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Journalist and Editor Richard Bence is a ‘pioneer of the luxury world’ 

6/27/2016

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PictureJournalist and editor Richard Bence: "True luxury whispers, it doesn’t shout."
It was during the global financial crisis of 2008 that British journalist and editor Richard Bence saw and seized opportunity. 


Financial viability of many industries tumbled down the slippery slope, namely, journalism and media. But some instead viewed the period as a renaissance open with opportunity. This was as such the case with Bence, a cross-platform media virtuoso who specializes in the niche area of luxury and branded journalism. 


“I communicate the core message of the brand without too much adornment,” Bence said. “Ultimately the accomplishment is more than awareness. Whether it’s flights, hotels or fashion, the communicative power has a commercial imperative behind it. After all, with falling ad revenues, e-commerce is a business model that even the mightiest magazines are beginning to emulate.” 


Bence, then in 2008, was co-publisher at Ink Global, a leading British travel media publisher that produces more than 25 magazines for many of the world’s largest airlines, and boasts an annual reach of more than 750 million passengers. 


“Around about the time of the crash in 2008, magazine ad venues fell off a cliff,” said Bence, a Surrey native who moved to London and later, Los Angeles. “We had to re-focus, and chose to push our titles in a more luxury-orientated direction. The Style Issue and the Luxury Issue were born out of that, and boosted our revenues. We did that by collaborating with relevant fashion brands like Samsonite and Tommy Hilfiger in an intelligent and meaningful way. We offered tailor-made editorial-style fashion shoots that followed models frolicking around a city, which helped bring the destination alive too.”


It came as no surprise that Bence’s shifting editorial directive for Ink Global returned results for all extensions, even during the tumultuous financial crisis. Said Bence, whose tenure at Ink Global ran for seven years, “The airline sold more flights, the fashion houses sold more apparel and we sold ads. The economic downturn forced us to become more creative, and in so doing, I left the magazine in better health than when I found it.”


With newspaper roots and magazine affinity, it’s been precisely this variety of enterprise that Bence has embodied to form an exemplary career in arts, culture and lifestyle storytelling. Altogether, his mark in the field is defined by outstanding, sustained international excellence. Throughout his career, Bence has shown a remarkable resiliency and a willingness to reposition himself as many times as necessary to get the job done.


For more than a decade and prior to working with Ink Global, Bence was the lifestyle editor at Attitude, Europe’s top-selling style magazine for gay men. “I began to understand what real luxury meant, the substance underneath the veneer,” said Bence, who currently serves as editor at large for BritWeek Magazine. “I got to experience the very best of the world through journalism: I traveled on the Orient Express to Venice, flew over the African savannas, stayed at a tycoon’s safari lodge, and landed by seaplane in the Maldives.”


Specific to the realm of luxury and branded journalism, Bence has now written for many prestigious publications including b.there! magazine, American Express’ Centurion and Departures, Civilian Global, Conde Nast Traveller, jetStyle, Monocle, Mr & Mrs Smith, United Airlines’ Rhapsody and more.


“E.B. White said the role of the writer is to lift people up and I believe that’s the role of every journalist and creator. In the luxury sector, the journalist takes on the added role of umpire and curator, helping those already in-the-know to feel even more informed and educated, not sold to,” said Bence.


Recognizing Bence’s world-class talent as a journalist and editor is creative director Gary Harvey, who has previously served as creative director for True Religion Jeans and Levi Strauss & Co. “Richard's research and connections allow him to bring new perspectives and new angles into familiar stories,” said Harvey. “He is an incredibly successful fashion, style and lifestyle commentator. One of the things that sets Richard apart is his journalistic voice. Each piece is tailored to a specific audience, be it live radio, print, written word or quick soundbite updates on social media. He has captured the art of connecting imagery to the written and spoken word.”


Harvey saw firsthand how Bence nimbly navigates the work of a journalist who commands a discernible presence from the branding perspective. “Richard is great at the ‘art of the interview.’ When he wrote a profile on me during my time as the creative director for Levi's Europe, he was well-prepared, thoroughly researched and extremely charming. Of all the many pieces written about me and my career this piece was one of the best!” 


Following his time with Ink Global, Bence’s next endeavor saw him man the role of editor in chief for CoutureLab, a widely celebrated luxury e-commerce site. From 2011 to 2012, he spearheaded all web copy, product descriptions, marketing campaigns, newsletters and CoutureLab’s blog, while also commissioning interviews and collectively shaping the site’s editorial content. Bence worked with many renowned companies and designers as CoutureLab’s editor in chief including Jonathan Adler, Ann Demeulemeester, Rick Owens, Allegra Hicks and Alexis Mabille, to name a few.


“It was there that I truly got to see the commercial value of content,” he said. “At a magazine, you are removed from your audience — especially inflight — but with e-commerce, you have immediate results on how popular a story is or isn't by monitoring the number of clicks. High-end luxury is by nature a niche audience with a limited supply, but the principle is still the same. My job is to make them fall in love with the story behind the brand, then the ‘click to buy’ happens effortlessly.” 


Parlaying the experience and deepening his reach into high-end luxury publishing, Bence would go on to serve as managing editor during 2013 and 2014 for Barclays’ Little Book of Wonders, an award-winning, invitation-only website and lifestyle service covering all things luxury for Barclays’ ultra high net worth clients. While overseeing editorial in conjunction with a who’s who list of manufacturers of the finer things, Bence worked with luxury brands including Bentley, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Gucci, Rolex and Tiffany & Co., among many others. 


“In the case of CoutureLab and Little Book of Wonders in particular, the jetset audience travels between their homes in London, Paris and New York,” said Bence. “They already have everything they need and more. For them, luxury is about exclusivity and personal service, as well as products with a story and tradition behind them. My role is to help people discern what matters in the world and steer them away from meaningless homogeneity.” 


Bence described the Little Book of Wonders as little novellas that communicate the story of a brand in 300 words. Encapsulating the needed message brought with it challenges. Journalists were charged the task to deliver writing that had clarity, brevity, simplicity and humanity, all at the same time. 


“We strip it down to the basics and get to the very heart and soul of the product,” Bence said. “True luxury whispers, it doesn’t shout. As the conduits between our ultra-informed readership and the highly prestigious brand — whether it be a fashion house or a venerable car maker — we allow one to speak to the other, a bit like an introduction made at an elegant soiree by a courteous host.”


Joanna Steel, content and creative manager for Barclays and the Little Book of Wonders, said, “Richard was an absolute pleasure to collaborate with. Not only did he curate our editorial content, but he also wrote a number of cutting edge articles for the site. He brought fresh insight to the Little Book of Wonders and I was most pleased with his deep understanding and knowledge of the luxury sector we work in. Richard proved to be a great asset to Little Book of Wonders with his expert understanding of the luxury sector as well a branding – a combination which is hard to find.  He is sorely missed!” 


Since 2014, Bence has served as editorial director for Camberwell Consulting, a U.S.-based branding agency focused in the digital spectrum that owns a bi-coastal partnership with Manic Media, a production agency specializing in branded videos. Manic Media is co-founded by Mark Jolly, a 20-year content director and journalist who founded the travel sites, GloboMaestro and globorati. Jolly was a contributing editor at Condé Nast Traveler and his work has been published in the New York Times, Times of London, New York magazine and others. 


Of Bence’s expertise, Jolly said, “Throughout his career, he has achieved great success and notoriety earning an esteemed reputation as a pioneer of the luxury world. Richard’s work has always proved extraordinarily creative and critical to the success of the projects he has been involved with. He works  well  to  deadlines  and  to budgets, running a team and championing high-end brands which is why I asked him to be Manic Media's West Coast Head of Development. Creating branded video for lifestyle companies is what Manic Media excels at, and I look forward to watching this bi-coastal partnership with Richard flourish.” 


For more information and to sample some of the latest and greatest from Richard Bence, visit: www.richard-bence.com 



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From Modeling to Acting, Canadian Celebrity Ashiko Westguard

6/22/2016

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Canadian Actress and Model Ashiko Westguard shot by Tony McGee

To most audiences, Ashiko Westguard’s transition into acting several years ago appeared to be a relatively natural progression considering that she had spent so much time in front of the camera as a model already. Her performances in the series “Painkiller Jane” and “Kaya,” and the feature film “A Dark Matter" speak leagues to her ability to embody intensely layered characters and effortlessly draw in the audience.

Despite the ease with which she graces the silver screen, in reality Westguard had to make extra efforts to not only forget many of the things that she learned to naturally do as a model, but also to prove the depth of her talent to the many skeptics that at first glance, judged her to be just another pretty face.

While she is well-known for her acting prowess throughout the industry today, Westguard recalls, “For me the transition wasn’t very easy. I think I had to earn respect from casting directors and really earn my place and show them I was not just a pretty face, but a talented one. I grew so much from studying and that really helped me. Studying with renowned Canadian teacher David Rotenberg at Professional Actors Lab really gave me a nice footing, along with Andrew McIlroy in Vancouver.”  
Westguard, who has had continued success as a model for the last decade, can be seen in commercials for Axe Deodorant, Old Spice, Skechers, Honda, Niko, Cafe Royal and Sony, as well as on the covers of Women Magazine, Essentials, Femina, Women’s Fitness, Verve Magazine and other well-known publications.

As the face of national ad campaigns for Revlon, Garnier, L’Oreal, Dita Von Teese, Coca Cola, Mr. Clean, Huggies and more, Westguard has proven to the masses that she’s a master when it comes to the art of expressing different emotions and characters in photographs.

While her confidence and charisma, two qualities needed for any model to reach the rare level of success that Westguard has, have undoubtedly helped her in her acting career as well, there were some aspects of modeling that she had to let go of in order to fully embody her characters on screen.

She explains, “I was an actress as a child but the more I modeled the more aware I became of the outer appearance and physical state, it was hard to be in character…Modeling makes you so aware of your body, but as an actor you want to be natural and not pose.”

Through dedication and constant study, Westguard was able to develop her skills as an actress and she has gone on to play critical characters in a number of projects that have proven her to be a dynamic and diversely talented performer.
 
“I have played everything from a congresswomen to a vampire,” admits Westguard.

While she has a plethora of roles under her belt, there is one to date that sticks out in her mind as the most challenging, but also the most rewarding.

She explains, “Eve in the Canadian feature film ‘A Dark Matter’ was definitely a role that pushed me to grow and made me rise up to the challenge. I was coached by David Rotenberg and learned a lot from the other cast members as well. I worked hard on getting to the core of my character. I learned so much from that project and role.”

Directed by James Naylor “A Dark Matter” is a sci-fi thriller that is so deeply twisted that as a viewer it’s challenging not to question how much we know about our reality after watching the film. The film follows Angus, an artist who finds himself traversing alternate dimensions in search of his missing girlfriend. The deeper he goes the more out of touch with reality he becomes and Westguard’s character Eve serves as the main proponent behind the events within Angus’ traumatic struggle to figure out where he stands in the world.

Anyone who has seen “A Dark Matter” would be hard pressed to think of Westguard as anything but a phenomenal actress. Her riveting and multi-layered performance as Eve endowed the film with a level of intensity that makes it impossible to peel your eyes away from the screen for the simple fact that we want to know what wild trick her character will come up with next.
Besides the inherent challenges that come with making the transition from modeling to acting in terms of technique, there’s an unfortunate backlash that comes along with first becoming known for one’s beauty in the eyes of the public.

Westguard admits, “I feel like I had to and still have to work harder to show people that I’m talented. I think it’s so silly that others judge… I try not to let that get to me. I work hard and I study so I feel like I have a solid foundation to hold my own.”
Although having a successful modeling career first has meant that Ashiko Westguard has had to work even harder to prove her talent as an actress, the impressive collection of work that she’s done to date makes it readily apparent that she’s up for the challenge.
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Canadian Stylist Kirsten Reader teams up with Christopher Bates for Short Fashion Film

5/11/2016

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Canadian fashion director and wardrobe stylist Kirsten Reader did not always know what her path would be. She just knew that she had a passion. She did not always expect to team up with one of Canada’s most successful men’s fashion designers, Christopher Bates, as lead stylist, but her passion and innate skill led to such an opportunity.

Reader worked with Bates for two of his fashion shows, lookbooks, and the short film Check Mate, which featured all of his 2015 menswear collection. The short film opened the fashion show, and the lookbooks were designed to promote the brand. As lead stylist, Reader had to work seamlessly with Bates, the creative director, and the client, as well as remembering the goal of gaining fans and new customers. 

“Fashion videos are a fun new approach to promote fashion aside from stills, and this one had a great story line and concept that made it tell a story with the wardrobe yet with no dialogue,” described Reader. “It was a great short fashion film.”

Reader knew that she wanted to work with Bates. Both of them have an appreciation for what the other does and can bring to the table, making an extraordinary team. They also worked with award winning photographer/director Ramin Deravian for the project, which only added to its success.

“I had enjoyed Christopher’s designs and thought it would be great to collaborate with the designer to promote is designs for him,” said Reader. “There is something great about collaborating with the artist themselves to help realize their vision.”

Bates had seen Reader’s work and knew he wanted to collaborate with her for the project.

“I have worked with Christopher and pulled his collections to dress many of my male clients including some of the members of Walk off The Earth for the Junos red carpet,” she said. “He reached out as he felt I had a great understanding of what he would be looking to achieve with his collection while providing some outside views.”

Bates, who was included in the list of Canada’s 100 most influential people, truly believes that without Reader, his line would not have achieved the success that it did.

“Kirsten’s leading and critical role of stylist helped me create looks that enhanced the brand imaging,” said Bates. “She falls into a rare breed of artists that can stick true to her vision and show marketability at the same time. Her artistry and adaptability gives her the ability to work with celebrities and fuse runway pieces with unique wardrobes in a way that is successfully wearable from red carpet events to personal appearances.”

The shoot was one day at the Trump Hotel in Toronto, where they had access to an exclusive private residence penthouse that had yet to be completed in construction, but it did not come without some challenges.

“Fashion videos do present a bit more difficulty compared to stills as the wardrobe has to look perfect from every angle. We can’t cheat it with pins and clamps like a still shot so the attention to detail is that much more focused,” said Reader. “I also had to style the female model in wardrobe that complimented but didn’t detract from Christopher’s collection.”

“We also had to create strong and new looks that influenced the way designs were viewed by the media,” added Bates.

Bates has the highest faith in Reader and believes she overcame any challenges that may have been presented to her with ease.

“She has created strong looks and unique perspectives on styling for both still and motion that allowed for outreach for brands in ways not thought of before,” he said. “She has an incredible understanding of wardrobes and her innovation shines through it.”

As for Reader, the overall process was definitely a positive experience.

“The team was a lot of fun to work with,” she said. “Christopher has great amount of energy and enthusiasm all day long that really keeps the day feeling fun and you almost forget you are working.”
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Genius LA-based Photographer Adina Doria

7/2/2014

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The driving force behind a successful print campaign depends on the images’ unique ability to command the attention of viewers. As an audience we are often bombarded by advertisement after advertisement making the vast majority of images easily ignorable in our everyday life. Because of this, photographers must exhaust all avenues in order to make sure their creative vision shines through in the mainstream, a task that Los Angeles-based photographer Adina Doria tackles with ease.

Whether the work is fashion related, focused on branding or aimed at hyping the release of a new music video, Doria’s ability to find chemistry with the models in which she is working with is what keeps companies coming back season after season.

A perfect example of some of this photographer’s extraordinary work can be found in a collection of images she shot for innovative clothing company Bohemian Society. Doria beautifully captured models Mikhail Misha Shpilev & Aaron Mann, who are represented by Envy Model Management in Los Angeles, in a way that is not only visually striking, but serves as a wonderful exemplification of the brand’s raw and edgy vibe.

“This specific shoot with Bohemian Society was for the Los Angeles Times. Since the name of this collection by Victor Wilde was "Nothing" my inspiration for the shoot was to create an open concept of two models chasing reflections,” said photographer Adina Doria. “They both have their own characters and are trapped in this timeless feel. Mirrors are very powerful. They reflect what we want to see.”

Renowned for her work across multiple subject matters, Doria has fulfilled many professional capacities in her job as a photographer. As the set photographer on the music video for comedian Jesse Wellen’s “Cookie Dance,” Doria was responsible for capturing the kind of imagery that would make viewers stop what they’re doing and rush to watch the video.

Referred to by the Huffington Post as ‘Easily The Best Rap Video About Cookies You'll Ever See,’ when audiences browse the Internet for the Prank vs. Prank star’s video “Cookie Dance,” most, if not all, of the stills were captured by Ms. Doria. The video, which has been a huge success worldwide, currently has over Six Million views on Youtube and, like Doria, shows no signs of stopping.

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