In a galaxy not so far away, artist John Woo transforms Darth Vader and the Emperor’s Stormtroopers and bounty hunters into a bunch of fashionable (and non-threatening) gents.

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If watching the World Cup has left you with a constant buzzing in your ears, take a break to indulge in some football coverage vuvuzelas will never be able to touch: Sepp magazine.
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On her single “MCs Can Kiss,” Uffie gets defensive straight from the get-go. “I’m an entertainer, not a lyricist” she rap-sings, atop Mr. Oizo’s hard-hitting, bouncy beats. The 22-year-old resident vixen of Ed Banger Records has received much flack for her bratty party girl antics since her career began in 2004 after she organized a fashion event and booked producer Feadz to spin. The pair started dating (they were linked until 2008), and Uffie wound up supplying vocals to some of Feadz’s tracks, including “Pop the Glock” and “Uffie & Me,” as well as Justice’s “Tthhee Ppaarrttyy,” all of which became dancefloor staples as the Parisian electro scene picked up steam. Ultimately, it matters not that Uffie’s persona overshadows her actual music. Her unique voice is like a futuristic, mutant version of Debbie Harry’s rap on “Rapture” – and it has launched her into full-on muse status.

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Canadian alt-rock collective Broken Social Scene, currently promoting new album Forgiveness Rock Record, are finally set to debut their film project with Hard Core Logo director Bruce McDonald. Screening exclusively at 92YTribeca in New York (today and June 17) and at NXNE in Toronto (June 17), This Movie Is Broken chronicles the band’s July 11, 2009 Harbourfront performance. Though the film is set against the love story of fictional characters Bruno and Caroline, it’s really McDonald’s homage to Toronto.

This Movie Is Broken opens in limited release on June 25 in Vancouver and Toronto.

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Just when those yellow “Buy Art Not Cocaine” posters had finally peeled off the warehouses and construction sites of Vancouver, The Cheaper Show is back. Our favourite art show where nothing costs more than $200 returns on June 26th to a 30,000 square foot space, double the size of the last jam-packed event back in 2008. In preparation for finally ditching that dog-eared “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” poster we bought at Imaginus ten years ago in favour of something more wall-worthy, we caught up with event founder Graeme Berglund about Cheaper No. 9.

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“I am a big believer in good shoes, the right lipstick, and generally, anything made in France or Italy pre- ’95,” says Refinery29’s editorial director Christene Barberich. Co-founded by Barberich with Philippe von Borries, Justin Stefano, and Piera Gelardi, Refinery29 is a go-to site for breaking-news fashion stories. The Long Island-born Barberich, a Huffington Post alum who jokingly claims her style resembles that of a 50-year-old lady, caught up with us after a trip to LA to give us a peek into the headquarters of Refinery29.

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Nancy Sinatra convinced us that boots were made for walkin’, but French bootmaker Palladium takes things to a whole new level with their innovative video walking tours.

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Wonderwood by Comme Des Garcons
Directed by the Brothers Quay

This enchanting film for Comme des Garcons’ newest scent, Wonderwood, comes to us courtesy of legendary stop-motion animators the Brothers Quay.

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Buffalo Stance by Buraka Som Sistema
Directed by Anthony Burrill

In Issue 21 of The Block, we told you all about how as part of Dr. Martens’ 50-year anniversary celebrations, the footwear brand commissioned a bevy of musicians to produce videos of classic tracks. Here’s one of those vids: Buraka Som Sistema’s cover of Neneh Cherry’s “Buffalo Stance,” directed by Anthony Burrill. We think it’s smokin’ (not cokin’).

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Fashion loves art, no question. But the functional canvases of YSL, Marc Jacobs, or Alexander McQueen aren’t frequently seen as a painter’s muse. However, we like to think the line between art and fashion is a little blurry, so discovering California artist Serena Cole’s fashion-fantasy paintings was a bit of a revelation. A life-long worshipper of fashion, Cole questions our veneration of pop culture by melding images from fashion ads with traditionally saintly symbols (think halos and haunted eyes). Her goal is to create iconic faces that explore “the strange double-edged sword of being wanted.”

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