Letter from the Editor
i took a few days Off recently to rest and recharge (read: binge-watch the latest season Of Stranger things). As much as it’s a series packed with ’80s nostalgia and Stephen King-esque themes – plus one hungry AF monster – it’s strangely (sorry!) quite relatable for anyone living in 2019.
This year feels a lot like the series’ alternate universe, the Upside Down, in almost every way – we’re all trying to keep the monsters at bay. The characters in Stranger Things rely heavily on superpowers. When those fail, they fight with the only tools they have left: teamwork and a whole lot of attitude. Attitude means being bold and fearless. It’s both predictable and unpredictable: your next move might not always be crystal clear to those around you, but there’s no doubt it’ll be a game-changer.
Sudden plot twists often feature in Quentin Tarantino’s films. He describes his latest project, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, as ‘a love letter to storytelling’. And that fearlessness has its way of attracting the right collaborators: actors like Leonardo Dicaprio and this month’s cover star, the inimitable Brad Pitt. ‘It feels like a confluence of all his films,’ says Pitt. ‘There’s no doubt it’s a love letter to storytelling. It’s a love letter to LA, but it’s also a love letter to our childhood – we were weaned on the same TV shows, movies, and mac and cheese.’ Pitt gives us a peek into his next project on page 64.
The same is true of lawyer-turned-podcaster and networking expert Jordan Harbinger, who shares his advice on using social media as a tool to build tangible relationships with people abroad (p62). Similarly, audacious entrepreneur Adi Kaimowitz found a way to innovate in the actuarial world, with what he calls an organised collaborative (p59).
Yet as much as it can be filled with audacity, attitude, as we see it, can be as relaxed as well as punchy. Musicians like Nao (p17) and Miguel (p20), who’ll be lighting up the Afropunk stage later this year, bring an easy and relaxed attitude to R&B that’s as sexy and future-classic feeling as it is modern.
As is the case with many things, the shift towards apparel with attitude began in the street, and few people inhabit the idea of attitude better than South Africans. That’s one thing I love about this country: we’re experts at creating bold reinterpretations of existing trends – and being fearless enough to find our own. Here, the Whats – what label, what cut, what textile – take a back seat to the Hows – how we make things accessible, how we simultaneously embrace and subvert traditions, and how we make things our own. I find the interplay of identity fascinating, and it’s one that plays out every time we set out to find South Africa’s Best Dressed men (p90). With all that in mind, it’s clear that the rule to follow this season is: live without boundaries, and plenty of attitude – it’s the only way we can fight off the Upside Down.
Enjoy the issue.