Cameron van der Burgh for Gaschette Magazine.

GaschetteMagazine is undoubtedly one of the best online digital magazines to ever grace South Africa as of current. Since its launch, Gaschette Mag has attracted a horde number of individuals who are interested in the distinctiveness of each publication, the editorial work that overwhelms me each time, the snappy and clever titles and the catchy content are just one of the many reasons why I remain a stan for this Magazine. It’s seldom to find a local magazine that can go over the top and play around with fashion elements just as these guys do, their evocative photography topped with immaculacy and coherency are hard to spot onto any other magazine locally.

So after creating my Behance account last night, I came across Steve Marais account and with my knowledge I knew that this dude was involved somehow with Gaschette magazine, I then found myself on to his activities, a capsule of hot, striking photography, sexy models in artful positions, A different world – I couldn’t stop gasping at their noteworthy work that needs to be commended on. Cameron van der Burgh’s last month’s cover still is my favourite, who knew that an Olympian swimmer like him could pull off such poses – can someone get him a modelling agency! This dude’s latent talent (a bit of anagram there, latent-talent) is about to be revealed.

Image courtesy: Gaschette Magazine

Normcore: Where blending in is the new standing out!

While we all strive to be different and perfect at our own crafts, an emerging trend in the fashion world has sufficed through causing a huge degrade from fashion enthusiasts who have felt rather comfortable with living up to the ‘supreme standard’ of being incompatible and audacious from the rest. Normcore brings forth a contrasting feel, instead of standing out this particular trend encompasses the desire to rather keep things easy, understated and fit in with rest of the humans – their ordinary selves, lives and since we talking fashion their style as well. So you might be wondering is that it? Is the media really going nuts over a trend that has always been around, I mean I’m a ‘normcorist’ myself as I’m this writing this post with my torn jeans a basic white t-shirt and beanie on, mind you all these items are considered to be normcore.

As entertaining as this may seem it’s not all fun and games, the fashion industry is still battling to come to terms with the new trend and how it requires you to fit in with the rest of the normal kids, which I do not understand because the normcore trend is life itself, it’s what you look like when lounging around, you don’t look appealing and on-trend all the time. The same clothing that has been disregarded as everyday or unremarkable has been touched by fashion’s stardust. As always we have daring brothers and sisters who would do anything to stay on trend and be recognized by fashion masses. Individuals who have snapped out of the modernity of looking supreme and ridiculously beautiful to a zone where they have recalled back to the 90’s and 80’s way of dressing.

And man they’re doing it so well dressing with khakis, denim dungarees, black polo necks, polo shirts, ripped jeans, birkenstocks swiftly takes me back to the noteworthy memories; when I was a kid running around with no clue whatsoever that what I was wearing back then would become one of the world’s most talked about way of dressing. Fashion by its very nature is a peacock of an industry – it is bright, bold, extrovert and likes to show off. Thanks to normcore for finally recognizing the rebels that take a different approach to this, those that avoid anything with clashing prints, weird shades and artful poses but feel rather comfortable in something that is – err well there’s no other way to put this – boring. Thank you!

Welcome to 2014 folks, where blending is the new standing – where dressing like a tourist could quickly place you on a best dressed list and an ultimate style icon.