Looking at the stunning pieces of this summer’s bright and bold Mrs. Carter Beachwear Collection by H&M, it’s no surprise that they borrowed a little bit of inspiration from a household name—Beyoncé. From singer to mega-mogul, Beyoncé has taken the world by storm over the past two decades selling over 75 million records; and this summer she’s taking over the realm of fashion, as well.

Bright and Bold Prints Inspired by the Elements.                                                        Photo Courtesy Of: H&M

In tandem with kick-starting her “The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour”, Beyoncé launched the Mrs. Carter Collection by H&M earlier this month, displaying a cohesive array of beach essentials in bright prints and bold cuts. Inspired by the four elements, the collection pairs understated bottoms with detailed tops, and pops of color, to create bold beach looks intended for the summer sun.

Heavily involved in the creative process, as well as serving as the muse of the collection, Beyoncé expressed her love of the “attitude and energy of fashion” through the pieces she collaboratively created with H&M. Working to establish her own mother’s brand House of Deréon in 2005, Beyoncé is no newcomer to the fashion circuit, however, this collection serves to fulfill more than a creative outlet for the star.

                                                                                                                                                                              Photo Courtesy Of: H&M

Singer, Actress, Dancer and newly established Director, Beyoncé has done it all—earning herself the title of Most Powerful and Most Influential Musician in the World by Forbes Magazine early last year. But despite her fast ascent to the top of the charts and into the hearts of fans worldwide, the super-star hasn’t lost perspective on what is most important in her life—giving back to those in need.

“My parents taught my sister and me the importance of giving back, and making a difference in another person’s life” Beyoncé said during an interview about the new collection.

A clean summer-inspired collection.                                                                                                                                                                Photo Courtesy Of: H&M

Hoping to better the world through the collection, Beyoncé and H&M collaborated on an endeavor to bring those in need the most essential necessity of life—Water. Donating 25% of their sales of the exclusive tie-die bikini to the cause of helping improve access to potable water worldwide, the H&M for Water Initiative is a collaboration with non-profit organization WaterAid, dedicated to supply access to clean water and improving hygiene globally.

Inspiring a fresh and clean collection, this summer Beyoncé and H&M take a step to sustain life around the world with an even more fresh and clean intention! Check out the collection online and in an H&M near you.

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Now You See Me (NYSM) is the story of an FBI agent and an Interpol detective who follow ‘The Four Horsemen’, the world’s greatest team of illusionists. ‘The Four Horsemen’ pull off a series of daring heists against corrupt business leaders during their performances, showering the stolen profits on their audiences. Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco star as the four Vegas magicians.

French director Louis Leterrier (Clash of the Titans, The Incredible Hulk, The Transporter) chose Mark Ruffalo (The Avengers, Hulk, Shutter Island, Zodiac) as his leading man. Leterrier revealed that he originally did pick Ruffalo to play The Incredible Hulk but Marvel refused saying he wasn’t popular at the time. The choice made in this hard industry proved to be wrong as Ruffalo’s performance in Zodiac was amazing. As an actor, he knows how to adapt his roles to the tone of the story. He’s not Daniel Dee Lewis but he’s aware of the character’s space and weight in the film. That being said, Ruffalo’s performance doesn’t stand out in NYSM though, he’s interesting enough for us to follow him the whole time. Beside him is the French actress Mélanie Laurent (Beginners, Le concert) who’s famous for her appearance in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds. As Alma Dray, the Interpol detective, the actress is not very convincing and lack of “that something more”.

Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network, Zombieland, The Squid and the Whale) on the other hand is just great as J. Daniel Atlas, the control freak magician. I don’t know if it’s just me, but Eisenberg plays brilliantly the narcissistic/arrogant character. This might even stick to his image as an actor. Although, there’s never too much of those in cinema so it shouldn’t be a problem for his career.

Woody Harrelson’s career has become interesting over the years. Woody mostly plays cool roles. Remember White Man Can’t Jump, Kingpin, Natural Born Killers, The People vs. Larry Flint even in The Hunger Games he’s the cool coach that gives good advice to Jennifer Lawrence. In Now You See Me he plays Merritt McKinney the mentalist, the one that hypnotize people. He’s fun to watch and drops one or two good lines.

As for the other cast member, there is Isla Fisher (The Great Gatsby, Rise of the Guardians, Confessions of a Shopaholic) who appears as Henley Reeves, the magician who’s good at making people disappear. Morgan Freeman stars as Thaddeus Bradley, a magician who’s in it for the money. Finally, we have Dave Franco (Warm Bodies, 21 Jump Street, Superbad) who we barely see but will soon star in other big movies. Yes, he’s James Franco’s brother and yes, he’s cuter.

Think of Sleuth (1972). If you haven’t seen it yet, this is a must. It’s a classic in the genre. Michael Caine is one of the main actors and this is one of his best performances. The NYSM writers (Ed Solomon, Boaz Yahin and Edwart Ricourt) might have been inspired by this story since the intrigue is brilliantly set up. Caine’s presence in NYSM is a clin d’oeil to Sleuth. Caine also played in The Prestige, another movie that comes to mind in terms of film subject and storytelling. Unlike Sleuth and The Prestige, Now You See Me’s intrigue is unfortunately not working. Unless you want to see Common hypnotized or Jesse Eisenberg’s performance, the movie is disappointing. The writers have used the concept of magic to built the story. ‘The Four Horsemen’ is a distraction and this is a good idea in the script. Nevertheless, we’re so away from the whole picture. The viewer is not engaged into finding who’s behind all of this. We’re more into the tricks and how they did it. Our connection to ‘The Four Horsemen’ and their ‘leader’ is weak. Now You See Me is a good attempt for a crime thriller film but really misses out on intrigue and storytelling.

Unusual holidays is a mini series of articles in which MadlyJuicy follows Darren Hunter, a traveller who visited Chechnya, Afghanistan and Iran; places that are more known for their political instabilities than their touristic aspect. This week, he takes us to Chechnya…

Driving through the Caucasus mountains on the Chechen border-land

Walking past the shelled remains of what was once a small school surrounded by green hills and peaceful countryside, not even the most seasoned extreme traveller, Darren Hunter, felt quite safe on the point of entering Chechnya.

The remainder of the bloody conflict that ripped apart this remote corner of the world screams in its gutted silence. Here in Beslan, in 2004, over 380 people died in one of the bloodiest massacres of the Chechen revolution. The Chechen separatist forces held everyone in the school – staff, teachers, and students – hostage for days, while the Russian forces skulked outside. Eventually, the Russians infiltrated the school with tanks and rockets. “In order to stem any more separatist rebellion they decided to nip it in the bud. They went in the school and managed to recover a few hostages, but many more died in the battle,” Hunter said.

Rolling countryside steps from the Chechen border

Hunter was lured to Chechnya by the thrill of danger and adrenaline, but he confesses that, of all the remote and war-torn places he has visited, only in Chechnya he did not feel safe. “Chechnya? It’s scary. The police presence is massive, and we are talking of the separatist police…they do not let you in for more than a few hours. Then you are asked to leave. When I was there, a few years back, even photos were forbidden.”

Chechnya is stunning: a green countryside dotted with rolling hills, carpeted by luscious grass, and cushioned by welcoming mountains. “But it still shows a war-torn landscape,” said Hunter. “The bullet holes gape at you in every wall, the buildings are gutted by shells.” Even the people of Chechnya were not the friendliest: “I have been to Iran and Afghanistan where people are extremely welcoming. But in Chechnya… let’s just say that foreigners or foreign influences are not something with which the Chechens are enthralled. They tend to stick to themselves.”

The rare image of a Chechen village taken from the border

All a traveller is allowed to do in Chechnya is take a few hours’ stroll around the remains of the town, scarred by old guerrilla shots and by modern, newly re-built neighbourhoods. Those who venture there should be very careful. “If you are going to go, you have to be very careful about everything and anything that could relate to politics and the conflict. A map itself is a very political statement,” Hunter explains. “For example, I would not go around Chechnya with a map showing the region as part of Russia, because that is a very political statement.”

If you are an adrenaline seeker, Chechnya is the place for you, but do check your maps carefully. Before you enter.

Keep reading for more Extreme Travel stories from Darren Hunter. On the menu next week:  “A Nightmare Night in Afghanistan.”

This week, Spring Offensive will put out a new free download called « Speak ».

While surfing the web, MadlyJuicy discovered a beautiful rarity; Spring Offensive. Five gentlemen from Oxford, UK, who, between two musical experimentations, accept to satisfy our curiosity. MadlyJuicy had a little conversation with the group. Meet the next British offensive!

MadlyJuicy: Can you introduce yourself individually to our readers?

Spring Offensive: Sure! We’ve got Lucas (vocals), Matt (guitar, organ, vocals), Theo (guitar, vocals) Chris (bass, synths, vocals) and Pelham (drums, vocals). But we’re pretty much one unit, so you wouldn’t want to talk to us individually.

MJ: You are named after Wilfred Owen’s poem, Spring Offensive. Why that choice? How that poem describes your universe?

S.O.: We firstly just love the name; it’s something we’ve grown into. If you read the poem, it’s full of this unutterable violence, but it’s set inside a series of really beautiful images. It’s an incredible piece of work, full of contrasts and contradictions. It’s also a term that’s been appropriated by people throughout the last hundred years. It means different things for different groups. For us it means this band.

MJ: When did the five of you decided to become serious about music?

S.O.: Right, yeah – well most of us met at school and started playing in a few different bands together, sharing record collections and trying different stuff out. It was all, and I mean all, terrible. It was all behind closed doors, so no one really noticed. But we then all went off to study around the country, travelled, grew up, and only ever hooked up to make music every now and then. A few years ago, we all decided to move into a house together and the band started. It’s been serious ever since.

MJ: How do you complete each other? What different musical characters do you individually bring?

S.O.: We know each other far too well. We finish each other’s sentences. We live inside each other’s heads. Most of us have been friends for over a decade. That’s not the kind of bond you can just create overnight. We’ve also been living together and touring around Europe in a van together for the past few years. It goes beyond friendship. We’re incredibly close. Musically, we shift shape and morph with each other.

MJ: Labelling musicians seems to be more and more irrelevant. Where are you standing with your unique universe? What are you trying to convey with your songs?

S.O.: Hopefully every song has a clear meaning that comes across to the listener. I agree, giving everything a sticker that says “PUNK” or “HIP-HOP” or “CLASSICAL” is reductive for everyone apart from marketing people, but listeners need a frame of reference. We want to be a band that sounds familiar but new, and we’re working on that every time we get into the studio. But at the same time it’s the music that feels natural to us. If it speaks to people, it’s doing the job.

MJ: Your style is musically dense: chorus vocals, guitars, bass and drums. What are the five vital conditions for you to create?

S.O.: Most important is time. We don’t work well under pressure. A song can take a day, but it can also take a year. If we’ve got that, we’re happy. We also need space, preferably out of the city, food, preferably with a vegetarian option, coffee/tea, and something awesome to do during down time… We’re not fussy.

MJ: We discovered you through an acoustic version of Every Coins. Can you please tell us how this tune was created? What is the story behind it?

S.O.: That’s an old song, one of our first, and we don’t actually play it anymore! It was one of the first times we tried to work a real strong narrative into a track, which we do a lot more now. Basically, there was a line in a play we saw that mentioned a post-apocalyptic scenario in which gangs went round forcing people to eat their money. We felt like we had to write about it.

MJ: Your last video No Assets is very creative. There’s filming production, dance performances and lighting effects, all D.I.Y. How important is it for you to create from or around other kind of Art?

S.O.: Thank you! We spent about a month working it out, and we’re very proud of how it turned out. Making your own content is hugely satisfying and rewarding, so we try and do that whenever we can, whenever it’s something we’re capable of doing ourselves. A music video is now a hugely important way of presenting a track, and conveying another dimension of it, because most people consume through YouTube at some point. Every video we’ve made has been pretty different. We’re experimenting and learning.

MJ: Your lyrics can be very nostalgic and somehow darkly romantic. How do you write and where do you find inspiration that fuel those lyrics?

S.O.: Matt and Lucas write all the lyrics. It can come from all kinds of places. Often it’s a story that we’ve read, or an idea from a line somewhere. We tend to go away and spend a few days working on a lyric, taking them one song at a time. At this point, we’ve almost finished writing our first album, and we’re tying everything together with cross-references and patterns of images. All the songs are about something specific and something quite different, but they all share the same ideas. Lyrics are as important as the music for us, and if you make them good enough, a song becomes so much more than a tune. The best songs are genuinely transcendental like that. Again, it’s something we’re constantly learning.

MJ: Do you plan to release an album in 2013?

S.O.: This summer we’ll spend most of the time working in the studio. We’re finishing our first album, writing and recording. It should be out in early 2014, but we genuinely have no idea.

Spring Offensive official website http://springoffensive.co.uk

Spring Offensive official Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/springoffensive

As the sun draws nearer this time of year, it seems as though the rays beat harder upon our skin. Summer comes, and with the heat comes the call of the beach! Shorter shorts, tanks and bikinis become essential pieces for the Summer months, and suddenly there’s a shift in fashion—functionality again playing a significant role.

Summer Swimwear Collection 2013 Charlie by Matthew Zink

But with the current swimwear marketplace being so diverse, literally filled with thousands of individualistic styles and designers, it’s simple to incorporate functionality without sacrificing the aspect of fashion. From bandeaus to bra tops, and trunks to speedos, there are swimwear pieces out there for every body type and occasion. This month we focus on the emerging styles of swimwear and all the hottest collections this Summer.

Morena Rosa Spring/Summer Swimwear Collection 2013

Focusing on the transitions of Summer swimwear and its emergence in streetwear trends, we will be discussing must-have pieces for your Summer events and how to take your beach-ready looks from day to night. Glowing skin, salty air and the hottest looks around—we’re ready to welcome the late nights and the sun!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis reunites in The Hangover III for their final adventure. Once again our wolfpack is heading to Vegas but this time there’s no wedding and no bachelor party: there’s Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong).

After the death of Alan’s (Zach Galifianakis) father, the wolfpack decide to take Alan to get treated for his mental issues. On their way to the hospital, Doug, Justin Bartha (The Hangover triology, National Treasure : Book of Secrets) gets kidnapped by a gangster who’s after Mr. Chow. In order to save their friend, the trio must find Mr. Chow.

Bradley Cooper as Phil (The Hangover franchise, Silver Linings Playbook, Limitless) and Ed Helms (The Hangover triology, The Lorax, The Office) as Stu are still doing a good job in this third movie. Mostly discouraged by their friend Alan, the two make things plausible. Bradley plays well the annoyed friend. There are tiny jokes here and there about him being annoyed by Alan’s questions and behavior.

Zach Galifianakis as Alan in The Hangover III

As for Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover triology, Due Date), he’s the funniest character in the franchise. The talented comedian delivers a great performance in The Hangover III. Alan is having a mid-life crisis and his dad just died. He needs his friends more than ever. Zach is perfect for this role. He understands the character so well. It seems as if this is him in real life. He’s unpredictable. He’s akward, weird, childish, selfish, he does it all. Ken and Zach has known each other for years and they used to do stand-up comedy in coffee shops. They didn’t think they would end up in a movie. Ken has a major part in this film. The Ken Jeong fans will enjoy it. The last scene is a bit disturbing though makes sense since this is Mr. Chow. I’m not quite sure if being naked is a good move for his career but maybe it is for a comedian.

Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms as the wolfpack

John Goodman (Argo, The Big Lebowski, Roseanne) appears in this last film. His role isn’t interesting in terms of character. He’s part of the weakest sequences. The whole kidnapping thing isn’t successful. Goodman plays Marshall, a gangster who’s after Mr. Chow because he stole his gold. It’s not until the three friends start to get to Chow that the story becomes interesting. Of course, it’s fun to see Zach cry and sing at his dad’s funeral, but that’s pretty it.

Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong and Ed Helms

Danzig’s Mother song, a classic rock hit from the 90s, is used to introduce once again our trio’s favorite destination, Las Vegas. The wolfpack is back to Vegas trying to find Mr. Chow. On their way, they meet Melissa McCarthy (Identity Chief, Bridemaids, Mike & Molly) who’s unrecognizable. She looks older and nasty. This is a good move in casting her for this role. She briefly appears in the movie but she’s perfect for the role. In general, there are good jokes in this third movie of the franchise. The film is better than the second one but not as good as the first one. Written by Todd Phillips (The Hangover triology, Due Date, Old School), Craig Mazin (Identity Thief, The Hangover part II, Scary Movie 4, Scary movie 3), Jon Lucas (The Hangover triology, 21 & Over, The Change-Up) and Scott Moore (The Hangover triology, 21 & Over), the story has many flaws but it’s better than The Hangover part II. It diverges from the series and its formula. It wants to be softer. It’s an ode to Alan’s journey to responsibility. Todd Phillips has directed the three movies in the franchise. He made it funnier enough that people will go see this last film. People want to know what more could happen with the wolfpack. But this has to ends. It’s not the kind of film that can go on and on.

Stick around for the end credits. This last scene is important in the story. It’s priceless! It’s a good way to end the trilogy. It brings us back to the scenes that made the franchise so popular. It’s the day after with a hangover.

Flea Market to Fashion Moguls, Gilber Gilmore with ex-wife and former partner, Laurie Delk

Guitar player and drummer Gilber Gilmore, 42, moved to New York to pursue a career in music. In 1995, along with his then fashion designer girlfriend, he worked at a flea market in SoHo and soon discovered his input on fabric-choice, cuts and fits significantly boosted up their sales.

The artist decided then to open up his own booth at the flea market, right next to hers. He made 7000 pieces of a maxi-skirt he really believed in, which he sold to the other market vendors. But the fabric kept sticking to the body and the skirts didn’t sell. With a pile of skirts on his couch, Gilmore flipped through a few fashion magazines that all carried a unanimous message: knee-length skirts and tube tops were back. He cut one skirt and it immediately draped perfectly on the body. With the remaining fabric from each skirt he made two tube tops, and everything was sold within a week. Amazing success followed.

It fits every body type – Nicki Minaj in Gilber Gilmore

Gilmore started selling his pieces to high-end stores all around the world, and his designs were worn by many celebrities, including, Kelly Clarkson, Paula Abdul, Avril Levine, Eva Longoria, Paris Hilton and Madonna. Now, Gilmore’s fashion hobby turned mega successful label is what allows him to afford his passion for music.

MadlyJuicy: That’s crazy.

Gilber Gilmore: That was when everything changed for me. The flea market was in SoHo, where all the expensive boutiques were, so my ex-wife/partner, Laurie Delk, and I decided to make an expensive pair of pants and sell it to them. We made twenty pieces of a low-waist boot cut trouser with a leather waistband, and offered it to David Katzav from Big Drop, who had five high-end stores around Manhattan. I priced it high for wholesale, which Katzav thought to be absurd, given nobody knew me at the time. I left the pants there and told him to either sell them or keep them. He called two days later and said they were sold out. Now I sell my designs to Intermix as well.

MJ: So those pants became your signature piece?

GG: No. Later on, I heard a girl say she wanted a pair of suit-like slacks in a low cut jean fit. That’s exactly what I did. Those pants were then worn by so many celebrities, and were best sellers for over nine years. There’s a secret to those pants. Hint: my clients used to call me “the butt lifter.” I now only make them custom for private clients.

MJ: Sounds like a simple transition from flea market to fashion mogul.

GG: There were a lot of failures along the way, but when things started working out they worked really well. The partnership that took me to the next level was Stelle, my company with the Hilton family. It started out great but soon turned into a nightmare. The recession was actually the best thing that ever happened to me because we had to close it down.

Reinventing the wheel? Dress cut – shirt form

MJ: Now there’s this lace-trend. Did you surrender to it or start it?

GG: I didn’t invent the wheel, unfortunately for you. I saw a lace dress I loved by a French designer, but felt like the fit was wrong. I’m very anal about fits. I want them to compliment different body types. I believe in timeless pieces, and the vintage twist, which is in the essence of lace, makes it timeless. I change the sleeves, neckline and fabric pattern every season, but keep the timeless fit and material.

Gilber Gilmore channeling David Gilmore – Success in fashion feeds musical passion

MJ: How do you make lace, which has a reputation for being dressy, work for different occasions?

GG: Wear the dress with flip-flops and a casual hairdo for a daytime look. Change the flops to a high-heel and add the right accessories for a gorgeous evening look. Lace is one of the best fabrics to wear jewelry with. It adds texture, glamour and fits almost every body type. In terms of color, though it’s mostly a matter of taste, the nude one is my favorite. It compliments the body and every skin tone. Black goes with everything, but it’s not the best seller for the lace, because it’s very dramatic and particular.

Clockwise: Amazonia Duotono, Darirn, Sagano, Kayan.

Spring is coming to an end and it is time to take my awesome pair of sunglasses out. I have been obsessed with my new pair of shades from Palo Wood, an Aussie wooden sunspecs maker, recently. All of their products are handcrafted. Each central frame is carved from a single piece of natural hardwood—making each pair one of a kind and extremely durable. Additionally, for your inner environmentalist, all the materials used in the production of these unique must-haves are sustainably grown and harvested. Starting from $125, theses shades will definitely become an essential staple for the summer!

Palo Wood, from Sydney, Australia.

They’ve been teasing their fans for quite some time now and finally, the wait is over. Seven years after their last record, Boards of Canada release its new video, “Reach for the Dead” of their upcoming opus, Tomorrow’s Harvest.

The Scottish electronic act has been dropping snippets of music and cryptic clues for over a month. For fans, this new video looks like a reward. But is it really? If some were expecting an upbeat song like “Davyan Cowboy”, they might be disappointed. “Reach for the Dead” is a low beat track, with some drum beat and a haunting environment; yet it’s definitely Boards of Canada’s signature.

Fans who love BoC for tracks from low to upbeat will be pleased, those who only prefer their upbeat tracks, might have to wait a little longer to be satisfied.

Tomorrow’s Harvest will be released on June 7^th in Australia, June 10^th in the U.K. and Europe, and June 11^th in North America.

Watch the video.

Emerging as a trend with younger generations, over the past few years we have begun to see the domination of sneakers in the arena of men’s shoes. Bright and bold, sneakers from Nikes to Toms are being paired with everything, finding no boundaries in their invasion of menswear. And furthermore, breaking the boundaries of formalwear, in the last two seasons, we’ve seen menswear fashionhouses like Valentino shake up simple, classic suits by ingeniously pairing them with sneakers.  Although the trend of dressing up or dressing down sneakers has been seen without boundaries, there are a few notes to keep in mind when you’re lacing up for a night out.

First and foremost, remember the focus of this look is the suit. Always keep things as clean and simple as you can. Patterned suits, like pinstripes or tweeds, contrast sneakers too heavily—the formality of the suits underplayed by the informal sneakers. Additionally, any vibrantly-colored suits should not be paired with sneakers as they detract from the suit as the focal piece of the outfit—simplicity is key. Stick to the traditional suits of black, navy, gray or khaki and your sneakers will shine brighter.

Fitting is also another key element to this look. The suit needs to fit especially well for this to work. Slim-fit suits with a slightly shorter inseam are ideal options for the summer months, and paired with sneakers with no-show socks, a simple suit can be transformed into a casual summer treasure.

With so many styles of sneakers to choose from, it’s no easy task to find a pair with the right look for a suit. The shoe should be streamlined and simple, never gaudy nor high-topped.

Stick with the classics like Adidas Stan Smith’s, Converse, Superga, Spring Court, and Vans in the traditional colors of black, white and gray. If you cannot decide which color of kicks to wear, white sneakers will be a surefire way to give your look  a crisp and clean-cut edge.

However, don’t be afraid to add a few bits of character. For instance, swapping the laces on your white Converse for a bright red pair can definitely add a great pop of color and freshness to the look. Just remember that slight adjustments in the detailing of the footwear are key in defining outfits here.

This look is the most appropriate on occasions when people aren’t expecting you to wear a suit at all. Suit with sneakers is usually thought of as an unlikely combination. Though, it’s possible to pull it off and look stylish at the same time. This trend has been gather momentum is the past couple years, maybe it is time you tried paring your suit with sneakers and get that casual chic look for that cocktail party on the rooftop this weekend!