Vice Fashion - Magic Happens

PHOTOGRAPHER:

LIZ DE LA PIEDRA

STYLIST: KATE REYNOLDS

We tracked down a group of young magicians at Melbourne University in an attempt to overcome an ongoing fear of people who can pull things out from behind our ears and predict, with 100 percent accuracy, which card we’re holding, despite never having seen it.

YC, 26

Vice: What do you study?

YC:

Well, I studied Mechanical Engineeringa few years ago. I just come back to the uni now to go to the magicians’ meetings.

Signature trick?

I fit Rubik’s Cubes and whole decks of cards into jars and bottles.

Mae wears: Stussy overalls, vintage top, Beat Poet patent belt, Iggy and Lou Lou necklace and Fred Perry hat.

MAE, 18 Vice: Is magic very male dominated? Mae: There are probably more guys than girls but in magic everyone is equal. We all just love learning new tricks. Do you guys go on magic camps or have magic dances? No, just meetings twice a week. Is it an expensive hobby? No, not at all. The cards are only about seven dollars and everything else is really cheap. Do you ever come across other people who share your passion for magic? Yeah, and when you do, it’s like a pretty special connection.

Gavan wears: model’s own jeans, Alpha 60 jacket, Chronicles Of Never t-shirt, Beat Poet Cravat Scarf and Vans.

GAVAN, 19 Vice: What are you studying? Gavan: Mechatronics and computer science. It’s essentially robotics and involves designing machines, programming them and then getting them to do what you want. It’s a five-year course without honours. How long have you been doing magic? 12–13 years. What’s your signature trick? It would have to be the Professor’s Nightmare with the Jack and the Beanstalk twist. I basically take three ropes of different lengths, make them all the same length and then turn them back to their original length. For the end of the trick I turn the shortest rope into a golden egg. Can you make much money in magic? Not really. However there are a lot of people who make a living doing magic. I’m just in it more for the kicks.

Ashley wears: Dress Up dress, TV leggings, Julia DeVille Death Skull earings and stylist’s own boots.

ASHLEY, 18 Ashley waved her magic wand and made herself disappear before we had a chance to ask her any questions. We assume she is top of her (magic) class.

Chris wears: Ksubi jeans, Chronicles Of Never t-shirt, Fred Perry cardigan and Vans.
Kyle wears: Cult shorts and belt, Claude Maus t-shirt and Vans.

CHRIS, 20 (left) Vice: What are you studying? Chris: Accuarial. Is it exciting? It’s not too bad. How did you get into magic? My friend dragged me along to a meeting at the Uni one time. He didn’t end up sticking with it, but I love it. How many members in the club? Over 100. So how can you all solve Rubik’s Cubes in 20 seconds when I spent my whole childhood trying and never once cracked it? Well we practice constantly. It’s actually possible to solve it in 10 seconds. It’s all based on algorithms. KYLE, 19 (right)
Current Club President Vice: Are there any initiation ceremonies you have to go through to become a member? Kyle: Well, everyone has to take the ‘magician’s oath’ and promise never to give away the secrets of their tricks to anyone. I wouldn’t teach a person a trick if they hadn’t taken the vow. Many people who aren’t entirely serious are weeded out by the difficulty of learning new tricks. It’s a lot of work so you quickly see who’s serious about magic. Why do you do it? Because it’s impressive. I’ll be sitting on the tram on my way home and start playing with my cards and next thing I know the whole tram is watching and getting right into it. Signature trick? I do a show called a Two-Card Monte. Basically, someone from the crowd will hold two cards and then I’ll turn them into two entirely different cards. I have another good one where I make a coin fly against gravity.

Yeo wears: model’s own jeans, Beat Poet shirt and tie, No Tomorrow ring and Dr Marten’s boots.

YEO, 19 Vice: Just wondering whether there was any history of bad boy magicians? Any scandals? Like magicians killing each other for their tricks? Yeo: Not that I know of. Do you love magic? That’s an understatement. Signature trick? I guess my speciality would be close-up magic which means that I perform with the audience in reach as opposed to distant illusion type magic.

LABELS AND STOCKISTS:

Alpha 60 www.alpha60.com.au

Beat Poet www.beatpoet.net

Chronicles Of Never chroniclesofnever.com

incuclothing.com

Claude Maus claudemaus.com

Cult cultindustries.com

Deborah Sweeney deborahsweeney.com

Dr Marten’s.drmartens.com

Fred Perry primeonline.com.au

Iggy and Lou Lou iggyandloulou.com

Lonely Hearts somebuddylovesyou.com.au

No Tomorrow notomorrow.com.au

TV t-v.net.au

VANS vans.net.au

William Griffiths fat4.com

Dobry Den www.dobryden.com.au