OPINION

Letter From the Editor, Issue 24

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Katarina Kroslakova shares what to expect inside the pages of T Australia’s annual Yes issue.

Article by Katarina Kroslakova

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Katarina Kroslakova. Photography by Pierre Toussaint.

We Locked in the acclaimed, experimental, sustainability-minded chef Josh Niland for a cover shoot with photographer Jason Loucas a while ago, as I knew he’d be a perfect fit for T Australia — not to mention the beautiful menswear styled by Patrick Zaczkiewicz. The fact that he was awarded a very deserved third chef’s hat for his Sydney restaurant Saint Peter just a couple of days before the interview was the kind of happy coincidence you can’t plan. But as you’ll learn in the revealing profile by Nina Rousseau on page 58, it was no surprise.

Niland has been driving himself to excel — and upending the odds — since he was young and stricken with a rare form of cancer. In the interview, he shares how he’d take the long train ride into Sydney from regional New South Wales to sit alone in restaurants sampling dishes he dreamed of one day emulating — and bettering.

That spirit of daring to dream informs this, our Yes issue. How to capture that at a time when many are feeling anxious about global politics and the cost of living at home? Nina Hendy spotlights a diverse group who are pursuing — as six per cent of Australians now are — side hustles. Sometimes patronisingly called “hobby careers”, these are, more accurately, consuming entrepreneurial passions. The subjects on page 74 are forging new paths not just for themselves but also for society, launching variously an inclusive swimwear range, a contemporary art gallery dedicated to art from across the Asia-Pacific and a beauty range to benefit those with low vision. 

Chef and restaurateur Josh Niland
The chef and restaurateur Josh Niland wears Balenciaga coat, shirt, pants, belt and boots, balenciaga.com. Photograph by Jason Loucas.

Our regular columnist, Lance Richardson, takes the “yes” baton and runs with it on page 44, arguing that the improv theatre principle of “yes, and” — in which an actor unquestioningly accepts and then builds on whatever scenario their fellow actor conjures up — can open the door to magic and opportunity in our real lives. Saying “no” is a perfectly rational self-protective instinct, he writes, but after a while it can develop into a reflex that limits us as people.

One musician who never met a “no” he liked is LL Cool J, a true rap pioneer who became the first signing to the legendary Def Jam records when he was just 16, at the dawn of hip-hop, following a period of doggedly pushing his demo on anyone who’d listen. In the years since his breakout musical success, he became a bankable TV star, appearing in “NCIS: Los Angeles” for 15 years. Now, at age 56, he has a new album, produced by fellow luminary Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest. Get inspired on page 68.

The playwright and climate activist David Finnigan, profiled on page 30, similarly refused to take “no” for an answer as he looked to stage his increasingly urgent plays addressing the climate crisis. One work was seen as so politically untouchable that no theatre would go near it at first, prompting Finnigan to work its message into a dance party, a walking tour of Parliament House and an album of dance floor “bangers”. In our interview, he talks about his latest one-man show, “Deep History”, which all started with his personal “yes” to his father, a climate scientist, who asked Finnigan to help him write up a paper on six turning points in human history and what they taught us as a species. That particular “yes”, an act of love from a son to a father who was sick with a spinal infection at the time, was the genesis of this new work. What will you say “yes” to today?

Katarina Kroslakova — publisher, editor-in-chief

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Letter From the Editor, Issue 23

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Katarina Kroslakova shares what to expect inside the pages of T Australia’s inaugural Style issue.

Article by Katarina Kroslakova

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Katarina Kroslakova. Photography by Pierre Toussaint.

Welcome to T Australia’s first Style issue.

Naturally, we have fashion for days. Fans of timeless silhouettes and refined tailoring should turn immediately to page 38 to get their kitten heel on. For those whose tastes run more to the fantastical and the romantic, Levon Baird photographed a (very high-end) dress-up box of fringed and feathered dresses and tactile coats on location in a former milking shed in the Blue Mountains (page 62).

Victoria Pearson profiles the rising Australian designers who unapologetically bring their personal backstories and aesthetics — be it a lifelong familiarity with the rag trade or a love of the Great Aussie Flanno — to bear on their collections (page 78). File under names to know.

We check in with Victoria Beckham in light of the recent upswing in her eponymous label’s fortunes (page 28). And we meet some of the growing cohort of men who proudly wear Miu Miu despite its official status as womenswear (page 46). As one of the brand’s male fans describes, “It is dope to be the guy that’s in the jacket that the average person is like, ‘Oh, that’s Carhartt’, but you know that it’s the one big size from the store of the coolest women’s brand in the world.” You might not know, but they know, and isn’t that the essence of personal style?

It can’t be put in a box, but style can definitely come in one. Case in point: this issue’s watches and jewellery pull-out rounds up the latest pieces that, among other things, conjure a summer breeze at the touch of a button and glow in the dark. No kidding.

Just as style’s dictionary definition covers both appearance and manner, the word can mean both aesthetics and a way of living (I’m carefully avoiding the term “lifestyle”, which has been overused to the point that it’s a weird hybrid of the two). Our columnist Lance Richardson ponders the ethical implications of our collective stylistic choices in the face of the worsening climate crisis (page 44). He writes that he finds himself increasingly buying from op-shops and being more restrained in all areas of his life, down to the places he travels to, and how often.

A model
Celine by Hedi Slimane jacket, shirt and skirt. Photograph by Levon Baird.

An especially stubborn factor in the climate situation is food waste — an issue not helped by our absurdly strict beauty standards for ingredients. Kara Hurry profiles the chefs, growers and produce suppliers who are making lemonade from these lemons — or, in the case of the Sydney chef Alex Prichard, limoncello from citrus judged too imperfectly formed to sell. Mona’s executive chef, Vince Trim, advocates for sustainable menus that use other overlooked foodstuffs like deer, an invasive species, and long-spined sea urchin, which is currently ravaging Tasmanian waters.

Sometimes style is a polish that reflects intense thought to improve something. Other times, there’s plenty of thought involved in doing very little, to preserve something that was beautiful already. On page 90 you’ll explore a grand old home in Puglia, Italy, abandoned for half a century, where the amazing heritage elements have been left respectfully in tact throughout a renovation, just as its new owner, the eldest son of the Etro fashion family, likes them. There’s something very Italian about that.

On page 22, our food and drinks writer, Fred Siggins, answers a question on everyone’s lips: why is every second bar to open at the moment Italian? Turns out it has something to do with hospitality, and a lot to do with style.

Katarina Kroslakova — publisher, editor-in-chief

A version of this article appears in print in our current edition, on sale now at Woolworths, newsagents and online via our T Australia Shop.

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Letter From the Editor, Issue 22

Publisher and editor-in-chief Katarina Kroslakova discusses how the the theme of “Renewal” is reflected in the pages of our new issue.

Article by Katarina Kroslakova

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Katarina Kroslakova. Photography by Pierre Toussaint.

We all know that change is constant, but we don’t often pause to reflect on the moments that mark new beginnings. In our “Renewal” issue we’ve done just that, pulling together stories that highlight the experience of starting over — or perhaps keeping on — to create something truly exceptional. From radical creative and ecological projects to people and places in states of transformation, these stories capture the hopefulness, pragmatism, boldness and challenges that go with forging new paths into the future.

The actor Austin Butler has walked a long road to become one of Hollywood’s most in-demand artists. In “The Careful Crafting of Austin Butler” (page 82), the Oscar-nominated “Elvis” star — who takes the lead in the director Jeff Nichols’s upcoming release, “The Bikeriders” — talks about his career journey. “It’s not lost on me how fortunate I am,” he says, reflecting on times when he missed out on parts in his early 20s. “It was very humbling for a long time.” As his celebrity status grows, the actor is also bringing a modern energy to the notion of a leading man — recasting it as something less old-school alpha and more thoughtful and respectful, which feels just right for the times.

Closer to home, change is also afoot on the local comedy scene. We speak with four female stand-ups — Jenny Tian, Alexandra Hudson, Sashi Perera and Kate Dolan — who are winning over audiences and, in the process, helping to dismantle a historically male-dominated field and the once-pervasive (and always ridiculous) idea that women can’t be funny. For Perera, her cultural heritage adds another dimension to her work. “You’re not taught to be loud or funny as a Sri Lankan woman — you are silent and quiet and obedient,” she says. “And so I think it took me a long time to speak openly. And be OK with how loud I was and how open I was.” Read more on page 66.

“Standing Place” (2018)
“Standing Place” (2018) by the artist and designer Elliat Rich, who is featured in “Off the Wall” on page 76. Photograph courtesy of The artist/Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne.

In “Art in the Age of Content” (page 28), columnist Lance Richardson meditates on how creativity is being shaped by the influence of online platforms — and whether it’s a search for meaning or mindlessness that ultimately drives our media consumption.

The question of what is considered art is also central to “Off the Wall” (page 76), which examines the growing presence of collectible design in fine art galleries. Writer Susan Muldowney explores how pieces — such as hair-trimmed shelves by the Alice Springs-based designer and artist Elliat Rich, or sustainable, sculptural furniture by the Tasmanian-born, London-based designer Brodie Neill — are fusing storytelling with functionality, and why they are becoming increasingly sought after by collectors.

Further afield, we discover the imaginative cocktail bars that are reimagining local flavours in Bangkok (page 38); the eco-conscious tourism model that’s helping to restore life to South Africa’s last remaining sand forest (page 88); and the renovated French department store that has been described as a temple to the Parisian lifestyle (page 31).

The story of British marine biologist Dr Emma Camp (page 30), who has identified a range of “super corals”, is especially notable — her work, as part of the Future Reefs Team at the University of Technology Sydney, is providing hope for our oceans in the face of climate change. Camp’s optimism and fearlessness are inspirational.

I hope you enjoy the issue.

Katarina Kroslakova — publisher, editor-in-chief

A version of this article appears in print in our current edition, on sale now at Woolworths, newsagents and online via our T Australia Shop.

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Letter From the Editor, Issue 21

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Katarina Kroslakova discusses how the theme of “Performance” is reflected in the pages of our new issue.

Article by Katarina Kroslakova

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Katarina KroslakovaKatarina Kroslakova. Photography by Pierre Toussaint.

There’s a lot written about “craft” these days as, rightly, we celebrate hard-earned skill, whether it’s an exquisite handmade bag, the best croissant in town or a seven-year-old’s drum solo on TikTok.

The theory that 10,000 hours practice will bestow greatness has become a cliché. But in this, our Performance issue, we wanted to dig a little deeper into achievement — although there’s plenty of that on these pages — to focus on the moment when we pluck up the courage to push a privately honed skill into the spotlight, to be shared, enjoyed and, yes, judged by an audience.

When brainstorming the issue, the obvious reference point was the Paris Olympics, which kick off at the end of this month. Less obvious was our choice to focus on the sport making its debut at these games. Breaking (aka breakdancing) originated at block parties in 1970s New York and combines dance, athleticism and attitude like nothing else.

On page 18, we profile the two Australian breakers — a teenagerand a thirty-something professor; yes, really — who will represent the nation. “I love battling,” says Rachael Gunn, aka B-girl Raygun,“ because the feeling you get when you’re up there, when you step out on the dance floor and show everyone what you’ve got, it’s electrifying.” Is there a better description of the knife-edge of performance?

In late September 2019, a singer named Jaten Dimsdale finished his shift at a diner in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, went home and posted a video to YouTube of himself singing Michael Jackson’s “Rock WithYou” to mark the 10th anniversary of Jackson’s death. Dimsdale, whom you’ll better know by his stage name, TeddySwims, woke up the next morning to find a large chunk of the internet going wild over his soulful voice, kickstarting a career that this month lands him on these shores for his first ever arena tour of his solo material.

See page 30 for LanceRichardson’s interview, in which Swims likens performance to a state of unburdening, and the stage to his lounge room: “And Ialways say that, in my living room, I walk around buttnaked,” he says. “If you don’t want to come see me butt naked—figuratively, of course — then don’t come to my show. It’s a place where I’m just allowed to be vulnerable.”

Breaker Rachael Gunn will represent Australia in Paris at the Olympic Games.

You’ll also read about a performance, at the final of a global cocktail competition in Moscow’s Petroff Palace, that shaped the career of our food and drinks writer, Fred Siggins. As he writes on page 29, a win at a comp like this is a pivotal moment in a bartender’s life, and on the drinking culture at large.

What’s the fashion message of performance? Our cover star, the dancer, creative director, photographer, wellness influencer and model Mimi Elashiry, showcases designs that prioritise fluidity of movement (page 60). These are clothes for women of action.

Mention “performance” and, for some, their mind goes straight to performance cars. BMW’s Art Car project, which began in 1975 and is now onto its 20th artist-customised racing car, asks what happens when precision engineering meets art-making. As you’ll see with Julie Mehretu’s“rolling sculpture” for 2024, an M Hybrid V8 she meticulously covered with her abstract artwork (page 26), the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.The car’s unveiling was a major event, and Mehretu is using that momentum to literally createspace for emerging artists across Africa.

With luck, and time, we can expect many more great performances.

Katarina Kroslakova — Publisher, Editor-in-Chief

A version of this article appears in print in our current edition, on sale now at Coles and in newsagents and online via our T Australia Shop.

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Letter From the Editor, Issue 20

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Katarina Kroslakova discusses how the theme of “Structure” is reflected in the pages of our new issue, #20.

Article by Katarina Kroslakova

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Katarina KroslakovaKatarina Kroslakova. Photography by Pierre Toussaint.

Welcome to our “Structure” issue, in which we explore the theme from several angles, from the shape that cuisine takes in the social media age, to the anatomy of the contemporary luxury flagship store, to the fabrication of some of the most impressive artworks in the world.

For our cover story (page 64), the writer Lance Richardson travelled to upstate New York to visit the workshop of Urban Art Projects (UAP), a company created to realise artists’ wildest dreams. Amid the noise and heat and mess of the workshop floor, artisans construct works on an epic scale from molten bronze, ceramic slurry, paint and timber. Lance talks to the company founders, twin brothers Daniel and Matthew Tobin, who started out with a humble welding shop in the Seventeen Mile Rocks area of Brisbane in 1993. As Lance writes, UAP is now more than a manufacturing company; it’s dedicated to creating history and meaning for communities through art. “Public art has been part of the human story since things all started,” Daniel says.

Speaking of works of art, have you scrolled through the Instagram feed of any new restaurants recently? You’ll notice that food is, well, getting prettier. On page 36, Hannah Tattersall reveals why: social media-savvy chefs like José Saulog, of the new Catalan restaurant Parlar in Sydney’s Potts Point, are changing the way dishes are not just presented, but devised, down to the ingredients used. As Saulog says, “I do it visually first and then I trust myself and my team that we can make those things tasty.”

In fashion, the adjective “structured” is often applied to the work of Phoebe Philo, the enigmatic designer who transformed first Chloé then Celine with her rigorously elegant clothes. She quit the industry in 2017 and has stayed quiet until now, breaking her long silence in a rare interview (page 38). If you’ve missed her clothes — and I know I have — you’ll be happy to learn that she has a new label, under her own name, available online now.

Structure isn’t just physical. It can also be organisational. In mountainous Ecuador, a new wave of young architects are doing things their way — going solo or pairing up to collaborate,

shrugging off the yoke of history and expectation — to design unique buildings that celebrate what’s special about that landscape (page 54).

Hollie Wornes charts the beauty industry’s search for new forms of skincare, whether cutting-edge science or, paradoxically, a return to natural ingredients that echoes ancient practices (page 34). The fabric of drinks is changing, too, reports Fred Siggins (page 52), as craft distillers and brewers, in pursuit of ever more complex and distinctive products, are welcoming wild yeasts and pollens into their production process. And Luke Benedictus spotlights the breathtaking new designs from the “fashion watch” category (timepieces made by fashion brands). As the line between traditional watch “manufactures” and fashion brands becomes increasingly blurred, the structure of the watch industry is shifting, too.

We hope you enjoy the issue as much as we enjoyed making it.

Official Oscar statuettes for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, shown here at various stages of production, are just one of the artworks produced in the workshop at Urban Art Projects (UAP) in upstate New York.

Katarina Kroslakova — Publisher, Editor-in-Chief

A version of this article appears in print in our current edition, on sale now in newsagents and online via our T Australia Shop.

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Letter From the Editor, Issue 19

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Katarina Kroslakova discusses how the theme of “Artistry” is reflected in the pages of our new issue.

Article by Katarina Kroslakova

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Katarina KroslakovaKatarina Kroslakova. Photography by Pierre Toussaint.

Welcome to our “Artistry” issue, which celebrates those at the vanguard of creativity — the visionaries of art, design, film, literature and gastronomy who help us see the world anew. As I consider the incredible people spotlighted in this issue, I’m struck not only by their immense skill but also by the ingenious — and daring — perspective they bring to their work. We all know that artistry involves great talent, but sometimes the most creative thing you can do is to try something different or unexpected. From the Hollywood veteran trying his hand in a new field to the 12-year-old painter making waves in the world’s leading art spaces, the boldness and unflagging determination of these makers set them apart.

Our guest editor for this issue, the art advisor and curator Viola Raikhel, has done a magnificent job helping us draw together a collection of compelling stories that delve into the creative process and examine what it means to be an artist today.

Our cover star, Pierce Brosnan, perfectly captures the essence of this issue. Although best known for his iconic Bond role, the 70-year-old actor has been a fine artist behind the scenes for decades. He sat down with Raikhel to discuss his creative journey and evolution as a painter (page 66). “I just have to draw,” Brosnan says. “I have to keep moving.”

Pierce Brosnan photographed at his home in Malibu
Pierce Brosnan photographed at his home in Malibu, California, which is filled with his artworks. Brunello Cucinelli shirt, brunellocucinelli.com. Photographs by Greg Gorman. Styled by Mark Holmes.

The actor Josh Brolin welcomed T into his Malibu home (page 42), where he can often be found polishing prose in his dedicated writing hut. The writer Nick Haramis explores the renovated, art-filled space, which Brolin says is decorated in his trademark “nutty kaleidoscope” style.

Not far away, travel writer Craig Tansley takes a cultural expedition through Palm Springs, following in the footsteps of the famous actors and artists who have resided there. “The appeal doesn’t just lie in the accessibility to the homes of the icons of Hollywood’s golden age — anyone with the means can live as they did,” he writes.

Closer to home, there’s a revolution underway in the Australian gin industry. The writer Fred Siggins speaks to inventive distillers who are carving out a hugely successful niche with their wine-and-gin fusions (page 46). And we examine another appetising art form — meticulously decorated fondant-topped cakes — on page 80. “A masterpiece made of fondant makes you think, ‘Let’s just take it back to the classics,’ ” says one Brooklyn- based food designer.

We also profile the leather goods designer responsible for coming up with covetable new handbags at Hermès (page 62). In “The Walls Had Ears” (page 74), we step inside a legendary Milanese palazzo that has hosted the likes of Leonardo da Vinci.

I would like to thank our guest editor for her contributions — and her own creative vision — which have helped to shape this issue. And thanks also to all the artists and creatives who have brought these pages to life. There’s no shortage of inspiration on offer. I hope you enjoy the issue.

Katarina Kroslakova — Publisher, Editor-in-Chief

A version of this article appears in print in our current edition, on sale now at Coles and in newsagents and online via our T Australia Shop.

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