We barely put an issue to bed that we’re already brainstorming the next one – in this case, our November edition The Nippon Issue. We talked kimonos, Kenzo and karaoke, sake, sex and Sumos. Oh, and we were adamant on the one over-ridding feeling guiding our ideas: Fuck Hello Kitty. Yes, you heard. We ain’t about to replicate clichés but rather, are about to treat the topic at hand with much respect, no finger-pointing and a good dose of community inclusion. It all happened at Brussels’ restaurant Le Variété on Tuesday 1st September in the presence of Hettie, Randa, Delphine, Ulrike, Karen, Rozan and myself. Having just announced Hettie taking on the magazine’s editorship to the rest of the team, spirits were high, and ideas aplenty- illustrated by the brainstorm notes the team took.

Photography Yassin Serghini