Posts Tagged ‘la carmina’

It’s apt that I write a Global Gothic column for Lip Service, since La Carmina is always travelling. I’m always moving in and out of rooms.

Some people consider temporary accommodations to be poor substitutes for home-sweet-home. I disagree. In Hong Kong, my Roomorama short term apartment immediately filled with warm memories. Such as:

1) Laughing at cheesy pop groups on MTV Asia.
2) Watching horror DVDs late at night — and squirming in fright.
3) Putting away treasures from Mongkok shopping trips in the clever storage space.
4) Drinking bubbly while overlooking the harbor view.

I’m excited to share the Goth fashion and culture I discovered in Hong Kong and Macau. Photos and stories to come next month, as well as on my blog!

I recently joined Lookbook, and realized that many of my favorite outfits (and memories) are tied to my travels. Such as this Seattle library photoshoot, from my trip to the Aural Vampire / Black Veil Brides / Dommin / Birthday Massacre concert. (More photos)

In front of Seattle’s famous bubblegum wall, before the DespairsRay show. I’m wearing a Lip Service steampunk skirt from the Step In Time collection. (More photos)

While in Los Angeles, I did a Blablahospital modeling shoot in the Hollywood Hills batcaves. (More photos)

Harajuku, Tokyo is where my heart is. I wore Baby, the Stars Shine Bright for the Dutch Pepsi filming. (More photos)

This is one of the outfits I wore on the set of NHK’s New York Wave — they filmed a TV documentary about my work in cute cooking. (More photos and info about my book, Cute Yummy Time)

But home is where your cat is! Basil Farrow loves to pose for photos in Vancouver. (More cuteness on his Scottish Fold blog.)

PS: Thank you to fellow Lip Service blogger, Steff Metal, for interviewing me about entrepreneurship for Grymm and Epic.

Got any questions about travel, or the outfits pictured? Email or Tweet me, and I’ll be sure to answer. Or let’s be friends on Facebook?

** Click to add La Carmina on Facebook, or push the button below.

XXX LA CARMINA XXX
http://www.lacarmina.com/

Ciao, Italia! La Carmina has lots of Gothic Globetrotting ahead this year. Sebastiano and I will be in Italy in June… on a sponsored trip! From June 9-11, Seba and I will be special guests at Firenze4Ever III. It’s an extravaganza for top fashion bloggers around the world, presented by designer boutique LuisaViaRoma.

If you’re in Italy with a fellow Lip Service model, you might as well do some traveling, right? Our wonderful friends at Hostelbookers are hooking us up with hotels all over Italy — meaning Seba and I will be in Venice, Rome, Milan and Florence this June.

Of course, the first question on my mind is… what’s Italy’s Gothic scene like? I had the pleasure of interviewing my Twitter friend, Lady Aphasia, about the best Goth shops and parties in Milan. Here are her suggestions.

La Carmina: Tell me a bit about yourself.

Aphasia: I’m a woman in love — in love with my job (events organization), with life and with music. I’ve always lived in Milan, even though I’m half French.

La Carmina: How did you first become interested and involved in Goth underground fashion and subcultures in Milan?

Aphasia: It’s always been so, since I was 14 and I discovered bands like Cure, Bauhaus, Siouxie and so on. Milan it’s a little town compared to London or L.A. but we don’t miss anything if you know where to look for.

La Carmina: Can you tell me how the Gothic scene in Milan originated and evolved? Are there aspects that are distinct to the scene?

Aphasia: I guess it began at the end of eighties, where there was also the punk scene. Milan has been divided in groups: trendy ones, punk, gothic, metal and glam. Even the districts of the town were delineated by these groups. Music from UK and USA was like an overflow, so many discos and alternative pubs opened.

Now it’s a bit different: all alternative peoples meet in a few places, they get along quite well. But there are only a few pubs and discos. Now new wave and gothic has a quite of overlap with other cultures, like industrial.

La Carmina: How would you describe Gothic fashion in Italy?

Aphasia: You should check yourself, it’s very heterogeneous, you can find aristocrat fashion and cyber goth in the same group. During the last few years, Gothic & Lolita has become famous. Unfortunately there aren’t many shops, most of them sell cosplay outfits. You can find goth and loli accessories without many troubles, but for dresses, the web is still the best way.

La Carmina: Has the fashion scene changed a lot?

Aphasia: Yes it is, but because of internet, now you can see and choose clothing, and get input from the foreign scenes.

La Carmina: Can you recommend some Milan / Italy-based Gothic clothing brands, designers and shops?

Aphasia: For alternative shops, goods, clothes etc. you can’t miss Corso Porta Ticinese. It’s a street in the middle of Milan that will bring you to Duomo. This part of the town is where alternatives people meet, and there are many types of shops, low-cost bars and pubs.

La Carmina: What is the Italian Goth clubs scene like?

Aphasia: One of the most important alternative/goth club is the BLACK HOLE. This is my favorite; it’s not in the center of town but not far either. Zoe Club is the bigger alternative club in town. Then there’s the Shelter Club: this one is out of Milan, not easy to reach, but important for dark and new wave culture. Black Circus is good too. At these events, you will see dark, loli, goth, cyber styles all together.

La Carmina: What do you predict for the dark fashion / scene in Milan and Italy? Is it growing, changing?

Aphasia: I love Japanese brands so it’s quite difficult to answer. But things are always changing –  it’s always so, isn’t it?

La Carmina: Thank you, my dark Lady, for the interview. Sebastiano Serafini and I can’t wait to check out Milan’s darkest haunts. As always, I’ll have photos and stories for you on my Goth culture and fashion blog.

Ciao, ciao!
XXX LA CARMINA XXX
http://www.lacarmina.com/

(The first 2 photos are by La Carmina. The last 3 photos in this post are courtesy Shelter Club.)

Japan is ground zero for my work (in writing and TV hosting) and some of my closest friends. So it’s been personally devastating to see the crisis unfold after the 9.0 earthquake and and tsunami.

There’s only one thing on my mind: taking action for the sake of the victims. Sebastiano Serafini got on a flight to Los Angeles, and we immediately set our minds on how to help Japan.

Every single day,  we have been sponsoring events and collecting donations, in Los Angeles. Here’s a diary of our charity work (with more photos and reports on La Carmina blog). We hope you’ll join us in helping Japan recover.

March 15: Mr Black club organizer Luke Nero and hostess Lenora Claire inviting us to set up a donation table at their Tuesday night party. We collected funds for Doctors Without Borders, and posed with the Japan flag with musicians Bishi and Semi Precious Weapons.

CLICK for more photos from Mr. Black

March 16: Band Black Veil Brides was in Tokyo when the earthquake hit. Despite the constant aftershocks, they still put on a show that night and made it back to LA safe. The group is keen to support Japan’s recovery, so I interviewed Ashley Purdy about their earthquake experience for Huffington Post.

CLICK for the full interview and more Black Veil Brides photos

March 17: Since we were hosting many nonprofit events, we decided to make a visual statement… by dying our hair red, in support of Japan! Our friends at Toni & Guy, who also styled us for the NOH8 campaign, generously did our hair for the charitable cause. (All week long, I’ve been rocking my Lip Service Dark Delphina jacket, pictured above!)

CLICK for more red hair photos

March 18: Seba and La Carmina sponsored the Q Pop art auction for Japan in Little Tokyo. There was a terrific turnout and colorful crowd, as well as musical performances. All proceeds from the sale of the artwork (from artists like Junko Mizuno) went to select local hospitals, shelters, and relief groups in all affected areas in Japan.

CLICK for a full report of the Q Pop fundraiser

March 19: We teamed up to sponsor an art benefit. It was awesome to see readers come to the events — we always love meeting you!

CLICK for more art & fashion event pics

Liz from LA Weekly interviewed La Carmina and Sebastiano about their experiences with the Japan earthquake, and the efforts we’ve been making to raise funds and awareness. The article and 33-photo slideshow are posted here.

Our work for Japan has only begun. Sebastiano co-founded the Hope project with Like Atmosphere (a Japanese fashion brand he models for). He will be the main model for a line of t-shirts, with proceeds going to the victims of the Japanese tsunami and earthquake. La Carmina and Seba are the inspiration for the t-shirt above, designed by Alice and the Cat. The charity shirts will be available for sale soon; please check back to be the first to know.

Thanks to everyone who has shared their stories with me. It’s going to be a long and hard road to recovery, and Japan needs all the support it can get. So let’s pitch in and keep the momentum going.

For more info about how to help Japan, please visit La Carmina blog.

I’m from Vancouver, Canada — yes, La Carmina is a proud Canadian! But I ran away to New York City after high school, so I never got to experience much of my hometown’s Goth scene.

So when a local alternative clothing boutique, Deadly Couture, invited to come play dress up, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse. (I learned that the store carries a big selection of Lip Service, and that LS is hugely popular among Vancouver Goths!)

I met a lovely, bubbly pink-haired lady named Tracy, who was sprinkling fairy dust all over Vancouver’s Goth/alt subculture scene. Who better to interview about the city’s dark fashion? Read on to learn about the evolution of Gothic and alternative fashion in Vancouver, Canada! Watermarked photos are by Michael R. Barrick (“Atratus”) from Gothic BC.

- Let’s start with an intro! Who are you, and what you do?

My name is Tracy Rodger, and I am a stylist & makeup artist living and working in beautiful Vancouver, BC, Canada. You can find me on Mondays & Tuesdays working at the Deadly Couture boutique in historic Gastown… I am fairly new on the scene, 3 years approx., and make my living in the local Maritime Industry (but that’s for another interview… ^_~), but I am a passionate student of all things Alternative & Fashion and really try to put my all into the work that I am given. I’ve organized and run a few fashion shows for the boutique. I love to help people feel Sexy & Confident, and it’s my mission to bring out the inner Freak in all of us…  <3

- How did you first become interested and involved in Goth / Underground fashion and subcultures in Vancouver?

Well I grew up in North Vancouver, and was always a little bit of a punk, riding the bus downtown as a teen to Granville street to buy hair dye and studded collars at “The Underground” boutique (RIP). (La Carmina’s note: I did the very same as a teenager.) My fashion hunting skills evolved as I graduated high school and started Marine College and a life at sea. Then I had the opportunity to travel internationally and get ashore in random places where I would tourist, get tattooed, and seek out the local street style, always my favourite part!! I love to shop, and picking up items that were inspiring to me from those places was a huge thrill of that life.

I finally settled as a landlubber back in Vancouver a number of years ago and met up with a old friend who introduced me to Sin City, a fashionable fetish club night in Vancouver… and that was the beginning of my LOVE for all things freaky, sexy, & alternative. After that, I went out 3 times a week, at LEAST, for the first year 1/2 to all the Goth/Industrial/Fetish/Burlesque/Metal/Rock/Alternative nights I could get my hands on, I hadn’t been ashore in one place for so long, Ever!!

I ended up befriending the owner of Deadly Couture, Miss Jenni Wong, and eventually started working/volunteering for clothes to flesh out my wardrobe for my many adventures about town. There’s a different outfit & style to fit the million types of events, and inspired by it all, I love to work at the Boutique where you can find clothes you love to rock out!

The more I meet people in this city’s darker night life, the more shades of “goth/underground” become apparent. It’s more relevant to say that with all the subcultures we do have, we are really united by one thing, being Alternative.

- Can you tell me how the Gothic scene in Vancouver originated and evolved? Are there aspects that are distinct to the scene?

Well, I can tell you what I know, but really all you’d have to do is come out to one of the many “goth” club nights in the City and ask one of the regulars, lurking at the pools table usually, who’ve been coming out since day 1 and they’ll be happy to tell you, mind the fangs… ^_~ I would say that the “Goth Scene” centers around the couple of clubs that us freaks gather at to dance, on a weekly basis.

But in the late ’70s, early ’80s, things really got started in Vancouver with LUVAFAIR, originally a gay disco attracting alternative artsy types. The venue turned out to be THE place to party to New Wave, Punk, etc., anything other than the top 40 of the day. You could be dressed goth, punk or in full drag and that was the club you mixed & mingled at. It continues on in spirit today, but has transformed into hosting special events that cater to the fashion elite, mixing fashion, art, and music all into fun, glamorous, and charitable events that are attended by the fashion industry types (Luv n’ Grace Entertainment).

After meeting up with similar types at Luvafair, Sanctuary was formed. * Est. 1997! And continues to be the place for Goth/Underground clubbing scene & fashion to mix. “Sanctuary is the longest-running night in the city devoted to underground and alternative music and culture since Day One, and the second longest running night in the city overall, keeping Vancouver freaky for 12 solid years to date! Come dressed to the 9′s in your swankiest or freakiest gear or come casual, and join the weekly worship – whether it’s the simple experience of the music you’re after, heavy consumption or incessant dancing, this is the best kept secret in town! This is the -real- dance underground, drawing simultaneously from the heavier and more electronic genres and rejecting the tired tunes of the mainstream, and delivering a mix of favourite classics and fat new tunes.”  ~DJ Pandemonium, Restricted Entertainment & Sanctuary Founder.

It continues to be the “Sanctuary” for the darker types among the alternative crowd, and consistently puts out great themed parties too, like the popular Sci-Fi Night (for our inner nerdy needs!), or the White Party (Ever seen a goth in all white? How about 200 of them under black light?). The themed decor is always top notch as the Promoter’s day job is in Set Decoration for the Film & TV Industry. We’re spoiled in Vancouver by great talents all putting together this night from the decor to the photo booth, to, of course, the Dj’s who always throw down a stompy great time! Dress to Impress, whatever your alternative style bent, and you’ll contribute to a great night out.

Even for a relatively small city, we’re lucky to have a few options to wear our Freaky Fashions out to. There is now also a weekly goth/industrial night, Descent Sundays, who spawned out of a move by Sanctuary to a different Venue and from a Sunday to a Friday (now alternating Saturdays), leaving a space open where people still wanted to party. Descent has been holding down Sunday nights at the Red Room Ultra Bar for a number of years now, and as their website says: “With wicked music, great people, awesome drink specials, and cheap cover, you’ll come to know why we say, To HELL with Monday!” We locals consider it “Family Dinner” night, and while not the hugest night out, you’re sure to run in to someone you know, and it’s a great place to dress however you want that week, goths in ball-gowns and metal heads in jeans are spotted weekly.

I think one thing that makes our scene distinct is the large cross over with other alternative communities, notably the fetish & burlesque communities. The scene in Vancouver is relatively large if you include all alternative types, but there are not that many venues catering to them so you really interact with all types at various events.  You can come to Goth night and see a few of the local Sweet Soul Burlesque girls on stage performing their darker routines, and then see the of Goth girls out at the weekly Kitty Nights Burlesque show. There’s even a whole Goth-esque troupe called Bloody Betty’s Burlesque who are freaky bloody sexy messy girls on stage, as the name suggests.

And what to say about Sin City Fetish Night?! Dress Code Enforced! This fetish night is a great mix of regular kinksters and freaky alternative types come out to dress up & play. Tons of cross over with the Goth community of this city, it’s a night for all Freaky People to get in to their sexiest Kit and get their party on. Best Place to dance topless in the city, if that’s your sort of thing… ^_~ and winner of the Vancouver Nightlife Awards Event of the Year in 2010, beating out Deadmau5’s event even! Fetish and Goth Fashion really push each other forward here. Dress to Sexpress yourself and definitely rip it up in the cages if you dare!!

- How would you describe Gothic fashion in Vancouver? Has it changed over the years?

I would say that the gothic fashion here firmly has its roots in traditional American gothic style as Shrine jackets are always a coveted fashion item. The major outfitter of the scene is Lip Service. Everyone has a large portion of their Goth necessities made by LS. We don’t have any major retailers of alternative fashion, so boutique hopping, online shopping and trips South across the US border are norms when hunting for that unique look.

However, we are an ever evolving scene, very broadly influenced, and are open to combining looks into something uniquely Vancouver. We look West to the UK and Europe for dressier looks, and the Steam-Punk movement has help to reinvigorate the more traditional Gothic Victorian, Edwardian, vintage, etc fashion looks, with people being cross-inspired by it. Cyber styles are also a staple! And with all the latex making such a crossover from the Fetish scene, cyber looks evolve too.

Looking East, We’re also lucky to have close ties to Japan, and the Asian influence in alternative fashion is very strongly seen in Vancouver. Lolita and JRock crossover looks are definitely huge here, with the “Creepy Doll” themed Sanctuary Goth night, bringing out the fluffy dresses in droves. I think it’s really the eastern spirit to create unique over the top looks that influences Vancouver fashion.

Also, there is a lot of Pin-Up inspired fashion both in Sweet & Goth styles, and our girls love their actual Vintage finds! There’s a lot of people who rock the more stompy Industrial style too, as usually seen on the dance floors going through their Demonia Boots on a monthly basis. Then there’s the Rockers, fashion from Goth, Punk, Rockabilly/Psychobilly, Indie, Metal, to Grungy Glamsters, this city likes its “Rock”! I think our scene is lucky to be in the middle of things, and will continue to evolve as we have the benefit of options, and influxes of new people and ideas. We really aren’t afraid to sample what the other alternative types are up to, from fashion shows, to club nights, to art gallery openings. I get inspired most by the people out and about at events who are spinning their own look, the unicorns.

Candid shot Backstage, before the Love, Sex, & Industrial fashion show for Deadly Couture

- Can you recommend some Vancouver-based Gothic clothing brands, designers and shops?

Yes for sure! Well, of course come visit me at Deadly Couture’s boutique for our in-house Corsets and Cinchers, a staple I think! (Goth, Alt, Lolita, Latex, Fetish club & day wear) We’re also expanding our in house line to include Latex garments & accessories from Deadly Dichotomy Designs. While you are in the Gastown Neighbourhood, be sure to check out New World Designs (Pin-up & Goth), Venus & Mars (Goth & Renaissance-Faire inspired), Hitz Boutique (Skate & Day Alt wear, Iron Fist, etc.), and wander up Granville Street for the Newly re-Opened Millennium Boutique (Goth day & club wear). Flaming Angels is also a local brand with a store on Main Street selling locally made goth & pinup inspired clothes & accessories. Melons & Sweet Cheeks brand is the best local place to get your PVC Bullet Bra needs. Also check out Scout Boutique for more classic pinup and rock styles, some locally made notably by Misty Greer’s Trunkshow, and shop Lace Embrace Atelier for beautiful and classic corsets made locally.

Candid shot Backstage, lining up for Candyland Fashion show for Deadly Couture

- What is the Vancouver club scene like? What are your favorite places? Where can you find the best fashion?

Eep, I kinda answered already above, but to summarize, the Goth/Alternative Vancouver Club scene is very vibrant and has great party atmosphere, welcoming to new people and ideas, and there’s enough locals who’ve been out since the beginning to give the scene a grounding and history. Show up in your Gothic/Alt best to Sanctuary, and for Decent, dress up or down as you feel inspired to, But show up in your sexiest dark gear to Sin City for a great night of fetish fashion eye candy. I’m at all of them regularly, and parked next to the dance floor usually.

Photo by Jamie Shutterbug Coles. Summer Goth, at the 2010 Pride Parade, in full Moustaches

- What do you predict for the dark fashion / scene in Vancouver? Is it growing, changing?

There’s a lot of artistic talent in this town, and I think it shows in the fashion, makeup, & styling that people put together week after week. It’s literally taken me Years to get to recognize some people who come out regularly because they change their look drastically from event to event. I think there will be a lot more expansion in the area of Latex fashion and we’ll be seeing how it mixes with traditional fabrics  and crosses over into more everyday dark club wear. It’s not just for fetish models in glam magazines anymore! The people in Vancouver themselves aren’t always happy being labelled or pigeonholed as one style, and are interested to combine elements of different fashion ideas into their own, or simply to dress up in different genres as the mood suits. It is growing and changing every year, just come check out one of Restricted Entertainment’s fashion forward events like the Candyland or Wild Kingdom parties in 2010 to have a taste of what’s next.

Lastly, I highly recommend checking out  GothicBC, “ a resource for Goths and like-minded bohemians, artists, musicians, etc. from Victoria to Fort St. John. Promoters and patrons of B.C. events can upload pictures to the photo gallery to showcase these events.” It is, In my opinion, the best source of Vancouver’s current Goth/Underground/Fetish fashion inspiration, hosting all the professional photos taken at various local Goth & Alternative events. Spend some time looking through those galleries to get a good taste of the broad range of Dark Fashion in this city.

You can see that both Tracy and I are fans of Lip Service’s Sassy Sailor dress! I wore the skimpy costume to an Anime Burlesque night in Los Angeles, where girls dressed as Sailor Moon and Pikachu took of their clothes. Here are more photos from the night.

Lots of great news lately… I’ve begun to write for Huffington Post Travel and Style. My Huff Post blog is now up — will you kindly “Like” and “Fan” it? Pretty please?

I also have several exciting TV hosting projects in the works, was profiled for a Spanish Coolhunting book, and am currently in  a Norway TV commercial (the program airs Feb 25th on NRK).

Finally, Sebastiano and I are helping the NOH8 Campaign go to Japan for the very first time! We did a shoot for the campaign, which fights hate and inequality, and are very excited to be spreading the message worldwide.

To keep track of my latest travels and spooky adventures, please visit La Carmina blog – I update daily, with plenty of Goth fashion photos!

† Dark Wishes †

LA CARMINA

La Carmina and her “latest victim”, Tokyo-based actor / model / stylist Sebastiano Serafini, kick-started 2011… with a blood-drenched Hollywood Invasion! Our Los Angeles trip included photoshoots, TV meetings and hosting Goth parties, such as Bar Sinister New Year’s. But a major highlight was crashing Lip Service headquarters and putting on fangs for a Steampunk Vampire photoshoot.

Our shoot was for Vampyrotic, a magazine to “celebrate our dark sanguinary desires in gorgeously captured photos and video.” We crept into Servitu, a private Los Angeles dungeon, with our mastermind photographer Mich (who took all photos in this post).

But let’s rewind a little bit. We began the day at Lip Service headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. Sebastiano and I were like spooky kids in a candy store: so many clothing samples to try on, from red furry jackets to cage skirts! We met Mickey and Bryn in the red office, and got an exclusive preview of the upcoming designs.

The behind-the-scenes tour made me feel like Alice in Wonderland. Sky-high shelves containing fabric rolls and and boxes of trimmings!

It was impossible to narrow down our clothing choices for the shoot, so we ended up taking several sacks with us (including borrowed top hats and stomper boots). Mich fitted us with vampire teeth, which you first soak in warm water, then press to your canines until they firm up and stay in place.

Servitu Studios was a funhouse of torture equipment, including restraints, medical examination chairs, rusty cages, and a “vacuum bed” that vacuum-packs a person into latex. (Sebastiano: “Should we try?”) We settled on the dark aristocratic chair by the window and filled our wine glasses with blood. Our outfits are mostly coordinated from Lip Service’s Step in Time Steampunk collection.

We changed into Nocturnal Rendezvous and Circuit City garments and climbed to the rooftop. Dusk was falling and the sky was radioactive blue. Perfect for a Power Rangers pose.

Domo arigato gozaimasu to Mich, Mickey, Bryn, Maria and everyone at Lip Service for having us as models. I’ll post more photos from the Steampunk Vampire fashion shoot on La Carmina blog, in addition to scandalous Los Angeles Gothic fashion and party photos… come take a drive-by!

† Dark Wishes †

LA CARMINA

Anyone in Tokyo this XXX-mas? You are in luck. Japan is the capital of creative, experimental Gothic fashion — and there are several club events happening on December 25th!

Midnight Mess is the longest-running Goth Industrial EBM event in Tokyo. On December 25th, organizer Maya is hosting a † Nightmare After X’mas † party, featuring performer Chaos Royale. For maps, instructions and details, I have a big fat Tokyo club guide on La Carmina blog.

Readers often tell me they feel intimidated to go to Japanese Goth parties alone, especially if they are new to Tokyo. Rest assured that everyone is very nice, and many of the hosts speak English. The crowd may be covered in piercings and leopard print, but they’re some of the nicest folk you’ll ever meet at a club!

Here I am with the Midnight Mess family. In addition to DJs, there are rope suspensions and live musical performers. Covenant, Das Ich, Spanking Machine, Skinny Puppy and more have graced the stage.

On Christmas, Tokyo Decadance is also taking place at J-Pop Cafe in Shibuya. DJ SiSEN and Selia are regular performers.

Organized by Adrien le Danois, Decadance is notorious for its crazy cyber rainbow club fashion. You’ll see every style tribe here — from Gothic Lolita to light-up body suits.

What if you don’t have a flamboyant outfit? You can buy fashion from the booths at the party, such as these custom eyelashes by ViVi.

What if you’re not in Tokyo for the holidays? No problem — the parties happen every month. And Decadance Bar — the hangout of space alien club queens – is open every night of the week.

How to get there? For addresses, RSVP info, maps and reports please check out my Tokyo club guide.

Excellent news - I’m in Los Angeles from December 28 to Jan 10th! Can’t wait to drop by Lip Service headquarters and say hi to the team.

On Saturday, Jan 1st, Sebastiano Serafini and La Carmina are hosting a party at LA’s spookiest nightclub, Bar Sinister in Hollywood.

Two indie-alternative bands are performing that night: Julien-K and The Dreaming. There will be fetish playroom stations, Goth EBM Industrial deejays, and copious amounts of absinthe… we hope you can come!!

WHAT: La Carmina & Sebastiano Serafini — party at Bar Sinister. RSVP on Facebook.

WHEN: Saturday, January 1st, 2011, 10:30pm to late. (Please note this is the evening of Jan 1st, NOT New Year’s Eve)
WHERE: Bar Sinister, 1652 N Cherokee Ave (between Hollywood and Selma), Los Angeles, CA
PRICE: $16.50 advance / $20 at the door / $5 off with a MySpace flyer. Bring your receipt and ID (21+).
HOW TO BUY: Go to the Bar Sinister site, scroll down to Jan 1st and click Buy Now for advance tickets. Or just show up and get tickets at the door.

So excited to party with you on Jan 1st! Please save the date and tell all your Los Angeles friends. We promise not to bite… unless you want us to…

Itching for more Japanese Goth Lolita clubbing photos and fashion? I post daily photos and reports on www.lacarmina.com/blog – please check it out.

† Dark Wishes †
LA CARMINA

O Canada, my home and native land! Since I’m from Vancouver (West side), Toronto’s Goth scene has always been a source of fascination to me. As Edgar Allan Poe put it in “The Man Who Was All Used Up” –

“The slightest appearance of mystery – of any point I cannot exactly comprehend – puts me at once into a pitiable state of agitation.”

Over the past few years, I became friends with Taeden Hall, designer of a magical clothing label called “Gloomth & the Cult of Melancholy.” (I’m wearing her beautiful pirate coat and Victorian dress in the photos above; more images on my blog.) Gloomth is based in Toronto, and has a cult following among dark fashion lovers. Who better to ask about the Ontario Gothic community? Here’s my chat with Taeden and her friend Laura — editrix of online magazine Morbid Outlook, DJ, and director of tribal fusion bellydance troupe, The Serpentina North Ensemble. 

LA CARMINA: How did you first become interested and involved in Gothic / underground fashion and subcultures in Toronto?

TAEDEN: Honestly, I had never heard the word “gothic” until I was about 17/18 years old, this was before the Internet was widely available. I had no clue that there were people out there that looked and felt like I did. I didn’t really have a name for the style I wore, it was heavily influenced by really bad vampire books and even worse movies. I moved to Toronto officially when I was 18 and was already fascinated by Gothic culture and fashion, so the first thing I did was walk right up to the first “Gothy” girl I saw at my university and made her be my friend. It sounds so lame now but honestly that’s exactly how it happened. I’m a doofus. She and I started going to the local clubs/events and meeting more like-minded people.

LAURA: I’ve been kicking around the Goth scene in the US back when I was a teenager (early 90s); I moved to Toronto over 3 years ago because I feel very at home in this city.

LA CARMINA: Can you tell me how the Gothic scene in Toronto originated and evolved? Are there aspects that are distinct to the scene?

TAEDEN: I read once that a major city is one that has a minimum of 10 full-time Goths. As for the scene developing in Toronto, I think it came about as it did in many North American urban centers – sort of an offshoot of punk and New Wave – from “new romantic” to “Gothic”. Eventually you get enough people feeling the same way and they open clubs and spaces to congregate in – thus the subculture expands. I think Toronto’s “Gothic” scene was really tight-knit for a very long time, the same people running the same events and hosting the same shows. I also think the scene here was really connected to the underground art scene also, which is true of many subcultures.

LAURA: Toronto has been a big EBM town for 10-15 years and there’s a strong cybergoth contingent, although the trad Goth and deathrock scene is making a revival.

LA CARMINA: How would you describe Gothic fashion in Toronto? Which styles, brands, looks etc are popular? Has it changed over the years?

TAEDEN: What’s considered “Gothic” now is nothing like what was considered so when I moved here. I think there’s more of a mainstream influence on the culture and fashion than there has ever been. The internet makes it incredibly easy to find the clothing and the music, which was not the case 10+ years ago. At the clubs you see everything from decked out cyber and fetish kids to casual black-skirt-black-top girls. On the streets it’s definitely less dramatic for the most part, lots of big boots and short skirts, babydoll t-shirts printed with whatever comic/movie/slogan/band/thing.

LAURA: Cybergoth complete with big dreadlocks/plastic tubing hair and platforms is very prominent among the younger generation here. Big boots and short skirts are also a very Toronto look.

LA CARMINA: Can you recommend some Toronto or Ontario-based Gothic clothing brands, designers and shops?

TAEDEN: Artifice clothing is the first that comes to mind, others include Futurstate and shops like Hell’s Belles and Borderline Plus- and of course, us, Gloomth!

LAURA: Designers include Gloomth, Plastik Wrap, and Futurstate, while stores would include Hell’s Belles (formerly Siren) and Borderline.

LA CARMINA: What is the Toronto club scene like?

TAEDEN: The Goth club scene in Toronto is somewhat sparse. There are some really well-attended fetish nights in the city but the “Gothic” club scene mainly involves the same couple of nights at the same places. “The Velvet Underground” (Queen St. West) has a decent night on Thursdays and lots of people attend “Neutral” on Fridays/Saturdays – others include “Nocturne” and “Bovine Sex Club”.

LAURA: Velvet Underground on Thursdays and Neutral on Fridays are great for dancing, but the fashion is very casual. The best dressed can be found at fetish events like Fetish Masquerade and Subspace.

LA CARMINA: What do you predict for the dark fashion / scene in Toronto? Is it growing, changing?

TAEDEN: It’s hard to predict where the scene is going in Toronto. It would be great if people could get some new nights and events going, but it’s always hard to get everyone on the same page and people are notoriously reluctant to try new places. I think “Gothic” style is going to keep being subdivided into a multitude of categories and tribes within those.

LAURA: Definitely. As I mentioned earlier, I think things are coming full circle and the traditional Goth/Goth rock/romantic and deathrock looks and music are being revived and inroduced to a new generation.

Some eloquent final thoughts from Taeden’s anonymous friend…

“The Toronto Goth scene has pretty much evolved as has happened all over the world in to factions. With the internet and especially blogs and tags and Google, there is a need to commodify and name creating sub- and even sub-sub-genres, so there really isn’t a ‘Goth’ scene anymore. The few that call themselves Goths are ‘old school’ and listen to music and dress early 90’s, making them, in a way nostalgia Goths. The steampunk movement has some momentum but they seem to be less about clubbing and music and more about collectables and anime conventions. There is the older or elder Goths that have gone more pagan and taken the Goth aesthetic to a more relaxed almost hippie look with long unkempt hair and flowy skirts. This could come from a natural, healthy evolving — also seeing themselves, their once younger selves parodied and called ‘old school’ must give one a pause.

I think Goth per se is now a term used to jumble together all the misfits in black, a loose term for an aesthetic that was difficult in the first place to put ones finger on. And like any community it’s splintered, bickered and is now mostly people being snarky on blogs, writing rules and worrying too much. I think there is just so much out there, so many books to read, so much art to see, places to discover, you cannot limit yourselves with titles, genres, or rules. Our worldview informs our aesthetic. How you dress is an important expression of who you are as an individual.

John Galliano said, ‘my fashion is storage.’ He is expressing his ideas, his worldview through an informed, intelligent, questioning aesthetic. We are the shapeshifters, the boundary leapers, the black cats seen in the corner of ones eye. I think it’s important to remember that, we are traveling and thinking, not stuck in genres or food courts. We are the custodians of the future, inspiring, not defining, it’s a terrifying business, but we must be fearless.”

Have you experienced the Toronto Goth scene? What do you think?

Interested in Japanese Gothic photos and reports? I blog every day about my adventures in Spookyville on www.lacarmina.com/blog – check it out!

† Dark Wishes †
LA CARMINA

Happy almost-Halloween! I’m glad you have been enjoying La Carmina’s Global Gothic tour of the world’s darkest fashion capitals. Please keep the feedback coming; I’ll gladly answer your questions in upcoming columns.

A reader wrote: “My best friend has been living in Korea and I want to go visit her. She said most of Korea is still like 1950s America… Do you know if there is a Goth scene in Seoul? Where can I go for alternative fashion and shopping?”

La Carmina: First, can you tell me a bit about who you are, and what you do?

Kit Ten Ita: I’m an amateur bellydancer, has-been blogger and passionate about improving my photography & consuming more music, a polyglot, and general oddball misanthrope. I define myself by my context, having lived in 6 different countries, moved more than 21 times before the age of 21. I lived in Korea for 6 years, participated in nearly all the BRHF goth parties (except for 2 summer parties when I was revisiting Switzerland) My involvement has ranged from dancefloor participant, dark fusion performer, drunk bartender, helpful decorator and supportive volunteer. I am currently pursuing a degree in Interactive Art at LASALLE.

La Carmina: How did you first become interested and involved in Goth / underground subcultures in Korea? Which cities and areas are hotspots?

Kit Ten Ita: My first interactions with the culture were with music when I was in my early teens – starting with Ministry, Skinny Puppy, Aphex Twin, and of course NIN. Many years later when I first arrived in Korea, my first contact was a metalhead named Sungwon who introduced me to both the Death Metal and Korean Goth scene. I had a Goth MeetUp Group and Counter Culture Forum and brought in the expats to the local scene.

Seoul and Busan both have a scene to my knowledge Seoul has a large population, but I hear the one in Busan has better attendance. But I could be incorrect about that since I’ve never been to the parties down South.

La Carmina: Can you tell me how the Gothic scene in Korea originated and evolved? Are there aspects that are distinct to the country?

Kit Ten Ita: To my knowledge the BRHF started with Hye In and Dosu, who are an indomitable pair in charge of organizing the Goth and Metal festivals. They had quite a challenge in trying to please all the participants from the ones who wanted somewhere to be entertained, have somewhere to sit and chat, to the ones who wanted to dance. But with an influx of people who wanted to dance, that soon changed. And it has transformed once again the past year…

The musical choices have usually been more thrash and metal, though now through cultural intermingling we are seeing more and hearing more EBM. But the musical choices are still generally more thrash and metal, and the culture is laced with death metal philosophies and antichristian rhetoric. It makes sense, considering Korea has the the highest number of Church attendees and Christian devotees.

What makes Korea special and particular is the prolific smoking and drinking culture, and after most concerts there are after parties that are open to people to mingle with the band members. An interesting fact to note are the laws against skirts above the knee and men with long hair (both of which are prevalent in the scene). Only recently has the former been amended. The tattoo culture was never really big until 2 years ago and since then it has really exploded. Stars and words are common. The piercing culture is very normalized with university students and it’s common to see very drastic piercings on very unassuming people. Androgynous men are viewed with a great degree of appeal.

La Carmina: How would you describe Gothic fashion in Korea? Which styles, brands, looks are popular? Has it changed over the years?

Kit Ten Ita: Gothic fashion in Korea is similar and influenced by Japan – whether aware of it or not, the Lolita look was extremely well adopted and popular in early 2000. But often with minimal makeup. These days the people in the scene are becoming more and more adventurous with their clothing choices, makeup choices and are more prone to putting on more makeup, predominantly thanks to a doom and Alex. Alternative fashion always goes into the mainstream so zippers, black and have become trendy post 80s fashion revival the past few years. But with the younger local goth crowd they tend to dress really pretty and sharp, new and clean clothing.

La Carmina: Can you recommend some Korean Gothic clothing brands, designers and shops?

Kit Ten Ita: Beetlejuice is perhaps the most well-known in both local and expat circles. They’ve held quite a few fashion shows. It is also the most-easily found and most well-priced, unless considering a Japanese import. The owner is a woman in her thirties who decided to bring back some of her designs influenced by being in London. Unfortunately for anyone above a UK size 14 or US size 12, which includes me, will have difficulty finding clothing that fits. Unless you have close connections with the tailor. The shopping areas of Ewha, Sinchon, Dongdaemun, Apgujeong all have affordable punk and Goth influenced wear, especially accessories. And imported clothing from Japan. So you really gotta explore the little nooks and crannies.

But if you’re interested in having tailor made boots, they start from 60 to as much as 250 dollars. Just make sure to have them redo anything you’re not happy with. There are several leather shops, and Dongdaemun for fabric if you make your own clothing or need new drapes. There was a place in Dongdaemun that had a variety of platform shoes but I’m not sure if its still there. (Address: Migliore 7th floor #122-126 02 3393 1995)

La Carmina: If I came to Korea and you were my tour guide, where would you take me? What is the club scene like?

Kit Ten Ita: Seoul is limitless in terms of how many places there are to go, the number of distractions, entertainment and festivals, multimedia and interactive installations throughout the city – but to get a whole experience you would definitely have to experience the PC BANG (internet and gaming cafes) JIMJILBANG (public baths and saunas) NORAEBANG (karaoke) DVDBANG (rent and watch DVDs in your own personal stereo surround room with projector) and check out a MOTEL. All of these places are practically on every corner of the city.

As for shopping, university shopping areas such as Ewha, Sinchon, Hongdae provide a suitable variety of affordable clothing and shoes (both under American size 8) and more upscale areas in Cheongdam and Apgujeong. As for parties and events, there is a limit to the scale of parties in the Goth scene. There is a great availability of trendy clubs playing house, RnB, techno, rock, etc. Keep an eye out for posters on the streets of Hongdae – there are usually several in a row. And keep an eye out for plastic surgery and prostitution! There’s plenty of diversity as well in Itaewon – where homo hill and hooker hill (near a shopping area commonly populated by tourists and local American army base people) lead to a mosque on top.

For Goth parties in Seoul, check out BRHF Blood Red Halo (Hallow) Festival. Hye In is THE organiser for Gothic/Industrial events, and Sungwon (Bilingual & Biracial) is prominent in the scene.

As for music, I recommend a doom (Pain’s Goth Rock Band), KOM-POUND (EBM/Electro/Industrial) and Dosu & Oathean (Dosu’s Death Metal Band).

La Carmina: What do you predict for the dark fashion / scene in Korea? Is it growing, changing?

Kit Ten Ita: As for the people within the scene itself, makeup usage and experimentation in general has usually been limited in the past to simple eyeliner and powder, but I’ve seen them experimenting more and more recently thanks to external influences, such as our Korean-fluent German friend Alex, which have made theatrical makeup more accessible and acceptable. I’ve also seen more and more people modifying and tinkering their clothing rather than buying it ready-made. This particular feminine style of Gothic fashion itself has always been appealing and as people enjoy dressing up it’s more than obvious and likely that both fashion and the scene will continue to grow – especially with better exposure through bloggers. ;-)

La Carmina: Thank you to the lovely Kit Ten Ita for the comprehensive answers! As for me… I’m continuing to blog every day on www.lacarmina.com/blog. And I’ve launched a Japanese TV fixing & coolhunting business: La Carmina & The Pirates. Translating, connecting, consulting, production coordinating for TV crews — we do it all. Already, we have a mission… NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) is flying us to Tokyo to host and arrange a TV show. So we’ll be celebrating Halloween in spooky Japan — can’t wait.

Please keep the comments and emails coming; let me know which country’s Goth scene you’d like to see featured next time. Have a wonderful Halloween — I’ll be rocking my skimpy Lip Service Goth Nun outfit!

† Dark Wishes †
LA CARMINA

Hello, I’m La Carmina, your travel guide to the darkest and most fashionable spots on the globe! This month, we dip down under into Sydney, Australia. I interview Leanne (The Fashionate Traveller) about the best Gothic/Industrial shops and nightlife that her home has to offer. (That’s her in the dreaded wigs, above, with Amelia of Angelspit. The first three images are courtesy of her.)

La Carmina: Tell me a bit about yourself.

Leanne: I’m an Aussie girl who’s into alternative/Gothic fashion and blogs about it, as well as her travel adventures round the world. I used to be the Fashion Editor for Australian Gothic magazine “Fiend”, but I left last year to concentrate more on my blog and have more time to travel. I travel to Japan twice a year to keep up with the Gothic/alternative fashion, people, music and clubs there, and I also go to three or so other places each year, often in Asia.

La Carmina: How did you first become interested and involved in Goth /underground subcultures in Sydney?

Leanne: I was always into alternative music, and first went to a Gothic club “Ritual” probably 1998. I loved the clothing: how gorgeous the girls looked in the corsets and long pvc skirts, and how gorgeous the guys were too! I was surprised that I knew so much of the music: not only Sisters of Mercy, Siouxsie, The Cure, and the Cult, but also Tea Party, Bauhaus, Joy Division, Severed Heads, The Church, Prodigy, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Filter & the Crystal Method…

When I started going out with my now husband, I dragged him back to the Goth club, as well as other ones such as Hellrazor and later, Wake the Dead and Vortex. We loved being able to hear “our” sort of music and meet new lovely people as well. Soon we became fixtures on the scene and now go to Goth/industrial/alternative clubs nearly every weekend. In Australia, the clubs are reasonably open, so you don’t have to be fully Gothed up to get in.

La Carmina: How would you describe Gothic fashion in Sydney/Australia?

Leanne: There continues to always be the Victorian/Edwardian element, so there will always be girls in corsets, with long skirts or gowns. The cyber look was really popular from when I became a regular in 2003/4, where the look was PVC everything: shiny buckled platform boots, hair falls in rubber/tubing/bright color dreadlocks , short PVC skirts, lots of chrome D-rings, reflective materials, lights that blinked on and off, LEDs.

I myself used to dress this way, although Amelia – aka DestroyX (who also used to live in Newtown) was probably the poster girl for the look. Amelia put in my first dreads; she was the reigning fake hair queen, and used to sell fantastic dreadlocks for braiding in or as falls. This was before she & Karl started Angelspit. (Wildilocks is another fake hair queen from Perth, and she now has salons in Melbourne, Perth & in NZ.)

There were also more guys in pirate shirts and the whole new romantic Goth look back in the early 2000′s. Now many wear industrial type gear – black pants with bondage straps and buckles, and the military look is popular too.

Cyber is a little less prominent now – although the younger kids still love it to death. A lot of the older goths have moved more into Steampunk. The style is gaining prominence here in Australia, but is not as big as in the US & UK.

We’ve had semi-regular Steampunk events for the past few years (esp in Melbourne), but this year was the first time Sydney had a Steampunk Symposium as part of the Fringe festival  and the Gothic/ alternative arm of the festival, Under the Blue Moon (which had Fashion Parade Lunarmorph later in the night after the Steampunk Symposium). I wrote posts on these here and here.

We’ve also seen a lot of Goths get into the burlesque and vintage/rockabilly scenes, so there is quite a bit of crossover, esp at clubs like Black Cherry. Some have completely left the Goth scene and totally embraced the vintage subculture, while others combine semi-Goth attire like corsets with hair in victory rolls.

La Carmina: Can you recommend some Sydney /Australia clothing brands, designers and shops? (Photos above from a Fiend Magazine steampunk shoot.)

Leanne: There are so many! Enmore Road in Enmore/Newtown is the Gothic Mile and has quite a few goth, punk, fetish & alternative businesses – clothing, hairdressers, piercing places, art galleries. My blog post here sums it up.

Gallery Serpentine is a fantastic corsetmaker and sells a lot of really high quality alt fashion. Reactor Rubber is absolutely ace for latex and other fetish gear. In Visible light is great for costumes, steampunk gear, novelty items, dolls, contact lenses etc (see my blog post for more on all these) The Wild One is quite cyber with lots of PVC. There’s also House of Fetish on Oxford St in Darlinghurst, which sells Goth and fetish wear.

As for labels: Purpur is a new military one from Russia (now in Melbourne) that’s very popular. Beserk is an online store based in QLD. Matt Bylett is an amazing costumier who does fantastic things in latex. He did the costumes and some prosthetics/creatures for sci-fi series Farscape. DollyQ is from Melbourne Victoria – great fashion, corsets, crinolines, fashion forward stuff. Sydney Tentacle Threads is new and very Tim Burton. Geomythik is a label and she also runs the alternative fashion shwo Worn Wild in Sydney and Melbourne.

The big Sydney alt fashion parade is Lunarmorph. The other big Goth/alt fashion show is Circa Nocturna  http://www.circanocturna.com/ but in Melbourne only.

La Carmina: If I came to  Sydney/Australia and you were my tour guide, where would you take me to party? (Photos above and below from Cobweb Club.)

Leanne: Here’s a LiveJournal community for Sydney Goths, and a big Aussie Goth resource. There’s a really active scene in the major cities of Australia, with Sydney & Melbourne offering the most variety (though Queensland and Perth also have good clubs). My favorites are Die Maschine (Goth), Berserk (Industrial) and Cobweb Club (Goth/deathrock/post-punk) in Sydney. At Cobweb, the DJs and patrons alike sport huge deathrock hairdos and sometimes white /skeleton face make-up, and wear old school clothes – ripped, holed, layered fishnets etc.

Also check out Shallow Nation (Harsh EBM, Industrial), Black Cherry (alt generally, some old Goth stuff, also punk, cockrock, glam, rockabilly, psychobilly), and also the non-Goth but Goth friendly Take It or Leave It: a ska and punk club (with a tiny bit of old school like Siouxsie).

There is also the new and semi-occasional Pandimensional Halloween Syndicate that last time had a band called the Barons of Tang who were billed as Gypsy Deathcore (!) and a performance from Burtonesque characters (as well as burlesque, which has soared in popularity recently). Also the Steampunk club that occurs every few months called Steam Engine ix. Many clubs are on once a month, some are every few months. Sometimes there are several on at the same time, so it’s hard to choose, esp if you have broad musical tastes!

Bonus interview! I asked Gerry, the editor of Fiend Magazine, for his input on Melbourne’s Goth fashion and scene. He runs Melbourne goth club Cabaret Nocturne, created Goth City Maps, and brings out bands through Rivetting Promotions.

Gerry: I’ve been involved with clubs in Melbourne since I moved here from Ireland about 8 years ago. It all started via a chance encounter at a very quiet alternative club when the promoter started chatting to me, the following week I was DJing there, which later led me to meet my friend and business partner Thomas with whom I run Cabaret Nocturne to this day.

Melbourne has quite a fractious scene in terms of style. We have very strong and passionate contingents from the Deathrock/Oldschool Gothic, through to Cyber and Rivethead right up to Steampunk enthusiasts. Cabaret Nocturne seems to draw a fairly even spread of the above due to our eclectic music policy and multi-room format.

Club culture seems to drive our fashion a fair bit, for example there is a very driven Deathrock/Trad Goth group of promoters and DJs who have really brought about a resurgence of that style in Melbourne in recent years, similarly I think bands like Angelspit have kept the more Cybergoth look alive over the whole country. Steampunk and vintage looks have certainly grown significantly in recent years.

For shopping I might suggest checking out the Melbourne entry on rudimentary but useful Goth City Maps site I’ve created. As for clubs, Melbourne has an extremely diverse and ever evolving club scene with a strong mix of weekly and monthly events, long standing stalwarts like Cab Noc and Golgotha are always to be relied on but there is usually a number of new and interesting niche events coming and going too. Obviously I’d bring you along to Cabaret Nocturne for a party you’d likely never forget… if it were a public holiday weekend, Golgotha would be a must. If your tastes are more specialized somewhere like Z-1 or The Shock of the New would satisfy your desires for dark beats, or the ever popular DV8 for any goth, rock and metal impulses.

Thanks to Rachel Black for the bonus photos above, which show outfits from Australia Goth events in the 1990s. And thank you to Gerry and Leanne for the in-depth interviews.

I hope this edition encourages you to fly down under and experience Australia’s Gothic shops and culture! Check back next month, for the next Global Gothic column. Til then, you can see my Tokyo / Japan Gothic & Lolita shopping maps, photos and club guides on my blog: www.lacarmina.com/blog

† Dark Wishes †
LA CARMINA

Singapore. Perhaps you think of a squeaky-clean, Southeast Asian utopia where it’s illegal to chew gum. Ah, but how darkness brews under the surface! I interviewed Saito Nagasaki, chairman of Singapore Dark Alternative Movement, about Singapore’s Gothic fashion and nightcrawling scene. It’s strong, vibrant, and I’m personally dying to check it out.

(The first two photos are by Razor Razin Photography; the rest are by Shirley Zhong Photography.)

La Carmina: How did you first become interested and involved in Goth / underground subcultures?

Saito:  I first became involved in subcultures when, unbelievably, I was entranced by the music of British group Manic Street preachers in my adolescence around 1996. I was studying abroad in Perth and the depth and breadth of such lyrics pushed me to explore my then-conservative musical boundaries and its related ideas. This eventually lead to my discovery of Garbage, Marilyn Manson, NIN and sideways to foreign language dimensions such as Dir En Grey, Malice Mizer and to increasingly niche genres. I came back to Singapore for National Service and was already part of the local ‘hang out group’ back in Far East Plaza with the pioneering batch of alternatives in Singapore… however the concept of ‘underground’ culture was always stigmatized as being rebellious teenage-esque tripe and not given much credit on our own shores. What I was a part of then was little more than a common aesthetic and the public perception disgusted me. I only developed on the cultural front when I met some really interesting people with resistant views of society on campus when I was back in Australia for university (much later on in 2003) that spoke to my inner curiousity and motivation to change fundamental perspectives. They brought me to attend Dominion, one of the larger Gothic events in the state and I was in love with the people, the atmosphere and the very structure of their community. It was then that I swore I would re-create some semblance of this glory when I returned to my home country.

La Carmina: Can you tell me about the Singapore Dark Alternative Movement and its work?

Saito: The Singapore Dark Alternative Movement (SDAM) is the culmination of alot of hopes and dreams back in the late 90s to form a social platform as a means to build solidarity among the alternative subcultures in Singapore. SDAM actually had its roots in 1998, April 10 from a loose gathering of like-minded individuals (mostly Gothic) that gathered at the only alternative apparel shop at the time, Lost Soul. The owner of Lost Soul, Sand Chai is generally regarded as the pioneer of the community and held in matronly regard as the creator of what would be the common ancestor of various splinter groups to come. Groups like the now defunct Singapore Gothic Covenant (led by Christopher Choy) and our sister community, SGdomsubs (currently helmed by Master Alex) that cater towards the SM oriented populus.

It was through a lot of informal activity and purely social interactions that bred the initial batches of supporters. It was around 2004 that I emerged as a driver of change to push the community from a very insular and elitist sect to a more grassroots and expansionist initiative. This was about the time when the acronym ‘SDAM’ was created and what was to come was modelled from my experiences abroad in western-gothic communities such as the Perth Order of Gothic Societies, starting with my creation of a operating committee to more effectively tackle functional areas. As the numbers swelled and the social networking phenomenon blossomed, we drew upon some of my professional experience to create various event Brands to address several functions: Find closet cases that subscribed to the music, but not the culture and recruit them into the community, expand the awareness of the local alternative community to Singaporeans and the greater southeast Asian sphere and to destroy harmful stereotypes of the culture that are ingrained in the national mindset.

Some of the brands we came up with were: the Alternation series, that became the longest running alternative music night in Singapore. The Dark Friday series, that put the community on the global gothic map with guest sets from international exponents like Eskil Simonsson of Covenant, Angelspit, DJ Panic (Resident of Slimelight) and even the likes of DJ Mini from Montreal, Canada. Outbreed, an annual ‘Gothic rave’ concept I imported from my freelance promoter days in Perth. And Finally and most recently, the Heart of Darkness series that focused more on local talent and formed a staple in the local gothic social diet on a monthly cycle up till our host venue was closed. Our next project “Necropolis” is a smaller, pub based event that incorporates a large amount of deathrocker and psychobility elements. Necropolis is due to launch on 18th September at Pardis (67 Boat Quay). We keep archives of the events on our website - www.sdam.sg – and our community facebook group.

Of course we have had our share of stereotypes from a uneducated public, but the sheer quantity of controlled mainstream media exposure, coupled with accessible events has made a lasting impression locally. Additionally, we discovered that generation Y did not take kindly to labelling themselves anything, i.e.: Goth, punk, metal, etc due to the advent of social networking and the incumbent Singapore dichotomous mindset (we have to be one person at work/school and another in our social lives all the time) – because of this, I coined ‘Singapore Dark ALTERNATIVE movement’ rather than ‘Singapore GOTH movement’ as it would pigeonhole everyone involved.

Recently I have handed the torch over to one of the Generation Y enthusiasts and committee member from the my last term ‘in office’, Dalsix Visser. It is my belief that it is in the best interest of the movement to contemporize with a progressive attitude. I will, however, be taking a page from Singapore’s patron LKY, remain in an advisory capacity for the fledlging new leadership to benefit from my industry connections and experience. I was thoroughly lucky to have the support of a few diehard committee members such as Faith, Murderfreak, Lyn, Vanessa, Nevar, Alex, Simone and allies like DJ Mentor and Syvester Henry and many many more that saw SDAM through to today.

I’m now more focused on my band Aesgrade (www.myspace.com/aesgrade) and am continuing as the host of “Taste of Darkness” on Mesh radio (www.meshradio.sg). It’s actually been a bit of a relief to be able to get my head into music again as creative expression is never very far from my heart. My band especially began as a fun project with a like-minded enthusiast (zero One) who had leanings towards dance music. Through my network we got signed by label Paternoster and published by Netmanagement in Hamburg, Germany and will be releasing a CD soon… if our cards are played correctly. To date I’ve had two live performances in the capacity of the project, one of which was in the middle of Mandai, a forested area near the night safari in an botanic/orchid garden.

La Carmina: How would you describe Gothic fashion in Singapore? How has it evolved?

Sait: Oh yes the fashion has moved on a bit from its initial interpretation of Victorian and a misunderstood quasi leather punk look - much of the fashion was a bit of an adaptation to what some of the senior members brought back from trips to America, Japan and Australia (myself). Recently we had one DJ Ghoul join us from the Netherlands and this has also brought in some interest in the deathrocker vibe. Of course there are the hardliners that still hold their candles morbidly against the daybreak, fighting all attempts to evolve the lamentable ‘classic local style’ of band T-shirt and jeans. Popular brands include Demonia & New Rock boots, Dark Angel, Alchemy Gothic and *cough* imported Hot Topic. There is even a few crossovers with Lolita labels such as Baby the Stars Shine Bright (BSSB) as well. The cyberpunk look is the most compatible with our climate and seems to be the mainstay of the regulars in the events with hair extensions, mesh tops and spiky accessories.

La Carmina: Can you recommend some Singapore Goth clothing brands, designers and shops?

Saito: Rather amazingly, there is very little local exponents for original Goth fashion. A lot of DIY goes on by modifying existing commercial apparel – however a couple of local designers that appeal to the archetype such as perfect in black and even retail giant Nautica. Lique Vanique, one of our former committee members has started a couture design too.

Some of the shops I highly recommend visiting are Haru (Far east plaza #03-42/46, shop 3 & 6), Black Alice (a lot of Lolita apparel), Lips (#03-08, Orchard Road, 228213, Singapore ), Wizard of Oz (for stompy boot needs!) and Dark Angel (they once had a warehouse store in Singapore, but have maintained friendships with our members, Fantasy and medieval wear including Corsetry and couture).

Music and culture wise, there is an overlap in interest with artistic Noise/electro centred around Flux us (www.flux-us.com.sg), nationalistic X’Ho (www.xhosux.com) and several awesome local alternative bands such as Cosmic Armchair (synthpop), Dualtone (industrial), Meza Virs (gothic metal) and Strobe like a butterfly (industrial rock).

La Carmina: What do you predict for the Goth / BDSM scene in Singapore? Is it growing, changing?

Saito: With the changing face of the gothic and BDSM culture globally, Singapore is not too far behind Europe because the new breed of members are better at importing foreign concepts, keen to share ideas and are increasingly well educated. I saw local community through its infancy and with heavy heart have witnessed a lot of former enthusiasts ‘go vanilla’ to better fit into their work places and social circles. However, there is an undercurrent that we have ignited and even sleeping bats have nostalgia enough to kill their civilian disguises in time to come. We had a lot of the teens growing into their adulthood and have began to assimilate with other subcultures, cross-polinating the length and depth of the entire spectrum. It is my belief that the separate scenes here don’t have enough critical mass to explode into their own ecosystems yet (particularly in Asia, which is juxtaposed with Western countries in that they have highly polarized subculture leanings) and I’m proud that SDAM provided a firm basis for a lot of would-be exemplars of their individual style and expression. In the next five years we might actually see a different alternative evolutionary tangent, one that has rationalized its very visual roots to a more cerebral and diversified mindset. Such a community would spawn versatile individuals who can be underground/Goth while wearing the mantle of popular culture, to KNOW that they are alternative with no reservation and to proactively pursue all related interests bravely without fear of reprisal while enriching the totality of Singapore society that hosts them.

A thousand thanks to Saito for the eloquent and fascinating interview! We’ll be exploring Gothic fashion and subculture in Korea, Australia and Russia next… what would you like to see? I’m always happy to hear your comments on my blog: www.lacarmina.com/blog (I’ll be posting more Tokyo Gothic Lolita store photos, nightlife and footage from my current TV shoots there.)

† Dark Wishes †
LA CARMINA