I've moved on...
...to a different domain. Why, what were you thinking? The truth is, I just woke up one day and decided it's time for a change—a metamorphosis, if you will; or, in layman's terms, if Britney can shave her head, then maybe so can I? Nevertheless, it's been a rather handsome 10 years of talking to you, and thank you for putting up with all my moodswings and terrible dad jokes. Fear not! The hormonal imbalance and jokes are more terrible on CUBICLE, see you there.

Park-and-Cube_Farfetch-Oliver-Twist_001

art direction SHINI PARK photography & styling TEAM PARK & CUBE in collaboration with Farfetch

From Top to bottom: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2004), Oliver Twist (2005), Inglorious Basterds (2009)

Cashmere turtleneck
Etro
Scarf
Isabel Marant
Ring
Kelly Wearstler
Runwell 41mm Watch
Shinola
Glasses
Masunaga
‘Fedora’ bag
Chloé
Coat
Harris Wharf London

Park8Park-and-Cube_Farfetch-Oliver-Twist_011

What can I say, ‘Please sir, can I have some more’ is my catchphrase and battle cry in any life situation. Most heavily used, of course, when involving cheese fries or Tom Hiddleston videos on Youtube. I’ve always wanted to shoot a story inspired by some of the best-known underdogs of literature and cinema, namely Oliver Twist and Shoshanna Dreyfuss of Inglorious Basterds, not only for their ballsy personalities but the costumes – granted, Shoshanna is only complete with actress Melanie Laurent’s gait and pout. The 1840’s fashion is as rigid as uniform-ridden 1940’s, but the characters wear simplified, improvised versions of trends of the respective eras: layered jackets instead of a Victorian 3-piece suit, or a worker’s shirt with woollen culottes instead of a button-down dress. Alas, here’s my interpretation, with current-season pieces from Farfetch and an ever-so-slightly more ballsy attitude to go with it.
Chelsea boots
Alberto Fasciano
‘Andre’ hat
Maison Michel
Cropped trousers
Y’s
Braces
KTZ

Park9

Park10

Watch – Shinola. Wool shirt – Citizens of Humanity. Shirt – ASOS.

Park-and-Cube_Farfetch-Oliver-Twist_002Park-and-Cube_Farfetch-Oliver-Twist_003

Blazer & Shirt – Charlie May. Skirt – Rochas. Trousers – Filippa K. Shoes – Dear Frances. Shoes – Chloe ‘Fedora’

Park-and-Cube_Farfetch-Oliver-Twist_004

ABOVE: Wool shirt – Citizens of Humanity. Trousers – Etro.
LEFT: Coat – Harris Wharf London. Turtleneck – Etro. Trousers – Rodebjer. Bag – Chloé

Park-and-Cube_Farfetch-Oliver-Twist_005Park-and-Cube_Farfetch-Oliver-Twist_006

Park-and-Cube_Farfetch-Oliver-Twist_007

Park-and-Cube_Seoul_September_0003

Sunnies – Celine via SmartBuyGlasses. Watch – Larsson & Jennings. Envelope clutch – Sezane. Wallet – Prada. Serum – Innisfree. Necklace – Louis Vuitton. Scarf – MiH.

Park-and-Cube_Seoul_September_0002

Top – Paule Ka. Culotes – Charlie May. Bag – Marni. Sunnies – Celine via SmartBuyGlasses.

Current location: Seoul, South Korea. Time-zone: Galaxy far far away, corner of Asgard and one stop before Uranus. My body does not comprehend the blue tint of dusk creeping through the blinds at the wee hours of the morning and sends out confusing bodily signals including but not limited to: hunger, a need-to-pee, PMS, utter exhaustion and insomnia (at the same time), and demands that I do something about it. In return, I do what I usually do when faced with jetlag: eat something questionable out of my Airbnb host’s fridge, entangle self within a duvet and find a TV shopping channel sufficiently entertaining enough to sap the last of energy. The effect is sublime – I arrived on Thursday and woke up on Monday morning ,feeling brand spankin’ new.

Problem is, I still don’t know what time it is. Imma go pee.

Journey to
the
ends
of the world

I am a 90‘s kid. What this means is that my primary excitement in life usually consisted of some form of waiting or another, be it in the 3-page hand-written letters from a pen-pal in Japan, or sighting my favourite song on MTV. If you too are a 90‘s kid you will have sung the anthem of the modem connecting to 56kbps, and understand why the PC had to be left on overnight for a flick to download. Joking aside (at arm‘s reach though), with the rise of insta-everything and deliver-yesterday convenience, we are forgetting about this glorious thing called patience, and the stories that happen while you wait.

You all know my thoughts towards the brands I like to work with, they have one thing in common: the value of patience; of travelling to the ends of the earth to obtain only the best ingredients – ingredients not available on Amazon Prime that‘s for certain – and treating with care and respect. Bombay Sapphire is one of those companies: full of character, story and passion – all bottled up in layers of flavour, into a clean London Dry Gin. So, here‘s a visual collection of stories that make up the notes of the extraordinary, new Star of Bombay, shot in my local tropics: Kew Gardens.

And of course, drink responsibly.

Created for
Bombay Sapphire

Top – Regina Pyo. Belt – Stella McCartney. Trousers – Wilson PK

Park-n-Cube_Bombay-Sapphire_Digitorial_001

Park-n-Cube_Bombay-Sapphire_Digitorial_002Park-n-Cube_Bombay-Sapphire_Digitorial_004

Star of Bombay is created with two new botanicals, Bergamot Peels and Ambrette Seeds – elevating the exceptional balance of Bombay Sapphire and taking the CAPTIVATING FLAVOUR of London Dry Gin to a new dimension
Above: Top – Stella McCartney via Harvey Nichols. This photo: Top – Charlie May. Dress – Tata Naka.

Park-Cube_BombaySapphire_020

a complexity that feels more like an aged spirit

Park-n-Cube_Bombay-Sapphire_Digitorial_006

Park-n-Cube_Bombay-Sapphire_Digitorial_008Park-n-Cube_Bombay-Sapphire_Digitorial_009Park-n-Cube_Bombay-Sapphire_Digitorial_010

Composed of intrinsic LAYERS OF FLAVOUR, Star of Bombay is produced in very SMALL BATCHES, entirely at Laverstoke Mill in England using a unique craft process

Park-n-Cube_Bombay-Sapphire_Digitorial_011

Park-n-Cube_Bombay-Sapphire_Digitorial_012

Dress – Marques’Almeida via Harvey Nichols. Jeans – ASOS. Sleeveless Polo-neck – x. Shoes – Coach. Earrings – Maria Black.

Park-n-Cube_Bombay-Sapphire_Digitorial_013

Top – Regina Pyo. Suede skirt – American Apparel. Culottes – Tata Naka

Park-n-Cube_Bombay-Sapphire_Digitorial_014_1Park-n-Cube_Bombay-Sapphire_Digitorial_015

From the sunsets of Morocco to the blistering volcanoes in Java, EXOTIC INGREDIENTS are sourced from the ends of the world to create the clean notes
Dress – PYRUS. Coat – Emilia Wickstead via Harvey Nichols. Culottes – Reiss. Shoes – Coach. Earring – Maria Black.

Park-n-Cube_Bombay-Sapphire_Digitorial_016

art direction SHINI PARK studio makeup VANESSA VU styling and photo assistance SIMON SCHMIDT

Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_01Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_02

Hello, I’m here to fix your boiler…

Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_03

I am a strong believer that when it comes to cities, especially of those ‘home’ variety for individuals who – like me – have confusing heritage, it’s all about spicing things up in the bedroom, so to speak. And for this I wholeheartedly recommend roleplaying: sexy nurse, keen repairman, bored prison guard… whatever floats your boat (enthusiastic Pokémon trainer for me), but the trick is to live, experience and interact with your city from a slightly different perspective, different lifestyle. Rent an inexpensive car for a few days instead of taking public transport, wear a suit every day for no reason, shop like a local, walk like a tourist, book an Airbnb flat in a high-rise and wake up to sunrise on the 20th floor… Enjoy wider horizons but also encounter new limitations. Yes I’m aware this sounds like a page out of a self-help book, but I promise, IT’S SEXY WHEN YOU’RE DOING IT RIGHT. I’d like to think that this is how London and I keep a healthy relationship, even if I have to ask for a hall pass every now and again.

Seoul, for me, is one of those ‘home’ cities – despite never having lived there and a place I still consider an exciting, unmapped territory, I can’t help that on the rare occasion I do visit I slink into an oddly familiar routine that one would typically expect from a local. Now, this isn’t to say that I know my way around the back streets of Gangnam or the best way to haggle over a kilo of spinach with the lady in the market (why does one need kilo of spinach anyway), but it is the inevitable nature of: I seem to blend in with my own people? Last April, brought over by work, I was determined to spice it up – and instead of going straight to one of my relatives, booked two nights at the Conrad hotel on Yeuido island – the city’s business and banking district and also home to the most spectacular cherry blossom festival.

Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_04

Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_07

Bag – Celine. Shoes – Aquazzura ‘Christy’

Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_05Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_06

Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_08

Watch – Larsson & Jennings ‘Saxon’. Necklace – Effra London

Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_09

Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_11Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_12

The hotel, while stunning in design and efficient in service, is undeniably oriented towards business purposes, which is exactly what I’d wanted. I woke up early and mingled with the suited men at breakfast, read the cartoon page off the International New York Times with my glasses perched low on my nose, and abused the concierge app to book wake-up calls but snoozed through the morning. In the afternoon, I took walks through the cherry blossom festival and bought street food, which I smuggled back into my room. And on the last day, I took a friend and snuck into a local public school’s sports field and we spent the afternoon on the bleachers imagining life as a Korean high-schooler. It was love rekindled, and so far away from the Seoul that I got too easily accustomed to. Next time, I’m booking a helicopter ride and borrowing a dog. Now tell me that’s not some power couple’s therapy.

A big thank you to Conrad Seoul for the kind hospitality.

Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_13Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_14

Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_15

Sweater – Isabel Marant. Trunk bag – Marni. Denim culottes – Charlie May. Heels – Gianvito Rossi

Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_16Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_17

Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_18

Park-and-Cube_Seoul-Conrad_19

Bag – Coccinelle

Park-and-Cube_LFW-Outfits_0001

With every passing season it seems more and more apparent that I approach Fashion Week dressing exactly like how I prepared for my GCSE’s: Revise the crap out of the first exam on schedule (history), and then sob through the rest, cramming two years’ worth of curriculum every night before exams while simultaneously replacing water with Red Bull in my circulatory system. Fast forward about ten years later – same drill, different liquids. If ya know what I mean.

Here’s sort of a play-by-play:

All photo assistance by Simon Schmidt.

London fashion week
Day One
Confident. Prepared. Even bothered to wrestle with the printer to have the day’s itinerary at hand. Memorized the show schedule to the tune of Family Guy opening song. Three look changes neatly folded in the trunk with one to spare, we’re shooting a video throughout the day and the Hyundai Santa Fe is my changing room on wheels again. Windows not tinted dark enough but it’s Day One and I’m pumped.

Coat – Charlie May. Faux-fur stole – ASOS. Skirt – Joseph. Boots – Stuart Weitzman. Top – Zara.

Park-and-Cube_LFW-Outfits_0002

London fashion week
Day Two
Early start, breakfast in the car. Make-up completion level: 8/10. Pret plastic spoon in one hand, eyeliner in another, someone’s eating granola with an eyeliner again today… Balancing on 4-inch heels and feeling like I’m up to some good. Promises self to go home and blog everything I’ve seen today.

Cropped-trench – Reiss. Jeans – Levi’s CT. Heels – Gianvito Rossi. Dress – Razan Alazzuoni. Bag – Louis Vuitton.

Park-and-Cube_LFW-Outfits_0004

Park-and-Cube_LFW-Outfits_0003

London fashion week
Day Three
Hummed tune to Family Guy over breakfast and only managed to sing ‘sex on TV’ bit correctly. No idea what’s happening today, fingers crossed assistant knows. Wearing trainers in case there’s some running involved. Ran to the loo in McDonald’s between Topshop and Paul Smith.

Sweater – Isabel Marant. Jeans – Topshop. Bag – Marni. Scarf – Acne ‘Canada’

Park-and-Cube_LFW-Outfits_0005

London fashion week
Day Four
Stuck a hand inside the khaki side of the wardrobe and pulled out outfit at the peak of desperation. Figured you can never go wrong with khaki, except maybe looking like a farmer a little. Coccinelle bag surprisingly roomy and fits camera et al. Scooore.

Quilted Jacket – Barbour. Denim jacket – Levi’s. Belt – Vintage Louis Vuitton. Culottes – Topshop. Bag – Coccinelle. Fedora – Hoss Intropia
[hotspotter-13]

Park-and-Cube_LFW-Outfits_0006a1

London fashion week
Day Five
Peeled out layers from the laundry basket, ended up looking (and smelling) like a college student. Not sure what fashion even is anymore. Tommy, can you smell me? Turns out wearing everyday clothes = higher productivity level. No actual work done, but somehow managed to deplete phone battery by noon. Added this skill into CV with remaining 1%.

Bag – Aspinal. Jeans – Levi’s CT CT. Top & Blazer – POLO Ralph Lauren.

Park-and-Cube_LFW-Outfits_0007