• photography Fraser Thorne

    Franc Moody’s Chewing the Fat: A Raw, Honest Evolution of Sound

    Written by Maya Avram by Nicole Miller

    With the release of their new album Chewing the Fat, Franc Moody’s ubiquitous sound has become somewhat introspective. From sonic references that nod to the duo’s rich British heritage to close collaborations with friends and family to produce gripping artwork, the duo present their most personal record yet.

    Maya Avram: Tell me about the creation process of Chewing the Fat. Where did the name come from?

    Ned Franc:     This album is probably the most raw and honest record we’ve ever done, both sonically and lyrically, which makes it the most powerful, in a way. We felt that Chewing the Fat, [meaning] general discourse — whether it be light or heavy — shows the creation process of the record.

    Jon Moody: Also, it leans into the idea of sharing your process with other people. When you’re “chewing the fat,” you’re having a natter with whoever it is, addressing things with other people, with family, friends and support — [the name] is quite a nice way to turn that process into a lighter statement.

    At the end of the [Into the Ether] campaign, we found ourselves slightly going through the motions, restricted in the kind of sonics we were writing and what we thought was Franc Moody. So it was time for a shift up, scale everything back and go back to the drawing board. We had a long, hard think about what we wanted to be, [revisiting] everything including the live setup. Now the band is smaller and the act is more direct, aligning with the style of writing we wanted to achieve — a bit more raw, a bit tougher, with less disco elements — and easier to digest, in many ways.

    NF: Sometimes having a smaller amount of tracks, fewer elements, gives the sound a greater power.

    MA: You announced the release of Chewing the Fat at the end of last year while on tour with your previous album. How much did working on it intertwine with performing previous material? Did it help in the evolution of the Franc Moody sound?

    JM: It’s been interesting. The new songs are hitting nicely and it feels like they’ve come together exactly how we wanted them to. Playing the older tunes, which have an older format, required us to rework our approach. But it’s been great, it gives them a new lease of life. It’s been quite a fun process.

    MA: Themes that come up throughout the album revolve around legacy, both in terms of your British identity and the development of your new sound. How do you balance that with global influences like disco and electronic?

    JM:     It’s something we set out to do from the word go, actually. We wanted to fit into that world while appealing to multiple cultures, have the sound be acceptable to a lot of people but not sit within the pop mainstream. We want our sound to have its quirks and characters and be as honest as possible. The British thing has worked better abroad, which is funny.

    NF: People used to think we were a solo French man. All that ambiguity adds to it a certain mystique, I suppose, which is important sometimes.

    JM: I mean, [when we started] the project, we were listening to the likes of Daft Punk and Jamiroquai, which have a huge global reach while the sound is very punchy, direct tunes that can be listened to anywhere. Things have morphed and changed a lot since then, but that was very much at the forefront in the beginning of the project.

    MA: The album is very dreamy as well; there’s a sense of optimism to it.

    JM: We rent the studio here in London from Damon Albarn, [lead singer of] Blur and Gorillaz, so we’ve got access to their synth cupboard, which is amazing. There have been a couple of weapons that we’ve dusted off from this in writing Chewing the Fat, like tough guitars and bass, more direct drums, which lend that dreamy soundscape. I don’t know about you, Neddie, but I think this record is the closest we’ve got to where we want the sound to be.

    NF: When you do an album, you want to complete it knowing where you’re at in that moment, and with this one, we definitely did. This feels like a very realised project.

    MA: In addition to the album release, what are you excited about for the future?

    JM:     Personally, I’m excited about opening up the live vessel and realising the potential of the new setup. The way it’s structured now expresses the real personality and flair of everyone on stage, and that’s an exciting thing. I hope that it can grow, and so our amazing drummer, Dan, bassist Rosetta, and Ned and I can find our personalities within that, and that it shapes the next record, too.

    NF: I agree. Every record we do is like the start of a new era, a new look, a new production, a new sonic, and now new personnel as well, and this one’s the same, and we’re at the very beginning of it. So I’m excited to see where it goes and where it takes us because I feel so proud of the record. I can’t wait for people to listen to it.
     

    Link: 
    Stream Chewing the Fat now.
    photography Fraser Thorne
  • photography Ellen Jong

    Frieze Frames — A Vibe Check from LA's Art Week

    Written by Eddie Brannan by Nicole Miller

    The juggernaut that is Frieze rolled into LA last week, and as usual, the main event, held at the Santa Monica airport as in previous years, brought with it a flotilla of smaller fairs, pop-ups and openings. The buzz of what has now become a quasi-official art week was felt city-wide, from the Westside to the Hollywood Hills, from DTLA to the artist enclaves to the east. But it was a subdued Los Angeles that welcomed the annual extravaganza this year. The toll of the recent fires on the city was unprecedented, with two neighborhoods—Pacific Palisades and Altadena—almost completely razed. Everyone knows someone who lost absolutely everything in the fires. Homes are gone, studios are gone, collections are gone, archives are gone—things that can never be replaced. But the city stands strong, and Angelenos will build new homes and studios, make new art, and forge new stories. All the shows recognized the impact of recent events and offered fundraising for wildfire relief, whether at designated booths where artworks were available by artist donation, or by providing QR codes linking directly to various fundraisers. Grief And Hope is one such organization, committed to raising funds for impacted artists and art workers, and there are many other groups and endeavors working towards the same end.

    Aside from Frieze itself, we took the city and the art world’s temperature at other events around LA—Felix Art Fair at the renowned Roosevelt Hotel, Future Fair Tigertail in the hills of Brentwood, and The Art of Oscar group art show, at AF Projects in Hollywood. Felix kicked the week off on Wednesday, and the action was in the rooms and in particular the cabanas around the pool, where a wealth of galleries and artists showed. Out-of-towners were happy to find clear blue skies and temperatures in the 70s in LA, and took advantage of the poolside setting to socialize and acclimatize, as well as take in the works on show. Among our favorites were Meegan Barnes’ whimsical ceramic depictions of LA landmarks at One Trick Pony.

    Thursday was opening day at Frieze, and the four huge main rooms were full. As well as the wealth of art on show (Sydney Cain, represented by Casey Kaplan, was the stand-out among stand-outs), the people-watching was similarly top-flight. LA is a city that doesn’t typically like to dress up unless there are red carpets involved, so it’s refreshing for Angelenos to see one another in daytime finery.

    Talking of red carpets, Friday found us at The Art Of Oscar, a group show organized by The Hollywood Reporter to coordinate with the awards and curated by Michael Slenske, where a range of artists showed work that reimagined the famous statuette. Ellen Jong’s Oscarella, an ink-black four-foot-tall Oscar fountain projecting a tutu of water into a surrounding pool, caught visitors’ attention.

    Topping the most-extravagant-setting list was Future Perfect’s presentation that occupied the whole of a theatrically lit white mansion hidden behind high, high hedges under Runyon Canyon, where we saw the sculptural ceramic pieces of LGS Studio and ran into co-founders Tom Renaud and Noel Hennessy.

    The weekend meant multiple parties, including a garden gathering at the home of M + B Gallery’s Benjamin Trigano, and a jam-packed pool party at the West Adams home of Alexis Borges, president of Next Models.

    And lastly on Saturday we visited Future Fair’s pop-up group show in the Brentwood hills, where among other works we saw wonderful wood intarsia renditions of prosaic objects such as cassette mix tapes by Michael Buhler-Rose (represented by New Discretions) while a chef-prepared dinner was served to invited guests as they watched the sun set over the hills of LA, and over Frieze week 2025.

    photography Ellen Jong
  • images courtesy of Dr. Martens

    Inside the SS25 Collection: The People, Passion, and Process Behind Dr. Martens’ Next Chapter

    Written by Sandra Myhrberg

    Dr. Martens has always been more than just footwear. It’s a symbol of individuality, rebellion, and self-expression. The SS25 collection marks an exciting evolution, driven by the talented individuals shaping the brand’s designs and storytelling. At the core of SS25 is The Buzz, a bold ‘90s-inspired silhouette reimagined for today’s wearers, alongside Genix Nappa, a sustainable material crafted from reclaimed leather offcuts. This season is all about fusing past and future while pushing boundaries in both design and sustainability. The Buzz shoe and campaign mark an exciting evolution for the brand, driven by the talented individuals behind Dr. Martens’ designs and storytelling. This season shines a light on the incredible team behind the scenes at Dr. Martens—the designers, product experts, and marketeers whose creativity brings each collection and campaign to life. Balancing heritage with innovation is at the heart of the brand’s approach. The design teams constantly reference Dr. Martens’ 64-year archive to maintain the integrity of its brand DNA – whether it’s through iconic silhouettes, distinctive design details, or standout campaigns over the years. At the same time, this new generation of talent brings fresh ideas, materials and design approaches that push the brand forward. It’s this fusion of past and future that keeps Dr. Martens evolving while remaining unmistakably Doc’s. In this exclusive interview, Becki Evans, Jack Connors, and Bridie Husband share how Dr. Martens stays true to its rebellious roots while continuing to evolve.

    What has been the biggest challenge in launching the SS25 collections, and how did the team overcome it?
    Becki Evans (Global Brand Manager): Dr. Martens has a rich heritage, making it both exciting and challenging to decide which elements of our DNA and legacy to retain whilst ensuring a launch resonates with a new generation of wearers. At our core, we defy norms and celebrate individuality. This philosophy shapes our decision-making process. The Buzz collection embodies that spirit. Infused with confidence and the warmth of friendship, the campaign is bold, bright, and unapologetically Dr. Martens. Our regional teams have brought it to life through local partnerships and activations, helping new audiences to feel the buzz.

    Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in fashion. How does the SS25 collection, particularly the Genix Nappa line, reflect Dr. Martens commitment to sustainability?
    Jack Connors (Sustainability Project Manager): Dr. Martens long-term sustainability ambition is to become a net-zero business by 2040, and a key step towards this goal is integrating more *sustainable materials across all our product ranges. The Genix Nappa line embodies this commitment by reclaiming leather offcuts that would otherwise go to landfill and re-engineering them into a soft, lightweight, and durable material. Since its launch in Spring 2024, the range has been a huge success, and we’re excited to push its potential even further with new print and embroidery designs available next month. Beyond Genix Nappa, we’re continuously evolving our material mix, increasing the number of sustainable options across all product categories to drive long-term change.

    *At DM’s, a sustainable material is one that is durable, made from recycled, renewable, or regenerative sources, and produced responsibly.

    How does Dr. Martens ensure its products remain relevant to both loyal customers and new generations of wearers?
    Bridie Husband (Footwear Designer): At Dr. Martens we rely on our rich archive to influence what’s next for us, with nearly 65 years of heritage, we have a deep pool of inspiration to explore. Our design ethos is to stay true to our DNA whilst appealing to a new generation of wearers by experimenting with new materials, colours and collaboration partners. The Buzz shoe draws inspiration from the ‘90s archive. What aspects of that era influenced its design the most? Everything about the Buzz shoe is inspired by the ‘90s – from the chunky, rounded proportions to the leopard prints and pink hues. The Buzz has a sporty, vintage aesthetic that our wearers haven’t seen from us in recent seasons. There’s a sense of physical elevation and confidence that comes with a big platform sole: it takes up space and demands attention.

    Bridie, you led the design for Buzz and championed the return of an archive sole. What drew you to this specific element, and how did you modernize it?
    Bridie:     Bringing a classic back in a new way feels extra special. Our team always references the archive to make sure new styles align with our heritage. This type of style had been sought after by true brand fans for years – you can see the love for it by the traction it gets on resale sites and the customer interactions on our own platforms. When I pitched the idea to bring iback in my interview at DM’s, the idea snowballed, and the newly imagined Buzz is now the key mainline style for this season and beyond. The new Buzz silhouette has a classic DM’s identity but brings something bold and playful to a potential new wearer.
    The Buzz platform sits between a sneaker and a shoe.

    What kind of consumer do you envision embracing this new hybrid style?
    Bridie: The Buzz is the perfect choice for anyone who typically reaches for sneakers but wants to elevate their look whilst keeping things effortless. It’s designed for those who love to stand out yet appreciate timeless, investment-worthy pieces. With its unique shape, elevated height and versatile neutral tones of black, brown, and leopard, the Buzz seamlessly fits into any wardrobe, making it easy to dress up or down.

    What do you hope consumers will take away from the SS25 collections?
    Bridie:     With our SS25 collections, we hope to inspire a sense of playfulness and optimism. We’ve dialled up the joy and introduced fresh silhouettes and bold design details that bring new energy to our offering. We can’t wait for our wearers to make them their own.


     



     

    images courtesy of Dr. Martens

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