A#27
A Magazine Curated By Glenn Martens, 2023.
The 27th issue has been curated by Glenn Martens, the Belgian creative director of both Diesel and Y/Project.
Martens’ work is steeped in gothic imagery taken from the Flemish masters, often reworked through a contemporary digitally-informed lens. This juxtaposition plays a central role in his issue, balancing the historical with the now. A substantial portfolio shot in Martens’ hometown of Bruges plays on this theme; Photographer Arnaud Lajeunie and stylist Ursina Gysi photographed 10 years of Y/Project on iconic Belgian models like Anouck Lepere, Delphine Bafort, Kim Peers, Anne-Catherine Lacroix and Roos Van Bosstraeten throughout the medieval city.
The fascination of a muse, in this case the Pre-Raphaelite artist Elizabeth Siddal, is dissected in an essay by Nicole DeMarco, exploring how all redhead muses of history might owe their it-girl statuses to Siddal. The longest extensions made by hair artist Cyndia Harvey is photographed in a series of images by Jordan Hemingway and stylist Robbie Spencer inspired by women like Siddal with fashion by Diesel, Y/Project and Jean Paul Gaultier Couture. Turning the idea on its head, in a series of self-portraits Sharok, the Iranian-American adult performer, takes his agency back in a discussion about the self and representation.
A continuation of this contemplation, Paul Kooiker photographs a longtime muse, using clay and forms to play with the shape of the body. The sitter becomes sculpture. Similarly, a carte blache beauty series by makeup artist Inge Grognard and photographer Zhong Lin turns face into the canvas of artwork — with the striking cover image of A MAGAZINE curated by GLENN MARTENS being taken from this series.
Photography by Zac Bayly
Contributors in alphabetical order:
Arnaud Lajeunie, Bob & Julie Bagnall, Cyndia Harvey, Fredrik Nielsen, Inge Grognard, Jordan Hemingway, Josh Kline, Kacper Kasprzyk, Kristien Hanselaer, Lars Byrresen Petersen, Michael Abel, Michelle Deng, Nicole DeMarco, Paul Kooiker, Robbie Spencer, Senjan Jansen, Sharok, Silvia Prada, Ursina Gysi, Zac Bayly, Zhong Lin
Delfine Bafort photographed by Arnaud Lajeunie and styled by Ursina Gysi
Roos van Bosstraeten photographed by Arnaud Lajeunie and styled by Ursina Gysi
Hair extensions by Cyndia Harvey photographed by Jordan Hemingway and styled by Robbie Spencer
Artwork by Josh Kline
Artwork by Fredrik Niesel photographed by Kacper Kasprycz
Julie and Bob Bagnall aka Mohawkamania
Photography by Paul Kooiker
Self-portrait by Sharok
Makeup by Inge Grognard photographed by Zhong Lin
‘Books are a very special format, both as a source of knowledge and as physical objects. They hold a certain weight and presence, and there is something very tactile and intimate about engaging with them. Compared to digital research, they feel more focused and, in a way, more precious.’
‘I find beauty in sadness because it’s an emotion that is ever-present for everyone; I feel sadness every day. But when I face those heavy emotions through my collection, life feels a little lighter, and the garment-making practice itself becomes meditative.’
To celebrate the launch of A Manual For Living Curated for Nike, A Magazine Curated By gathered friends and collaborators at Drop City during NikeAir_Lab for Milan Design Week 2026.
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