JOYCE: Live Curiously

Brothers in arms. Christopher Raeburn made his name reworking military surplus – and his label’s acclaimed innovation kicked up a gear when Graeme came aboard. The duo talk to David Hellqvist of Document Studios about joint forces, unique strengths, and craft-driven luxury.

Closed-loop processes, agility, efficiency: the way the Raeburns describe production at their East London “lab” might sound more at home in an aerospace firm than a fashion atelier. From his early days at the Royal College of Art, Christopher’s RÆMADE aesthetic has been a feat of engineering. It takes vision to reimagine parachute nylon or raft canvas as outerwear – but problem-solving ingenuity to bring it from sketch to street. Drafting in Graeme’s skillset in 2018 just made sense. An RCA grad himself, Graeme started out in performance sportswear at Rapha. While Christopher keeps the creative reins, Graeme focuses on optimising production. They’re reprising childhood roles, they realise, and the balance is working well.

RÆBURN is chasing the virtuous circle of a fully sustainable fashion future - without ever short-changing their creative vision or quality control. It’s an adventure that rewards a restless drive to learn and grow. Or, as Christopher puts it: “hard work but good work”.

Menswear label BODE is known for its slow craft and beguiling narratives from America’s past. Behind the artistry is a bigger story, of community. Founder Emily Bode tells Julie Gilhart about going it alone to build deeply personal collections – while always valuing the collective.

Craft is in Bode’s blood: her ancestors were Ohio wagon-makers who built ornate circus carriages for the Ringling Brothers. Bode unravelled that story herself and made it the theme for her first runway show in Paris; human interest inspires all her designs. The antique, deadstock and repro textiles that bring them to life are sourced through a network of collectors and enthusiasts. For handcrafted detailing, BODE’s NYC studio partners with artisans from India to Peru.

Growing her gender-inclusive label globally hasn’t lessened the draw of home. Bode is fascinated by the domestic space and the emotional power of everyday heirloom items we associate with family, comfort, love. Staying collaborative and curious even in a time of separation and seclusion – BODE reminds us we can be connected, apart.

For this LVMH Prize finalist, adjusting to fame and acclaim is “still a process”. It’s his creative process that has brought the industry to his doorstep. The Dutch designer talks to veteran talent-spotter Julie Gilhart about creative responsibilities, and the exhilarating freedoms of his first collaboration with JOYCE.

Lantink upcycled his first garment aged 11: his stepdad’s Diesel jeans became pleated schoolgirl skirts. “That was before Diesel started doing it!”, he swears with a laugh. During his MFA, improvising with the materials at hand became an artistic imperative. While he still struggles with the label “artist”, the world has no trouble applying it for him. His provocative designer mashups are most liberating when he works with mixed-brand inventory like JOYCE’s, he explains – no egos, no singular brand identity to preserve. Just fashion alchemy.

Those collage collections aren’t an endpoint, but a beginning. Forging relationships is key to longer garment life-cycles that preserve great design for new generations. Lantink relishes connecting with customers and style-lovers of all stripes  - including SistaazHood, a Cape Town collective of trans sex workers whose salvage style chimes with his own. For the connected, the curious, the relentlessly creative, it’s clear Lantink believes fashion’s future can be bright. 

In its first two seasons, the podcast has welcomed some of the world’s brightest creative talents and cultural commentators – in fashion, design, music and beyond. 

Season 3 goes the extra mile to help the global JOYCE community LIVE CONNECTED. Episodes take the listener from Amsterdam to Antwerp; from New York back to Hong Kong – and to Beijing for our first podcast conversation in Mandarin.

But while we roam, we turn our perspective inward. Today, rethinking consumer culture has become a global imperative. In search of answers, we delve deeper into the core values JOYCE is built on: CREATIVITY, CRAFT, and CARE.

Here’s to the professional drifters. HK media fixture Lawrence Cheng has come a long way over four decades in radio, TV, film and online – and he’s proud to say little of it was planned. He talks to daughter Zaneta, writer and stylist, about the blueprint for a fulfilling creative career. Turns out it may mean tossing the blueprint altogether.

As a rookie radio DJ in the 80s, Cheng learned a lot on the graveyard shift – but the lesson that stuck came in a note from a disgruntled listener: “If you don’t like your job, please don’t do it.” Following his inspirations and playing to his strengths have helped Cheng hop between lily pads – from radio success with The Three Fairies and his breakout TV crossover The Yuppie Fantasia – to streaming a Sam Hui concert to a locked-down world on his YouTube channel.

The key to longevity? Embracing new platforms and learning from the next generation of creators. One of those is Zaneta, whose journey from poli-sci student to editorial staff on the style and culture beat was partly inspired by her dad’s playful attitude to fashion.

Join this happy-go-lucky duo as they discuss comfort vs. courage, and the importance of not allowing setbacks - or successes - dampen your hunger to keep growing.

To uncover the true power of CBD, you need to go beyond the buzz(word). Katie Shapiro speaks to three female pioneers whose handcrafted brands are elevating cannabidiol-infused beauty above the hype.

Jamie Pelayo of natureofthings, Casey Georgeson of Saint Jane, and Melany Dobson of Treaty recount the personal journeys that inspired their reverence for this potent and misunderstood botanical. They demystify the science behind its skin-healing, age-defying and “powerhouse” anti-inflammatory benefits. Like those benefits, the themes here aren’t just skin-deep. These brands have deep roots in the places in which they grow, and their founders find hope in the link between self-care and clean manufacturing practices which care for land and community. As Dobson puts it, “CBD is helping us, through healing us, to see a future that’s innovative and exciting and curious and connected”.

Note: This virtual roundtable took place coast to coast (US) via video-conference.

Back in the hometown groove: for our first Live Connected conversation in Cantonese, we dive deep into mud and musical inspiration with veteran Hong Kong DJ, critic and educator Wong Chi Chung.

Just over fifty years ago, a ragtag new rock festival took place in Upstate New York and changed the face of music and counterculture forever. Wong reflects on Woodstock 1969: its legend and its seminal influence, in his own life and far beyond.

He recalls his freewheeling days on the 90s festival circuit in the US and Europe – a time when he was often the only Asian journalist with all-areas access to the icons of rock. But as Wong explains, those early brushes with the likes of Bob Dylan and Nine Inch Nails didn’t leave him nostalgic  – they inspired him to connect. His passion for music is a framework for living curiously. What matters is seeing that spirit nurtured in new generations of fans and in the homegrown festival scene that is putting Hong Kong on the map.

Join hosts Peter Wong and Ching Siu-Wai as they delve into Wong Chi Chung’s extraordinary life in music, and learn what it can teach us about genuine connectedness in the digital age. Turns out "it's not about the song or music necessarily, but the journey it inspires."

Back in the hometown groove: for our first Live Connected conversation in Cantonese, we dive deep into mud and musical inspiration with veteran Hong Kong DJ, critic and educator Wong Chi Chung.

Just over fifty years ago, a ragtag new rock festival took place in Upstate New York and changed the face of music and counterculture forever. Wong reflects on Woodstock 1969: its legend and its seminal influence, in his own life and far beyond.

He recalls his freewheeling days on the 90s festival circuit in the US and Europe – a time when he was often the only Asian journalist with all-areas access to the icons of rock. But as Wong explains, those early brushes with the likes of Bob Dylan and Nine Inch Nails didn’t leave him nostalgic  – they inspired him to connect. His passion for music is a framework for living curiously. What matters is seeing that spirit nurtured in new generations of fans and in the homegrown festival scene that is putting Hong Kong on the map.

Join hosts Peter Wong and Ching Siu-Wai as they delve into Wong Chi Chung’s extraordinary life in music, and learn what it can teach us about genuine connectedness in the digital age. Turns out "it's not about the song or music necessarily, but the journey it inspires."

Made in Hong Kong. Longtime friends and compatriots Arthur Bray (Editor and Creative Producer, DJ and founder of Yeti Out) and Tedman Lee (Multimedia Creative, DJ and Founder of The Private Label and Triple Happiness Club) host an episode that celebrates homegrown talent. Both Hong Kong born and bred, the pair sit down with friend Eugene Kan, (former Editorial Director at Hypebeast and Founder of Maekan) to talk about creating in the small but connected city we call home.

“A good idea is only as good as it’s expressed.” But when language and cultural barriers throw up all manner of obstacles, how do you navigate the nuances of working in an Asian market? The answer is to think bigger. Think global.

So what’s this common language that brings us together? It’s the appetite for something new. Curiosity. And of course finding the right platform to stay connected. Listen and learn from the experiences of leaders of a micro-generation of Hong Kongers who from the comfort of noisy cha chaan tengs paved the way for a new wave of entrepreneurial creatives.

Multidisciplinary polymath Trevor Jackson talks to David Hellqvist of Document Studios about three decades of prolific creative output. This episode begins with Jackson trying to get over the awkward hurdle of defining his work. Audio, visual, physical – nothing is out of bounds for him. Although he may have no limits, he has his preferences. He hates self-promotion and loves the ability to clear a dancefloor. But one thing is for certain: he’s not a DJ. Not anymore anyway. So how has he managed to keep up a successful career in both a mainstream and avant-garde capacity? “It’s why you take part that matters,” that’s what gives creation longevity and integrity. It’s about being in control of something that connects with people.