Photographer Jennifer McCord
Fashion Kamran Rajput
Writer Tessa Swantek
Groomer Chad Maxwell using Elemis and GHD Hair
Photographer Assistant Patrick Gunning
Groomer Assistant Chloé Pack
Fashion Assistants Carmela Pabellan and Tiana Te-Rong Hsu
Producers Haley Paolini and Rachel Allison
Location Special Thanks Home House London
The past ties to the present like bubble gum to a strand of hair. I talk to Ross and Rocky Lynch as they sit in a hotel room on a rainy Milan day, over a decade after I started following their careers. As I tend to veer backwards toward holding nostalgia, they hold on to nothing but the fact that they are never the same, day by day. Staying present to their identity just this hour feels like fumbling fingers are filtering out sticky past iterations. We meet at what Ross calls the “apex” of their X Girlfriend tour and Rocky is on a precipice of his own in the last few days of his twenties. But an apex isn’t necessarily a pinnacle, and holding on to a perceived high point is like stretching a bubble hoping it won’t pop. So they let it explode and remould. Each question is an untangling and discovery is found in shedding, layer upon layer.
For our cover conversation, our Editor Tessa Swantek chats with Ross and Rocky. After talking with them and seeing the photo shoot, lots of gum metaphors felt necessary, as you can see. Shot by Jennifer McCord, they tried to blow bubbles in their gum while lying down. They only found success while listening to "Eye Of The Tiger," which makes sense especially for Rocky. On the topic of name associations, here is a little sneak peek of our cover conversation:
Rocky: I just had a crazy thought about names in our family. Check out everyone’s names in our family and how they go with their personalities: Riker is like Captain Riker from Star Trek.
Ross: I know… [following Rocky’s thought process]
Rocky: We got Ross - it’s a fucking storefront, he’s the face. He’s a boss! Ross is like boss, you know what I’m saying? It’s a massive thing.
Ross: Dress for less, really? [all laugh]
Rocky: Okay, ignore that. Rydel is named after Rydell High from Grease. For my name, I think I can be sturdy for people in the long run. They all have significance.
Ross: There’s definitely power in words and names, for sure.
There's a lot more where that came from. We talk Chappell Roan (because any good conversation has to include her, right?), childhood selves, and adaptability.
Take in the full 22-page story beyond this teaser. Our brand new Autumn Winter 2024 issue Revolving Revelations is available to buy online.
