Essentials: Faces of London
Our latest HYPEBEAST Essentials feature highlights five influential personalities in the London circuit and looked into the essential items that play an integral role in their every day lives. Enjoy!
In HYPEBEAST Essentials’ newest feature, we spoke to five influential personalities in the London circuit and looked into the essential items that play an integral role in their every day lives. Each having their own strong and unique presence in the World Wide Web, the individuals include Steve Salter of Style Salvage, Susanna Lau of Style Bubble, multi-tasker Gemma Kane and the dynamic duo of Neil Bedford and Stephen Mann.
Photography: Edward Chiu
Steve Salter – Blogger
1_Fantastic Man eau de Cologne
It is always nice to get a whiff of something fantastic. Jop Van Bennekom and Gert Jonkers with the help Ben Gorham (founder of Byredo Parfums) wanted to capture the essence of the magazine in a bottle and they have succeeded. Readers of the magazine will know how amazing those pages smell but thankfully rather than capture the actual essence of the magazine the scent revisits the most classic of men’s perfumes to create a true gentleman’s cologne.
2_Braided belt by Carolyn Massey
My love for Carolyn Massey is well documented on the blog. There hasn’t been a season gone by where I’ve not fallen head over heels for a few items. For SS10, it was the braided accessories and this belt in particular.
3_Dictaphone
I stole this ancient dictaphone from Susie. It might be Close to the scrapheap but it has helped me record so many interviews. I was more than a little embarassed when I waved this in front of Thom Browne at NYFW last season!
4_COMME des GARCONS Wallet
This was one of the first ever gifts Susie bought me and I cherish it. It might be a little too large for most of my tight pockets but I’ll always carry it with me.
http://stylesalvage.blogspot.com/
Susanna Lau – Blogger
1_Acne Map Scarf
This scarf was a limited edition press gift and depicts the islands of Stockholm… I have a thing about HAVING to have it with me on flights now even if I’m not actually wearing it.
2_Boudicca Wode Perfumes
One is a clear scent and one is a paint that comes out as a blue spray and then magically disappears – reminds me of those crap changing colour felt tip pens…except the smell is amazing.
3_Louis Vuitton Passport Holder
I THINK this is a passport holder but I use it as a wallet. I find card slots in a wallet tricky and this one also holds all of my change, SD cards, USB sticks…whatever I want to bung in here really…
4_Ice Breakers
Tommy Ton from Jak and Jil turned me on to these… I buy loads of them whenever I’m in the States…
Gemma Kane – Stylist
1_Blackberry
I’m way way way too addicted to my Blackberry. Never off the bloody thing. Often makes me feel rude and really does the heads in of my mates and my folks. Don’t understand the urgency. Think I need to seriously train myself to have a cut off point, not be so attainable on the phone. Again it’s majorly used and abused for work and socially. Who ever invented the BBM idea, pure G!! Love it.
2_Puma Patent Bag
I am one heck of a bag lady, the bigger the better. Can’t be doing with these silly girly clutch bags that only fit in your lippy and at a struggle a Blackberry. Needs to carry all my daily demands, diary, sketch book and the rest of all my junk in true Mary Poppens bag stylee.
3_Moleskine Diary and Mini Aspinal Pad
This is where my OCD-ness comes into play. I have to write everything down. A daily plan really, or else the shit just pops out of my head. The mini pad, is really for when I’m off exploring, getting lost in my own world and I like to jot down my inspirations and doodles. I try to keep things not all digital. Pen and Paper really is the best. Jog on that phone diary marlarky.
4_Nixon Watch
Gosh, I’m such a watch gal, never actually realised it up until now. I own over 50 watches. Outch. But seem to only wear 3 on rotation.
Not on the flimsy girly thin strap shit, the ‘hencher’ the better is my moto. Without my watch, I feel a bit off, like to to keep me straight. One thing I hate is being late and errrm I hate lateness too.
Neil Bedford – Photographer
1_Leica R8
As with the Contax, one of the best SLR you will ever buy. I bought this so i dont have to keep buying SLR’s. I still own an R5 and a Rollie SL35 but both are redundant due to this. An absolute pleasure to work with. The body has a 90mm lens, which is beautiful.
I dont use 35mm too often, but this is the only camera i would every pick up again when i opted for 35mm. Im not a fan of view finders so never had the urge to buy the M series.
2_Bradford City Pin
Worn on the lapel of my jacket or the collar of a Barbour jacket. I try to wear it everyday. I also live near alot of Millwall supporters and like them to know im not one of them. This badge is special as it is an edition of only 180 and is produced for the 25th aniversary of the Bradford fire, which happened in May 1985 and tragically killed 52 fans.
3_Louis Vuitton Diary
Possibly better than a secretary. This was a gift from my girlfriend, Kira Chang, when I graduated from university. She later bought me the Dunhill pen so i could stop using the free pencil i picked up at The Soho.
Although iPhones and Blackberrys can now do what this does, its still a special thing to own. Id never buy anything like this for myself and only get these things from Kira.
4_Keys and Keyrings
House keys…. Again Kira bought me the weird LV torch thing, known to LV fans as an ‘Astro Pil’. The little KAWS Chum was a gift from my close friend Warren Jones as was the little BBC keyring fom Craig Ford.
To be honest the keys annoy me as there too big. If i go out without a bag i have to leave them with the Porter as they are annoying in your pocket. I used to hide them under the doormat, but i now live off a main road so thought better of it.
Stephen Mann – Stylist
1_Hermes/Arcteryx Moleskine/Fisher Space Pen
I carry these pads everyday, both were gifts that are super useful as a lot of my work revolves around making notes in meetings and scribling ideas down as they come to me. Along with the pads I carry this fisher space pen, a simple classic design that never fails me.
2_Leica D-LUX 3
This is currently on loan to me from my good friend Neil Bedford while I sort out a new camera, I carry this pretty much everyday as I never know when I might need to snap a model or a product for work.
3_Converse All Star Chambray
One of my favorite colourways for everyday footwear is black upper with white sole.
4_LaCie Key Drive 8GB
This is a really handy well designed usb, having it on my keyring allows me to only very rarely be in a situation where I dont have it to hand, as Im prone often to loosing items like usb sticks and pens in the bottom of bags etc, so this was a excellent solution.
