If Tom Ford made music it would sound like MS MR; chic, refined and oh so enigmatic. We first heard the duo a couple of years ago when – continuing in his efforts to preserve a certain mysticism (difficult for a designer who manages to upstage Beyoncé when she struts down his runway) – Mr. Ford shunned the catwalk circus and presented his spring/summer 13 collection in front of an intimate audience of the fashion media elite. As the models prowled through his London studio, one backing track had the girls pacing harder, Tom’s toe tap firmer and the journos’ ears prick sharper, that track was Hurricane by MS MR. Speaking with Mr. Ford at the end of the show, we asked how he stumbled upon the tune? “Richard Buckley” was the answer, Tom’s life partner, his son’s father and a long-term friend and contributor to i-D, “he chose all the music.”
We never really talked about what music we wanted to make, it was just what we liked. Then our sound started to make sense to us. -Lizzy Plapinger, MS MR
A quick Google search and a Tumblr trawl later, we tracked down the duo behind MS MR. Graduating three years ago, Max Hershenow and Lizzy Plapinger shared music musings together at college but never collaborated creatively during their studies. Moving to New York in 2010, casual chattering about tunes quickly became impromptu production sessions. Lizzy explains, “I’d never made music in my life before, never sung in front of anyone, and Max had only worked with a few other people and producers. That’s what’s magical about our union, we come from totally different places, but on a very deep, emotional level it’s just so easy to work together.” The resulting sound is haunting and intoxicating, Lizzy’s innocent vocals combine with Max’s synth-soaked sounds to create unashamedly captivating pop tunes. “We never really talked about what music we wanted to make, it was just what we liked. Then our sound started to make sense to us,” Max explains. Twangs of Lana del Rey and hints of Florence and the Machine create a comforting familiarity but nostalgia aside, the pairing offer a gust of freshness. Amassing a devoted cyber following, debuting every release to date via their Tumblr page, Lizzy and Max mask themselves behind a veil of vivid visuals, aiming to let the fruits of their labour do the talking. Just like their Fairy Godfather, Tom.
Credits
Text Sean Baker
Photography Sam Hessamian