FJ Shoot: On the Other Foot
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Show us your Docs.
Everyone knows the name Dr. Martens. What began as a boot for workmen quickly became synonymous with punk, grunge and eventually mainstream culture.
Over the decades, the style has become a symbol of rebellious self-expression, worn differently by all walks of life. We asked a few creatives to don their Docs and show us how they’re worn.
Ali Barter
Singer-songwriter
How do you describe your sound?
I call my music grunge pop because I like fuzzy guitars and big hooks.
What inspires you?
Travel, movies and books. Oh, and personal relationships and my failure to react maturely to them.
Who did you grow up listening to?
Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Fleetwood Mac and Patsy Cline.
Tell us a bit about your national tour this September.
It’s the biggest tour we’ve done so far, hitting up some new places and revisiting old ones. We are playing some new songs and supercharging the old ones to make a really fun, loud and randy set.
How do you wind down on tour?
I like to watch horrible TV shows like The Real Housewives of New York or take a bath if there’s one at the hotel.
Favourite place you’ve ever performed?
The Forum was pretty special. One of my first support shows was with The Rubens in 2013, and I remember feeling very small on that big stage. It sounded huge!
Got any weird talents or hobbies?
I am an EXCELLENT reverse parker. Like, I’m incredible.
Biggest achievement?
Releasing my debut record A Suitable Girl has definitely been the biggest achievement of my career. I put out three EPs beforehand, so committing to, and releasing a full-length body of work was a really proud moment.
What else are you working on?
I’m working on a new album, finishing a collection of zines, writing a book and starting a small Indian tour company.
How do you describe your personal style?
I’m a jeans and T-shirt girl. I like dresses and Docs, a lot of black and denim.
What’s next for you?
Travel, writing new songs and playing music overseas.
Josh Cashman
Singer-songwriter
How do you describe your sound?
A smokey mix of alternative folk pop, among electronic textures.
What inspires you?
I am constantly listening to, and finding inspiration from all kinds of music. From new indie music to old favourites, techno and house, and some classic instrumentals. These days all music is so accessible, so that means there’s access to so much inspiration. Lyrically, all my inspiration comes from personal experience: relationships, the grind and society.
Who did you grow up listening to?
From an early age we never watched TV, we listened to CDs. This consisted of Fleetwood Mac, Ed Kuepper, ACDC, Pink Floyd. Then, when I had pocket money at 10 years old, I bought every CD from John Butler Trio, Xavier Rudd, Jack Johnson, Michael Franti, Gorillaz and Eminem.
Any upcoming tours?
Yes. In November I’ll be touring my EP around Australia and New Zealand. My EP comes out on September 22 and excited is an understatement.
Favourite place you’ve ever performed?
The Enmore Theatre in Sydney was amazing, supporting Tash Sultana. A beautiful and iconic theatre that holds 2500 people – I still think of that show every day.
Got any weird talents or hobbies?
I can roll my stomach, and I also have a strange obsession with salami.
Biggest achievement?
Maintaining all of my closest friends from primary and high school.
What else are you working on?
An electronic project, my music production skills and some video content. Plus my debut album.
What’s next for you?
Tour, tour, tour, write, write, write. Surf as much as I can and enjoy a fun and wild youth.
How do you describe your personal style?
I’d say it’s a happy medium of alternative city meets coast.
Jon Duval
Creative and Modelling Agency Director
How do you describe your personal style?
I’m ridiculously colour blind so who bloody knows. I can’t go past a good leather jacket in winter and borderline inappropriate shorts in summer.
Why did you start Duval Agency?
I’ve been lucky enough to make so many great connections and friendships throughout my time in the industry, and I wanted to create a space in which we could all work and collaborate together. It’s about identifying good people whose creativity and ambition I can support in a collaborative process.
What do you want to achieve with Duval Agency?
To develop a hub for freelance creatives to grow, and represent a range of talent that will allow the agency to produce projects from beginning to end.
What’s your day-to-day like?
“Duval Agency, Jon speaking…”
Do you have any other creative pastimes?
When I’m not working, you can either find me getting my hands dirty in the garden, or making a mess in the kitchen.
Got any weird talents or hobbies?
I’ve been playing the violin since I was three. I love listening to TV/movie soundtracks and teaching myself to mimic the score. My latest conquest: the Game of Thrones intro.
Biggest achievement?
Being a dad to my beautiful boy, Benjamin.
What are you currently working on?
Perfecting the ultimate David Bowie-inspired Spotify playlist. Along with some exciting new Duval projects.
What’s next for you?
A personal assistant.
How do you usually style your Dr. Martens?
With jeans and a white tee.
Jade Leung
Stylist
How do you describe your personal style?
I’m a jeans and T-shirt girl through and through. And twin sets. I love a twin set!
Tell us about how you got into styling.
I assisted a stylist named Melissa Gadsden while finishing my Visual Merchandising course. We really got along and I worked hard, so she kept me on as her full-time assistant.
What’s your favourite kind of job to work on?
My favourite kind of job to work on is always editorial. Fashion editorials are where I get to work with a team of like-minded creatives to create a visual story. The perfect balance of guidelines, but not rules, to produce something that everyone is proud of at the end of the day.
Do you have any other creative pastimes?
I’d say I’m mostly obsessed – creatively, mentally and physically – with getting the best Insta-story content. And yes, It’s usually of an oyster.
What’s been the most memorable moment of your career?
Interning with Alastair McKimm and Zara Zachrisson in New York on Vogue China, Alexander Wang and DKNY lingerie campaigns. Just being around them both was the most priceless, unforgettable career highlight.
Got any weird talents or hobbies?
Taking photos of oysters. Eating oysters.
What are you currently working on?
I’ve recently increased my public speaking slash presentation profile. So I’ve been working hard on not pulling unattractive faces while I talk publicly. It’s proving harder than you’d expect.
Tell us about the first pair of Docs you ever owned.
The first pair of docs I owned were actually my school shoes. Which amazingly, I wore from Year 7 all the way through to Year 12. Through my angsty teenage years, I wore the 14 Eye Boot (up to the knee) and then the 8 Eye Boot – all black, of course. Then I took a break and went back to the classic 3 Eye in all white.
How do you usually style your Docs?
I like styling the 14 Eye Boot with skirts or dresses that cover just over the top of the boot, so it looks like it’s going all the way up my leg.
instagram.com/jadeleungstylist
LUCIANBLOMKAMP
Producer
How do you describe your music?
It’s morphed a lot over time, but for a while now I’ve found myself making what would be easiest to label as dark pop music. Bit of a cop out, but you get the idea.
What inspires you?
It sounds silly, but most of the time inspiration just comes from working on music. I’m notoriously awful when it comes to keeping up with new music, or just listening to much in general. I find that I’ll get a grasp of a better concept for a track once I’ve already gotten into the flow of writing.
Tell us about your creative process.
I don’t really go about writing a track the same way each time. I don’t have a process where I start with drums first or anything like that, as I know a lot of people do. I think my best ideas come when I’m already halfway through writing something.
Who did you listen to growing up?
Growing up, my main focus was always on classical music. I started playing the violin when I was six, and because of this, most of my childhood really revolved around simply becoming a better instrumentalist. That’s all I knew music to be. The earliest album I can really remember loving was the self-titled Gorillaz album. It blew my mind then and still does.
Any upcoming tours?
There’ll be one coming up in November, although the details are still yet to be announced. Soon!
Favourite place you’ve ever performed?
I’ve loved every opportunity I’ve had to play at Howler in Melbourne. I usually perform with visuals and the setup there is perfect for it. Plus, it’s got such a warm atmosphere that I think adds both a sense of intimacy and makes me feel a little more at ease performing. Hopefully, I’ll be able to play there more in the future.
Got any weird talents or hobbies?
Probably not anything worth mentioning. At best I’m vaguely okay at skating, but that’s really pushing it to call a talent. I make good popcorn?
What else are you working on?
Surprisingly, a lot of my focus nowadays has been shifted towards writing for projects outside of LUCIANBLOMKAMP. I’m working on a score for a film and a few other projects that will hopefully be out relatively soon. As someone who was originally really closed off about working with other people, I’m surprised by how much fun I’ve been having working on other peoples’ stuff.
What’s next for you?
I’ve got a new album called Sick of What I Don’t Understand which is being released in three parts. Part 1 will be released on October 13 and features Rromarin and UK rapper Trim. I’ve been working on this release for a bit over a year so it’s exciting to see everything come together the way it has.
How do you describe your personal style?
I wouldn’t say I’m a very outspoken person in any sense, so I guess my style somewhat reflects that.
This feature was originally published in Fashion Journal 172. You can read it here.
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