter, and vote for who you want to win by telling us their name in your Tweet with the hashtag #501s, remembering to include the city you live in i.e. #JHB/#CPT. Winners will be announced on Tuesday 30th. You’ll be able to vote once on Twitter and once below in this post. Without further ado, here are the 501® interpretations of Max Mogale, Sergio Ines, Grant Payne, Dan Nash, Marco Riekstins, Roy Potterill, Dylan Muhlenberg and Andrew Berry. They’ve done their job, so now it’s up to you!

IMPORTANT:Take a look at each of the eight interpretations and then scroll to the bottom to cast your vote! You can vote only once, but for two people! So, who are your top two…?

01: DYLAN MUHLENBERG
 

Dylan grew up with a love for words and has worked in the magazine industry for a decade now. After eight years at GQ, he’s realized that health is the new wealth and is now busy at SA’s biggest men’s magazine, Men’s Health.(Read more, here)

 
02: MAX MOGALE
 

Renowned for documenting the Cape Town street scene, Max Mogale’s photographic skills have seen him quickly rise through the ranks of the city’s social documentary crowd. (Read more, here)

 
03: MARCO RIEKSTINS
 

Marco Riekstins is a fashion blogger (Man of the Cloth), writer and stylist living in Johannesburg. Built under the premise that any man can live a fashionable existence. (Read more, here)

 
04: ROY POTTERILL
 

A long-time fixture of the Joburg creative community, Roy Potterill has always had an eye for opportunity and a talent for making things happen. He is currently the co-founder and creative wizz at Mobile Media Mob.(Read more, here)

 
05: DAN NASH
 

Creator and editor of South Africa’s Favourite Second Best Entertainment blog, Bangers & Nash. Online marketing consultant. MFCEO of #WhatUpRibs.

 
06: GRANT PAYNE
 

Grant Payne is a 25-year-old South African-based photographer/creator. His roots in photography lie deep in the streets and he’s one of those shoot-first-ask-later kinda’ guys. (Read more, here)

 
07: SERGIO INES
 

Sergio Ines is a Creative Director at a Cape Town ad agency. When he can, Sergio likes to talk men’s fashion on his blog WhatMyBoyfriendWore.com. (Read more, here)

 
08: ANDREW BERRY
 

Andrew looks for cool things, mainly South African cool things, but also cool things in general. Then he helps other people see these cool things by putting them on We-are-awesome

PLEASE NOTE: You can vote ONLY once here (for your top two interpretations!), but you can also vote via Twitter. Scroll to the top of the page and read the intro again for details on how to enter the competition and also get another vote in!
 

Roy Potterill – Image by Pieter Vosloo

A long-time fixture of the Joburg creative community, Roy Potterill has always had an eye for opportunity and a talent for making things happen. Having got his hands dirty in everything from textiles to tattoo shops, his current passions for photography, technology and emerging markets have seen him rise to fame as a mobile photographer, bringing both international exhibition and critical acclaim. Currently the co-founder and creative wizz at Mobile Media Mob — a visual-based mobile content agency — Roy spends his days giving brands a piece of his ever-resourceful mind.

 
 
 
To find out more about Roy Potterill go to mobilemediamob.com. And for more information on ‘501® Interpretation’ click here!
 

GALLERY

Portrait by Pieter Vosloo

Dan Nash, image: Paul Ward

Creator and editor of South Africa’s Favourite Second Best Entertainment blog, Bangers & Nash. Online marketing consultant. MFCEO of #WhatUpRibs.

 
 
 
 
 
To find out more about go to bangersandnash.com. And for more information on ‘501® Interpretation’ click here!
 

GALLERY

Portrait by Paul Ward

Grant Payne, image: Dean Elliott

Hello, mynameisgrant. I am a 25-year-old South African-based photographer/creator. Born and bred in the 031, I call Durban home but now make my bed in Cape Town. My roots in photography lie deep in the streets. Black and white, shape and shadows… I am one of those shoot-first-ask-later kinda’ guys. I don’t often look for the beauty in things… but I try look for the truth. To me, a perfect image isn’t sharpness or pixel quality… it’s capturing that moment that will never present itself again. Always hunting, always looking… you never know what you’re going to see today.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
To find out more go to mynameisgrant.com. And for more information on ‘501® Interpretation’ click here!
 

GALLERY

Portrait by Dean Elliott

Sergio Ines, image: Brandslut.co.za

Sergio Ines is a Creative Director at a Cape Town ad agency. He believes that when you’re asking someone for money, you should wear a tie — he spends a lot of time asking people for money. When he can, Sergio likes to talk men’s fashion on his blog WhatMyBoyfriendWore.com in the hope that it will reverse the effects casual Friday has had on the world. He likes a nice pair of pants and a good cup of coffee.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
To find out more go to WhatMyBoyfriendWore.com. And for more information on ‘501® Interpretation’ click here!
 

GALLERY – Updated Daily!

Portrait by Brandslut.co.za

Andrew Berry, image: Angie Durrant

I look for cool things, mainly South African cool things, but also cool things in general. I then help other people see these cool things by putting them on We-are-awesome

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
To find out more about Andrew Berry, go to We-are-awesome.com. And for more information on ‘501® Interpretation’ click here. And for more information on ‘501® Interpretation’ click here!

GALLERY – Updated daily!

Portrait: Angie Durrant

The Levi’s® brand is proud to introduce Commuter by Levi’s® – clothing designed and optimized specifically for the needs of the urban commuter cyclist. Arriving in select Levi’s® stores in South Africa this week, the 511™ and Trucker Commuter products integrate an array of features that address cyclists performance, convenience, safety, mobility and protection needs while maintaining the durability and classic styling that people expect from the Levi’s® brand.  The launch of these products builds upon the Levi’s® brand’s commitment to innovation while tying back to the new global Go Forth campaign which is a rally cry to create positive change in the world. Erik Joule, senior vice president of Levi’s® Men’s Merchandising & Design says,

This product was born from innovation, classic American style and a personal passion for cycling – it’s about designing product for people who ride bikes, by people who ride bikes. We knew that our jeans were already being worn by urban cyclists across the US, including our own designers. We listened to what they wanted and created a product with performance traits for biking that also functions as daily street wear.

 

 
Built around the 511™ Skinny Jean, the Levi’s® brand’s most popular skinny fit for men, the 511™ Commuter features fabric and construction upgrades that increase mobility and durability, while protecting cyclists from the potential hazards of their daily commute. The 511™ Commuter comes in two styles – a full length and cropped version – and both denim and non-denim fabrics. The series also includes a Commuter version of the classic Levi’s® Trucker Jacket, an iconic work wear style that was first introduced in 1962 and has now been updated for the modern worker who demands performance and style on and off the road.

All Commuter by Levi’s® products blend form and function by utilizing the most cutting-edge performance apparel technologies. The Levi’s® brand partnered with Swiss-based Schoeller Technologies AG to be the first to introduce NanoSphere® treatment into denim fabrication. NanoSphere® technology makes denim fabric water resistant, dirt repellant and more durable. The Levi’s® brand also consulted with technology-expert Clariant, a global supplier of specialty effects for textile, in order to implement the invisible but powerful technology that makes Commuter by Levi’s® clothing so unique.

In addition to these performance technologies, the Levi’s® brand also leveraged its own insights and superior construction techniques to make their new cycling products more commuter-friendly. Both the Commuter by Levi’s® Trucker Jacket and the 511™ Commuter Skinny feature just the right amount of stretch to increase mobility while maintaining their signature fit. The 511™ Commuter Skinny also features a raised back yolk that minimizes lower back gap, a reinforced crotch gusset that protects against ripping in this high stress area, double back layer pockets, a U-lock storage system and fabric reinforcements throughout. The Trucker has extra utility pockets and modifications to the sleeves, cuffs and tail that enable more comfortable movement while cycling.

As an avid cyclist myself, I am confident this line has all of the key cycling-specific performance features cyclists value, but haven’t been able to find in other lifestyle clothing options

Commuter by Levi’s® clothing can be found at select independent bike shops in major metro cities as well as select Levi’s® Stores from June.

Images: Levi.co.za
Source: Jimmy Everett