I AM pleased to introduce to you the winter 2020 issue of Glass Man – which has the theme of “contact”. An appropriate theme, I thought, as this year has been one where this once taken-for-granted state enjoyed by most of us has now been restricted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
We asked our cover stars – the acting and musical talents Harry Lloyd, Tom Bateman and Wonho what contact means to them. The British actor, Harry Lloyd, soon to be seen in upcoming film Brave New World, talked to us in depth about how to preserve mental health during a pandemic told us: “There’s a parallel between people being more connected than ever before, but also feeling more disconnected than ever before. This is a far better interview than us talking on the phone, but it might have been better if we were sat in a pub.
Harry Lloyd. Photograph: Charlie Gray
“I’m speaking to my friends more than I would have done before, but I’m not seeing them. I’m not touching them. And we’re beginning to understand the difference between connecting and connecting.”
While, Tom Bateman, another Brit and star of Death on the Nile, said: “Similar to this interview, doing it in person is out of our control, but it would have been wonderful to be in your physical company. I was reading an article about how we take in another person. The problem with Zoom is that you become this tiny thing on a 2-D screen with a tiny voice coming out, and that’s not you as a person. If I were to sit with you, your actual body would vibrate as you’d speak, you’d give off heat and smells, you’re a 3-D person.
Tom Bateman. Photograph: Adam Whitehead
“Through lockdown I think everyone has thought a lot about what connectivity is. If and when a cure is found, and people can start moving around and communicating, I hope we put our phones away a bit more. If you haven’t seen a person for weeks and months, and they are in front of you, don’t get out your phone. You’ve spent eight, nine, ten months with that.”
Wonho, Photographer: RIE
And Wonho, the K-pop star, voiced his wishes to be able to meet with his loyal legion of fans – the WENEE – with this message: “Having experienced the current situation (Covid-19), I have come to realise once again that the things I took for granted were not natural, but rather things that are precious and to be grateful for. Although it is a shame that I cannot meet WENEE in person, I am thankful that I can still have opportunities to meet and communicate with them through an online fan meeting or online concert.
“Once this pandemic is over, I am going to meet WENEE all around the world. So, I hope you always stay positive and healthy.”
Michael Ward. Photographer: Nick Thompson
Our fashion pages are graced by two men’s collection stories showcasing the best Men’s Resort 2020 Collection looks as well as a special McQueen feature. We present our fashion guides focussing on accessories and the best in watches and jewellery – including a Louis Vuitton Tambour watch special.
In our fashion feature section, we talk to super collectors Nat Tong who collects Prada, trainer guru Stevey Ryder who specialises in Nike Air Maxes and the Blackwell collection who collect Tom Ford for Gucci.
While our grooming section showcases make up for men as well as a how-to-guide to coiffing your hair, using a secret insider product.
We talk to the West Ham star striker Michail Antonio, in our sports pages, about spectator-less matches, gay footballers and online racism afflicting the football community.
And in our art section, we examine the Swedish art scene’s embrace of darkness and preview the exhibition entitled Trollbunden of work by painter and illustrator John Albert Bauer, on show in Stockholm, and the book Noir by designer and author Sandra Praun. While our film section looks at how the ever-popular horror genre is making a fearless comeback with a new generation of directors – such as Ari Aster and Rose Glass – and production houses, like A24, leading the way.
by Caroline Simpson
The winter 2020 issue of Glass Man – entitled Contact – is available now.
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