White City

by Aleksandra Stamenković

Carnivals – the word itself arouses imagination and images of spectacular days filled with decadence. During five days of Carnival, Rio de Janeiro becomes global capital of fun. With eccentric parades displaying astonishing floats crowded with dancers in fabulous costumes; street parties where the samba never stops and balls of the greatest extravagance - the fiesta never comes to an end

Though Carnival is celebrated in cities and villages across Brazil and many other Catholic countries, Rio de Janeiro Carnival is now considered one of the greatest shows on globe. This is not only the biggest Carnival but also one of the world’s most interesting artistic events. Pretty much everyone has heard of this festivity. That is obvious in increasing number of foreign visitors and it came to about half million every year.

Carnival is a four-day celebration. It happens at the peak of summer, when Cariocas (natives of Rio de Janeiro) are at their best. It officially starts on Saturday, and finishes on Fat Tuesday (Mardi-Gras) with the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday after which one is supposed to abstain from all bodily pleasures. Carnival takes place from February 20 through 24.

History

The origins of Carnival festivities in Rio de Janeiro date back to colonial times and year 1723. Immigrants from the Portuguese islands introduced here the pre-lent festivity Entrudo, a chaotic event where participants threw water, mud and food at each other. The idea was getting everybody soaked wet and anyone could be a potential victim. Even some emperors took part in it. Due to its rampancy, authorities tried to outlaw the celebration and Brazilians used to riot the Carnival until it was accepted as a cultural expression. The black slaves became actively involved in the festivities. This was the only time when they were able to be free for three days. Nowadays the poorer black communities are still the most included groups in all the carnival preparations and they are the ones for whom Carnival means the most.

Carnival has gone long way since its beginnings. One of the most important recent developments was that the biggest parade, the Samba Parade, became too big for improvisations and moved from the downtown streets to the purpose-designed Sambodromo.

Sambodromo and Samba Parade

Rio Carnival owns its world reputation to this manifestation. It’s a spectacle and a competition of Rio samba schools. The parade starts at 21:00 and continues until dawn next day. The event is broadcast live to several countries and other Brazilian states.

Preparation for Samba parade start few months in advance as each samba school mobilizes thousands of supporters who will create various parts of the school’s display. A samba school is basically an association of people from the same favela. They get together on a regular basis for samba nights and rehearsals. This also provides invaluable jobs to the community that is employed year-round in the production of costumes and floats.

Each year schools choose a different theme they try display in their entry. The samba schools work to build the best floats and costumes to represent their themes, and to include the best music they can from their band called the bateria. Schools may include 3,000 to 5,000 members in the Parade as well as six to eight floats.

Street Parades

They may try to commercialize it or industrialize it, but Carnival is something that comes deep from the passionate Carioca soul. There’s much more to Carnival than the Samba Parade. Street Carnival festivities are great fun, free and happen at every corner of the city. The emphasis is on joy and spontaneity. Before, during and after the Parade, thousands of people who did not get in gather on the streets. From Carnival Saturday to Tuesday, open-air dances take place all over the city. The biggest and most organized one is on Cinelândia Square. Those who paraded in costumes and who just want to party more, making the crowd even more colorful with their fancy dresses, also join. Apart from organized street dances, people also simply gather outside little corner bars, drink and have fun in the street.

Bandas and blocos are very famous at the street carnivals especially because it takes nothing to join in. Each neighborhood in Rio has its favorite Bandas or Blocos. Both consist of an orchestra marching along a pre-determined route, followed by crowds of enthusiastic samba dancers. They can be dressed in costumes, bathing suits, special T-shirts, or even in drag. One of the best known street bands of Rio is the legendary Banda de Ipanema. Looking from a historical perspective they were the one to blame for the rebirth or Rio de Janeiro’s unique Street Carnival Festivities. Banda de Ipanema is also the Carnival event with the highest concentration of drag queens in Rio. They come from all over the universe to party together at the streets of Rio. They will stop the traffic, jump on buses or into cars, and sometimes even kiss the driver. Their splendor is manifested in all shapes and sizes. Some play the same character every year while the others come in groups with coordinated costumes. You never know what to expect… You will run into Carmen Miranda, Minnie Mouse, Supergirl, Little Mermaid or a Snow White. Their costumes can be glamorous, chic, bizarre or anything in-between you can imagine.

Balls and Parties

In addition to the Samba Parade and Street Carnival, spectacular balls are organized. You won’t have to spend a fortune to have a great time. Tickets to most balls will cost you around $20 to $50 (the only exceptions are gala balls). A true Carnival Ball features live music. It’s usually two bands taking turns, and sometimes there is a guest vocalist. Samba percussion is very loud.

You can find just any kind of ball – gala balls, balls for singles and gay balls. The gala balls are luxurious events organized at the Copacabana Palace. Local socialites, international stars, models and soccer players usually attend these so called Magic Balls. In case you decide to show up make sure that you are properly dressed. Luxury costume or black tie/evening dress here is a must. Ticket prices for the Magic Ball range from $575 to $1150 in Golden Room. Besides these fancy balls there are still more casual and specific ones. Balls for singles are taking place at Copacabana Beach and a well-known club Scala. The venue is very big and offers thematic dances every night during Carnival.

Tips and other useful information
In case you decide to attend one of the world’s biggest parties you should not only get your flight tickets, but also do a bit of preparation. Samba Parade tickets should be purchased as soon as possible since this is the most popular event. Ticket prices increase as days go by and they vary from $88 to $1,498 depending on seating sectors and date chosen. More information about tickets and prices can be found at: www.rio-carnival.net

You should also get your tickets for the Magic Ball at least two months in advance. Tickets for the Costume Competition in Hotel Gloria and the Gay or Gala Ball in Rio Scala can be purchased a week in advance.

Once in Rio the best way to get to Sambodrome is by cab or subway. Try to avoid busses. Many cab companies offer special transfer services but time management is impossible on Samba Parade days. Your route to the Sambodromo will depend on a seating sector as there is no connection between the two sides of the Sambodromo. Tell the driver in advance your sector. Though the approximate tariff to get there by cab is about $40 each way, the taximeter or an agreement with the driver sets the price of the journey. There is a little extra tariff to leave the Sambodromo so it’s advisable to ask and negotiate before getting in. The doors open at 17:00, but probably the best time to arrive is around 22:00-23:00 when the atmosphere is at its peak.

When it comes to safety the Sambodromo parade days is considered to be the safest place in South America since many celebrities, politicians and royalties come here. You are also allowed to bring your camera or camcorder. Objects made of polystyrene, bottles, glasses, firecrackers and fireworks are forbidden.

Transportation by airplane:
Approximate time:  About 20 hours
Approximate price: 1,128 Euros and above (roundtrip)
Online bookings: http://www.bravofly.co.uk

Accommodation
Accommodation prices are usually higher during Carnival. The average price for a room in three stars accommodation for all four days is $629 (per person in double occupancy).
Cheaper accommodation can be found in youth hostels with prices starting from $25 in a dorm room. More information at www.hostelworld.com

by Karl Jorssen
Editor-In-Chief

It must seem like an incredible journey since 2004, your first season on the Tour. Tell us a little bit about it.

So much has happened. It’s been an amazing adventure really. I have experienced and learnt so much. There have been some great highs and some lows too. Many exciting matches, beautiful places I have visited, and interesting people I have met. I’m still very young and I am sure there will be many more exciting experiences in my career.

 

And how are you able to keep yourself grounded, maintaining a normal life?

I think I have good balance. I have a great amount of passion for tennis. I love it. But I have other interests too, and a life away from the court. For example I’m studying Finance at the Singidunum-FEFA University in Belgrade. I’ve have also been learning Spanish. And when I meet with my friends, we don’t talk about tennis, we just talk about the same things as everyone else. Also, I have a great team around me. They are all very nice, humble people.

 

You’re very busy on the Tour and now residing in Switzerland, but you always have time for Belgrade and are here regularly.  What keeps you coming back here so often?

It’s my hometown! I grew up there and it influenced the person I am today. Visiting my family in Belgrade is one of my favorite things to do. There are a few things I always try to do when I visit, like going to my cousin’s apartment, or having pancakes at one of my favorite cafes.

 

And of course you’re not the only Serb playing professional tennis.  Showing up at an event in New York, or Australia, does it make it easier to have others around who are also from Serbia?  There are other players from much larger countries who are only represented by themselves.

It’s nice to be able to speak in my native tongue when I’m at tournaments. I always enjoy talking to the other Serbian players, especially Novak and Janko, who are friends of mine.

 

Of course there are now Serbian communities in almost every major city in the world, this must result a lot of support from fans wherever you’re playing?

Yes, it’s quite surprising actually just how many Serbs there are around the world. Everywhere I play there are many Serbs supporting us, which is so great to see. In Zurich last year I never saw so many Serbian flags in a stadium, and even in Tokyo I heard some Serbian supporters. They give us great support and I’m grateful for that.

 

And outside of the Tour, outside of tennis, what are your interests?

I love reading. Two of my favorite books are The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari and A Thousand Splendid Suns. I used to read about psychology for fun, but not so much these days. I watch a lot of DVDs, either movies or TV shows like Prison Break, Lost or 24. I like to go to the cinema too. And then there are my studies and learning languages. But what I like to do most is just have a nice dinner with my family.

 

Music preferences?

I like all kinds, including Hip Hop, R & B and Serbian. I like Leona Lewis and Nelly Furtado especially.

 

Tennis idols?

Monica Seles was always my hero when I was growing up. It was amazing to meet her for the first time, and we are in touch now and then. She’s not just a great player but a great person too. These days I admire Roger Federer a lot. I like to watch him. I can learn a lot from him. I also admire him as a person.

 

What about life after tennis, I would image it goes by very quickly?

I haven’t thought too much about this. I still have many years left as a professional tennis player. Maybe I will do something in the business world. It would be great to use multiple languages too.

 

What do you miss most about Belgrade?

My family.

 

Tell us about your UNICEF work.

It’s a great honour for me to serve as a National Ambassador for Serbia. I am concerned mainly with the Schools Without Violence programme, which is about making sure that our children are safe in their schools. It was very surprising to find out how much conflict there is in schools these days. I always had such a happy time at my school, so I want to do what I can to help. We should all talk to kids and find out more about their experiences at school.

by Karl Jorssen Editor-In-Chief

The soft-spoken Director of Click modeling agency and producer of Belgrade Fashion Week brings a refreshing and effective management style to the Belgrade fashion show.

It’s 8:00 a.m. on the first day of Belgrade Fashion Week, which this year goes by the moniker MTS Fashion Week Powered By Sony Ericsson.  Nenad Radujević is doing a live interview with Studio B at Nikola Pašić Square.  This would be the first of several interviews for Nenad this day in what was to be one of several long days.  I would ask him later that evening what time was his last interview to which he replies 1:00 a.m. While the last interview was at 1:00 a.m., it was actually an hour long interview that took place at the studios of Pink TV and it ended at 2:00 a.m. Just a typical 18 hour day for Nenad, one that would be repeated for the duration of Belgrade Fashion Week.  But seeing him it’s not that obvious that the days are long or that the obligations of his and his team is work.  It is work, it’s just that he does it in such a way that it doesn’t seem like work.

Later that afternoon I arrive unannounced at the Click modeling agency, the agency which he heads and produces the twice-yearly Belgrade Fashion Week.  I ask to speak with Nataša Višnjić, officially the person responsible for PR at Click and Belgrade Fashion Week.  Unofficially Nataša is responsible for everything from logistics to administration to protocol.  Nataša asks me to wait. Of course she has little time for unannounced visits hours before the first show, but she accommodates me as they accommodate everyone that wants time with Nenad or anyone in this small but cohesive team that pulls off one of the premier events in Belgrade.

Nataša downplays the significance of her role with Click and Belgrade Fashion Week.  “It’s a little bit pretentious to say that I am responsible [for so much], there are a lot of people responsible for many things for Nenad.” Nataša came to Click 9 years ago after working for Armani in Athens.  As the story goes, she promised her parents she would return to Serbia when the previous government was no longer in power.  Of course that day came sooner than anticipated and she made good on her promise to come home.  Things have changed a lot since the early days of Click.  “I remember we were in a smaller office with no internet connection and one phone, things are easier [now] because you can work more relaxed.  I have assistants to help me, years ago I was managing everything myself,” she says.

It may not be fair nor accurate to describe Nataša as a tough woman, but she is strong and is cautious when dealing with not-so-well known media like this one.  What is accurate is to say that she, like the other members of Nenad’s team, is fiercely loyal, capable and doesn’t suffer fools gladly.  Rather than the usual temperament of a strong woman she’s warm and engaging and responds to what probably seems like unnecessary questions with interest as she gently tugs on my shirt sleeve eagerly waiting for the opportunity to answer.

I mention that I’ll be attending ‘Fashion Week with a friend and was issued only one accreditation.  “That’s ok,” she replies. “And don’t worry, we’ll try to seat everyone in a good place,” her thoughts a couple of steps ahead of this writer.  The significance of her response would become obvious five hours later when figuring out where in the Belgrade food-chain you belong, as front row seats are a precious resource during Belgrade Fashion Week.

Just then Nenad, on his way out, comes from his office at the back and mentions to some assistants the two or three errands he’ll be running before they all re-group at Expo later.  Nataša looks up at him, they make eye contact without saying anything and he leaves looking – as always – totally relaxed.  Nenad’s demeanor is more of someone leaving the office early before a long weekend rather than someone whose day is really just beginning.  And although my visit was unannounced, he’s not surprised to see me.  I’ve been there for all of ten minutes and he probably knows exactly when I arrived and what is the nature of my visit.  That’s the thing about Nenad; he’s very sharp and always knows what’s going on.

Nenad founded his Click modeling agency in 1991 quietly, like many of the successful firms in Serbia, and started the twice-annual Belgrade Fashion Week in 1996 that has since become one of the major events in Belgrade.  “In the last few years it is the event, maybe one of the greatest events in Serbia,” says TV host Irina Kruška.  And Radujević is responsible for the success of Belgrade Fashion Week more than anyone else.  He was able to put together a very competent team over the years, a team whose membership has changed little.  He and his team were the first to put Belgrade on the map as a fashion centre.  While those of us who reside here are aware that Serbia has always been a place of style, this isn’t the first thing that comes to mind for foreigners when thinking of Belgrade.  Radujević has done much to change this perception.  “Nenad is basically, maybe the most important guy at the moment because he is doing something to connect Serbian fashion and the Serbian fashion business with the world,” said Kruška.  “And as far as I can see he has managed to do it – I don’t know how – but he is doing it,” adds the well known journalist.

Radujević for his part is modest while acknowledging his efforts to promote Serbian design.  “I’m taking care of our idea, our mission to promote Serbian designers, serious fashion houses and of course brands that are serious in our market such as Hugo Boss that is very important.  But mainly I think it’s very important to take care of our designers and our fashion brands. We want to develop that part of our fashion market,” he says, preferring to punctuate his comments with “we” and “our,” instead of a ‘me’ and ‘my.’

Igor Vidović is part of Radujević’s core team.  There are actually over 200 staff involved in the production of Belgrade Fashion Week but Nenad has a core team of about six people who have significantly more responsibility than others.  Vidović is responsible for the content of the daily newsletter that is distributed at all of the shows.  It’s basically a roundup of the previous night’s events and highlights the designs of the previous show. The newsletter also includes photographs of public figures who attended the previous night’s shows.  It’s a well designed, well written and well edited publication.  It’s good for the show, good for the sponsors and good for those attending and it’s the combination of these kinds of ideas and the staff that Radujević has recruited that make Belgrade Fashion Week such a high level production. Vidović spends most nights at Belgrade Fashion Week scanning the crowd for interesting or well known public figures to comment for stories he puts together for Bilten, as the newsletter is named.  You can normally see him between shows with a hand-held recorder interviewing some well-known personality.  With most shows starting at 19:00, he shows up around 18:00 and is still doing interviews at midnight.  Vidović and a few others put the completed texts together with the edited images overnight.  “The show starts at 19:00 so that means that it has to be delivered by 15:00 or 16:00 the next day,” says Vidović.  “I don’t sleep.”  That’s a turnaround from the printer in something like 10 hours, normally impossible in this publishing market.  Vidović, like most of his colleagues, does actually get some sleep during Belgrade Fashion Week, but he gets his sleep between this and a regular full time job he works during the day.

Opening Show

Click decided to go with the same venue they used previously and chose the Expo center in New Belgrade as the main venue for Belgrade Fashion Week. Even though it’s outside of town, it’s in a convenient location, is ideal for the size of the crowd that the shows attract and offers very good acoustics in their hall.  There are four areas – a main sort of lobby area, one larger hall that is separated into two halls where separate shows are staged, and a VIP area in the middle.  The way it’s set up, you get the perception of being in different rooms when it’s actually just one large hall divided by black curtains.  You enter into the first area where some of the advertisers have booths set up and they never come empty handed so there’s always something extra to add to the gift bags that are waiting for those in the better seats.  There’s a bar towards the left but this season Tikveš Wines are giving out drinks at their booth towards the other end so there’s really no need to spend money on alcohol.  Better options are available in the VIP area, and even if you don’t have a VIP pass, they’ll let you in if you know someone who does.  The lighting in the first area is slightly dimmed, not bright and it gets darker as you enter one of the two halls with runways – the White Room or the Black Room at either side.

A line up usually starts about 10 minutes before the show with the entrance to the particular room a bottle neck of people.  But the bottleneck is there for a reason, as the narrow entrance is an effective way of controlling the amount of light coming in from the main hall.  There’s one or two well-dressed guys checking for invitations, but they know who you are after one of two shows so entering is quick after you’ve been to the first show.  Just don’t come late, they hate it if you come late and you’ll hear about it if you do.  Inside the room is set up with eight rows on each side of the runway, with room for about 50 seats across.  The last few rows are raised in theatre seating style which ensures a good view from almost every seat.  There are an additional four rows on the floor at the end of the runway, with the production stand for sound and light boards behind these rows raised about half a meter off the floor.  With standing room, each show has an audience of about 800-850 people with most people attending all of the evening’s shows they’ll have a total attendance of about 2,000 people each night.

It’s a good set up using the two spaces at the one venue, as it allows for the subsequent show to be ready before the preceding show is over.  With the faster turnaround Radujević and his team are able to squeeze in four, sometimes five full shows in one night.  The lighting around the catwalk prior the show is perfect, another small but important detail that may not be obvious but adds so much to the show.  The light is just enough for you to find your seat and perhaps allow for some people watching without taking away from the overall atmosphere and theme of the show.

The 20 minutes between the time when they open the room and the start of the show is an interesting time.  Seating is assigned in a certain hierarchy, depending – presumably – on where you are in Belgrade’s pecking order.  There are three groupings for media; Media I, Media II and Media III which indicates which row the particular media group is assigned to (White City was included in the Media III group).  As well seats are assigned for advertisers, some are reserved for the particular show’s designers and other seats are reserved for public figures that are usually provided seating on the front row.  The pecking order seems to be public figures; seats reserved for the designer; advertisers; then Media I, Media II and Media III.  The best seats are towards the end of the catwalk and these front row seats are almost always occupied by some well known artist.  Although there’s a limited amount of seating on the first few rows, some of the assigned seats are not always taken so one can normally get bumped up to a better seat in a row closer to the front.  If you arrive late to one of the smaller shows, they may even seat you on the front row as the last thing a show wants is an empty seat on the floor.

Prior to the start of a show, Radujević can be seen wearing the headphones he uses to communicate with backstage.  This way he can remain on the floor and still keep on top of things in other areas.  “When there’s a big space you have to have some control,” he says.  Before the show is the time when Radujević can do what he does best – working the room.  Seeing the guy work the room is like watching art in action.  Radujević is somewhat philosophical when explaining his approachable style and in explaining what seems to be his trademark of greeting those people attending.  “I feel that I’m working as a personal host and I like to say hello to everybody and I appreciate that they [are here] and want to spend time with the designers, with our project.”  He greets well-wishers, friends, and clients and will never refuse a request for a photograph – and during the course of an evening he may get his photograph taken literally hundreds of times.  Whenever there’s a famous actor, writer or musician he’ll be asked for a photo.  He’ll be in a scrum with six or seven photographers all wanting a different shot, all wanting to take four or five shots of him and whoever.  And he always obliges – at the convenience of both the person he’s in the frame with and the photographers who are requesting the shot.  Radujević is a rare breed amongst those dealing with the media in Belgrade; it doesn’t matter which media, small or large, significant or not, friendly or hostile he gives them all the same access.  Same goes for those requesting interviews, something he’s also doing before shows. Of course this makes good publicity for his project, but Radujević sees it more technically. “This is also a part of my business and I like to give the right information.  This is very important for me and my clients,” he says.  So within a four minute period he may pose for photographs individually with three different people, do two interviews and greet several “guests” – the term he uses to refer to those attending – at either side of the catwalk.  And it’s all done so seamlessly and all done while he’s busy managing staff and the production preparations of the next show.  He does it all calmly and relaxed, always calm and always relaxed.

It may look easy, but things in Serbia things are not always what they appear to be and the fashion show is no exception.  “A lot of people think it’s easy, but it’s not easy you know, and an original is original and a copy is a copy,” he says wryly.  His comment may seem like a jab at the other Belgrade fashion show, and if it wasn’t Radujević making these comments they could be considered as much.  But Radujević is too diplomatic for such talk and really has no reason to be taking shots at competing shows.  The reality is both Click and Radujević have been generous with the competition, allowing his own models to work at Jacobs Fashion Selection and ensuring people associated with this other show are his guests at his Belgrade Fashion Week.  For Belgrade Fashion Week, for a production at this level, in this market he’s by himself.  Until someone else comes around with the experience and team that he has, there really is no competition.  The importance of having the right people is not lost on Radujević.  “We’ve been running Belgrade Fashion Week for 15 years.  It’s the 25th edition (of the show) and my team is very experienced and every time we have some new challenges and we want to improve our organization and improve our work and we want to follow what’s going on outside of the country, especially fashion centers like Paris, London, Milan and New York,” he says, comparing his productions with those productions abroad rather than less-established domestic shows whom, still have some institutional knowledge to acquire.

The first show on opening night is entitled Dreams of 1001 Nights.  Radujević partnered with Katarina Rebraca’s charity to raise money for breast cancer.  This show featured public figures – actors, musicians, well known journalists and others – modeling designs by Serbia’s best known designers.  One can only imagine the potential complications of puling this off.  Imagine, 20 odd public figures – public personalities – competing for publicity, competing for the best dress, the best position on the runway, competing for the attention.  It probably shouldn’t be possible to make an idea like this work in Belgrade, but Radujević is able to pull it off.  One of the women who agreed to model for this show was the well-known actress Katarina Radivojević.  She has nothing but good things to say about the experience which she acknowledged could have been problematic.  “It was very interesting, 24 women, very strong women and different.  But we didn’t have any conflicts, any problems,” says Radivojević.  And according to her, Radujević can work a room backstage just as good as he can out in front.  “He’s always in a good mood, relaxing everyone and connecting people,” she says, referring to this innate ability he has of making introductions and getting people together.  Radujević is very connected, everyone knows Nenad and everyone wants to be seen at his show.

Just before the show is about to start, Nataša can be seen working the front row.  She’s the one who ensures the right people are sitting in their appropriate seats.  She’s assisted by Bojan Sašić who, officially, is also responsible for logistics and PR but like Nataša, unofficially is also responsible for anything that may come up during the course of the evening.  Of course there’s always someone who wants that front row seat who was assigned a seat further from the catwalk.  Sometimes the guest will move when requested, sometimes Nataša has to be more persuasive.  At those times when more persuasion is required Nataša and Bojan are able to free up the seat diplomatically and without any drama, not the easiest task in this market.  When everyone has taken their seats and Radujević is informed that they’re ready backstage, the show will start.  Normally the show will start 20 to 30 minutes after the scheduled time, but this being Belgrade one could assume they schedule a 20:00 show at 19:30 just to make sure people show up on time.  In Belgrade, people like to arrive fashionably late.  And don’t try and leave the hall for whatever reason just before the show is about to start.  Should you do so you’ll get a ‘Where are you going?’ or ‘The show is about to start, you can’t leave now.’ from the man himself.  Radujević hates it when you get up before the show starts.  Nataša and Bojan will normally take their seats at the end of the first row while Radujević prefers to watch from the production area where most of the photographers are set up.  It’s the perfect vantage point to see everything that’s happening on the floor.  And he always standing, you’ll never find Radujević sitting at one of his shows.

During the show Radujević is even more relaxed, it’s obvious looking at him.  If he was wearing a jacket prior to the show he’ll take it off during the show.  On the one night he arrived wearing a long-sleeved shirt with no jacket, during the show he took it off exposing a simple black T-shirt.  He’ll still be wearing the headphones, but most of his job is already done so he’s talking to the six or seven production staff working the sound or light boards and he doesn’t look so much as a manager talking to his staff but more like someone hanging out with friends as he laughs and shares jokes with them.  On the table in front of them are the sound and light boards, a few laptops and an assortment of half-empty drink bottles.  Some of the guys working the production are a little older than the audience, some are within this same demographic.  But Radujević recruits people that are a lot like himself; sharp, competent, reliable – people that know what they are doing, people that can work independently who are self-motivated.  Even some of his models notice.  “He has a team he relies on and the team is very hard working, so I think he doesn’t just sit there and watch them…he trusts them and they trust him,” says Marina Djordjević, a successful model working Belgrade Fashion Week and someone whose career Radujević supported.  “He has the best models and the best organization,” she says, having left a previous agency to come work for Click.

It would be inaccurate to describe Radujević as a micro-manager.  Sure, he’s aware of everything that’s going on at one of his shows, but he’s more a detail person than anything else.  And he notices everything.  “A very important part of my business is my eye…and you have to have a good eye,” he says.  “I just follow my instinct, follow my eyes.”  And his ears too.  Often at a fashion show the music will be too loud or not loud enough.   At a Click-produced show the music is at just the right volume with the speakers placed in each corner of the two rooms on tripods two meters off the floor.  You don’t experience the drowning bass or distortion that you would in a room of that size.  It all ads up to that perfect semblance of music and fashion, without one overpowering the other.  At the end of a show during the model parade they’ll increase the volume ever so slightly, just to ensure the music is heard over the applause – another small detail that goes unnoticed by most of the audience but one of the many small details which, combined, makes Belgrade Fashion Week the standard for a fashion show in Belgrade.

White City got a chance to interview Radujević towards the end of Belgrade Fashion Week at one of the last shows that took place at the Hugo Boss store in town.  Radujević arrives a little before the 20:00 scheduled start.  But this is the only show on this night so they can afford to be running a little past the start time.  Radujević is wearing black jeans, a black shirt, a black jacket and black shoes - he’s usually wearing some combination of black or gray. Nataša and Bojan arrived a half hour prior.  Radujević, of course, is looking relaxed as always.  As this is one of the last days of the show, the long hours are starting to take its toll on some of his staff who are beginning to show signs of fatigue.  Not so for Radujević.  There are no bags under his eyes, no dark circles formed as a result of the continuous 18 or 20 hour days.  If he’s starting to get tired, it’s not showing.  He looks totally refreshed, he always looks like he’s had 12 hours sleep.  When he arrives there is no noticeable hush from his staff, no heads-up ‘Nenad’s here,’ no effort to make it more obvious that they are working.  It doesn’t matter if he’s present, the people that are on his team are working just as hard whether he is there or not.  He surveys the set-up of the venue without exchanging words with Nataša, they’ve obviously been in contact before he arrived.  That’s one of the things you notice; he is rarely seen speaking with his staff before a show.  But when you have the right people who’ve proven their reliability previously, everyone knows what’s expected of them.  Nataša eventually shares a few words with him (very few), presumably briefing him on the preparations of the show.  He chats with the production staff about the technical details and greets guests and well-wishers, thanking them for coming.  And of course the media, he’ll drop whatever he’s doing for a media request.  But most of the interviews are done after the show, including ours.

It seems to work on a first-come-first-served basis, Radujević doesn’t schedule his interviews.  He is standing with his left hand in his jacket pocket and his right hand is holding a glass of champagne which was served by the caterer some 30 minutes earlier.  He’s had that glass in his hand since then yet he’s barely taken a sip.  Radujević isn’t a very big drinker but he is a gracious host and he wouldn’t think of offering cocktails to his guests without having a drink himself.  During the interview the thing you notice most is not how articulate he is, or how thoughtfully he answers questions, or how charming he is and he is all these things.  The thing you notice more than anything else is just how considerate, patient and, well, just how polite he is.  Our intended two minute interview has now morphed into something nearing ten minutes.  But there’s no looking at his watch, no checking his phone, no glances towards his staff.  He gives you his undivided attention regardless of how long the interview or how repetitive the questions.  During the interview there are no prepared one-liners extolling the virtues of Click, or Belgrade Fashion Week or whatever.  He just simply answers the question as directly as it is asked, and does it calmly and relaxed.

And so he was asked about his always-cool demeanor.  “This is my attitude,” he says.  “I’m an optimist and I don’t want to allow some kind of bad energy to be inside of me I just want to be positive.  I’m actually satisfied because everything is going so well, I’m very satisfied with all my people around me,” Radujević says.  And he should be satisfied, it’s a very good team.  And if you want to put on a well-run, well-executed and professional fashion show in Belgrade, nobody is able to do it better than Nenad Radujević and his team.

by Karl Jorssen

The two fashion weeks in Belgrade – Jacobs Fashion Selection and the Click-produced Belgrade Fashion Week are putting Belgrade on the map and offering fashion shows in a distinctly Belgrade style

Belgrade is emerging as a fashion center with the two professionally implemented shows offering samples of selected collections in October and April. The spring Jacobs Fashion Selection took place from 1 to 15 April, while the larger, well-executed Belgrade Fashion Week took place from 23 to 29 April. Both fashion shows are normally well-attended and this year’s spring shows were no exception with attendees that included famous actors, musicians, media personalities, people from the arts and even the odd politician attending.

Both Jacobs Fashion Selection and Belgrade Fashion Week are productions of local modeling agencies with Jacobs’ produced by Select model agency and the older and more experienced Belgrade Fashion Week is a production of Fashion Studio Click. Both productions are well supported by media and both domestic and international advertisers.

Fashion shows in Belgrade are a more relaxed affair, less formal than the traditional shows taking place at fashion week in London or New York, however the quality of the production of the Belgrade show has become, over the years, more professional, more polished with our domestic shows learning from previous experiences, having honed the skills of the individuals involved in these productions. But the local show is much like Belgrade itself; laid back, cool, fun. And it has become a must attend event. “In the last few years, maybe four or five years, it’s very important to be seen,” says Irina Kruška, a popular journalist and host on TV Pink who was attending the Nataša Sarić show. She also notices the local flavor of the Belgrade-based event that says a lot about both Belgrade and the atmosphere of a domestic show. “We are all friendly, I don’t know, what can you say about us? We are all friendly and it’s like ‘OK, you are my friend, buddy let’s go drink something.’ Maybe that’s the attitude of these people here,” she said.

The uniqueness of a Serbian show is not lost on some of the people working there either. Marina Djordjević is one the models working Belgrade Fashion Week. She has worked in some of the other markets in Europe and finds Belgrade an interesting place to work. “There are some advantages because [here] they are all people you know and they are warm and friendly,” said the model, originally from Belgrade who can normally be seen on the catwalks in Milan.

Of course any show in Milan or New York or London the male guests would be wearing suits and ties, and women wearing cocktail dresses or something more formal. At a fashion show in Belgrade, the attire of attendees are a much different. Jeans, a jacket, and a casual shirt is usually the standard for the men, and jeans and with something comfortable for women.

Another noticeable difference of the Belgrade fashion show is demographics. Serbia and Belgrade has a young population, differing from shows elsewhere whose participants are noticeably older. The average age of attendees at Belgrade Fashion Week and Jacobs’ would be somewhere around early 30’s. Of course the fashion show in Belgrade is a microcosm for the local population in general, so there is a very good representation of young women – and because of these local demographics the beautiful women are not necessarily confined to the runway.

With the growing popularity of the Belgrade fashion show, these events are becoming a must attend event for both local and foreign residents. It’s also doing much to promote Belgrade and Serbia as a progressive place of arts and culture, for those of us who don’t know that already. Nenad Radujević the Director at Click and the founder of Belgrade Fashion Week says that it provides a good image for Serbia. And the local shows have felt the effects of the global economic crisis it’s not obvious when attending one of the shows. You’ll see no difference from previous years and may actually notice an improvement in the overall production. Working in tough conditions is not a new thing in Serbia. “We’ve had a similar situation a couple of times in our history because we’ve worked in a very bad situation, so this is not something new for us,” says Radujević.

Both shows offer designs from both domestic and foreign fashion houses. The Jacobs’ event had its home venue at the Hyatt, with the show moving to the SKC for some of their other shows with a handful of events at their two-week production taking place at other venues around town. This year Jacobs’ presented collections from designers such as Naturino, Moshino, Emporio Junior, Monaliza and Filip fashion companies while Monsoon Lady, Cotton, Hummel and Gaastra presented their designs at Jacobs’ for the first time. Click’s Belgrade Fashion Week this year featured shows of foreign labels such as Morella, Hugo Boss, Salsa Jeans, Bugatti, Puma and Adidas. The local designs included Nicolas, Irena Grahovac, Dejana Momcilović and Bata Spasojević – one of this year’s more popular shows.

While the fashion show in Belgrade becomes more significant to Serbia from an international perspective, many designers appreciate the opportunity of showing their designs to a local audience. This is the feeling of Bata Spasojević who had one of the best attended shows of the season. “I have always wanted to build my career in my country. I had a lot of offers from abroad. It is nice to get some experience from out of the country but nevertheless I [remain] devoted to my own country,” says Spasojević.

by Tijana Radovanović

The seven-month Tour of the Universe which started on 10 May (the U.S. leg starts 28 July) coincides with the new Depeche Mode album Sounds of the Universe, named by the band’s frontman Dave Gahan, whose promotional name is “Tea and Biscuits.” The European leg will see Depeche Mode perform in 28 cities, in 21 countries.

“The mainstream pop kids tend to jump from one thing to another, from one artist to another,” said Daniel Miller. “Then they get married and they give up. They might buy two albums a year. I think Depeche’ fans are very different than that. There are those in their 40’s who’ve grown up with the band – but there are a lot of people who have joined along the way and have become very loyal.”

One of the latest album’s strengths is that despite sounding fresh and relevant, it still exhibits a lot of the classic melodic elements of the Depeche Mode sound.

FASHION DISPATCH

It is not easy to write about music because what takes pages of description becomes obvious after just a minute of listening. Before starting to enjoy the silence, take advantage of the band’s “big buzz” and their ability to unleash musical fury to Europe after six weeks of transatlantic rehearsals. “You can expect a lot of songs that I hope you have grown to love as much as we have and some new songs as well, hopefully from the new album,” said Gahan.

Depeche Mode is named after the magazine and that name roughly translates from the French as ‘fashion news’ or ‘fashion message.’ Although touring in the middle of a global recession, the members of the British synth-pop band hope to bring the message of faith and devotion. The main tracks of ‘Universe are “Peace” and “Little Soul,” both of which concern liberation, light and freedom. “I wrote them back to back, and the flow of the album started to make more sense. I really felt they had spirituality to them. That somehow set a cornerstone for the rest of the writing.”

THREE HAPPY BUNNIES

“When we first started out, we were just young kids, really, who had put a band together. Suddenly we were rushed into the spotlight. If there was a photo session and the photographer said, ‘Put on these stupid outfits,’ we said, ‘Okay,’ we just went along,” says the band’s guitarist Martin Gore.

Being the driving forces behind the rise and continued vitality of the synth-pop movement, Gore and keyboardist Vince Clarke, would not be much fire in the synthetic vibes of Depeche Mode without the hollow baritone of the vocalist and lead singer David Gahan. Synth pop wasn’t intended to have a soul. By singing Gore’s lyrics in a slightly grimmer tone, it turned Gahan into a major influence on future industrial, gothic rock, and synth pop acts. Even though the group achieved artistic and commercial breakthrough it was still considered very much an underground cult phenomenon prior to the release of 1990’s Violator, a Top Ten smash that gave birth to hits such as “Enjoy the Silence,” “Policy of Truth,” and “Personal Jesus.” The dramatic shift in image astonished many of Depeche Mode’s devoted fans who became increasingly concerned that Depeche Mode was turning into a mainstream rock group. Not only did Gahan adopt a grunge look, but he also became seduced by the drug of choice among rock musicians in the early ‘90’s; heroin. Finally, he kicked his heroin addiction at rehab after a failed suicide attempt. In 1997, a revitalized Gahan recorded Ultra with Depeche Mode, followed by Exciter in 2001. Both Gahan and Gore released solo albums in 2003. They then reunited Depeche Mode to record the new studio album, Playing the Angel.

SOUNDS OF THE UNIVERSE

Call it a rock-style recession, the growing trend of the electro sound. Recorded very democratically in New York (home to Gahan) and Santa Barbara, California (Gore), Sounds of the Universe marks the first time the band has had too much material for an album, and that artistic abundance shines through the set. Retaining Ben Hiller as producer has meant some continuity in sound – Depeche Mode’s arrangements these days tend to be fairly well layered with analogue synths and soft-synths going off simultaneously, with a greater emphasis on keyboard performance than was the case on 2001’s rather minimalist Exciter. Despite a new disturbing video for “Wrong” that involves victims of violent crime, some fans may find that the band is brightening up a bit on the new album, as Gore tells it. The lead single “Wrong” is superb, catchy, and blares out of the speakers like a good Depeche Mode single should. Its refrain makes for the most eye-opening Mode song since “Personal Jesus.” Other standouts include “Fragile Tension” and ‘Corrupt,” and the Gahan-penned tracks “Hole to Feed” and “Come Back.”

After close to 30 years of having fun at their own expense, Depeche Mode still succeeds in exhibiting subtle black humor where love and hate, hope and despair, dominant and inferior paradoxically make a good mixture drawing a multitude of hard-core fans worldwide. For Daniel Miller, Executive Chairman of Mute Records, the consistency of the band’s artistic production is a big factor in its continued popularity.

Together, Gahan, Gore and bassist/collaborator Andy ‘Fletch’ Fletcher have almost broken up, almost died and almost been declared obsolete. Along the way, they’ve sold more than 100 million records.  And they remain one of the world’s biggest live acts, reaching 2.8 million people in 31 countries on their last tour alone.

“Well, let’s put it this way, Dave is a happy bunny, Martin is a happy bunny and I am a happy bunny. That makes three happy bunnies (laughs). We don’t argue that much and get along very well.” Andy Fletcher concludes.