Trung Hoang

Founder, Editor-in-Chief

Self-proclaimed janitor of Think Contra, Trung is really the mastermind behind the zine, with nearly a decade’s experience. On his spare time, you can catch him chain smoking, while he dreams of living in the 60′s or 70′s, going to the hottest jams, snapping photos to make a means. If all else fails, he’s considered this his Plan B; minus the time traveling..
@thinkcontra

Glenn Michael

Creative Director

Don’t be fooled. Behind his quiet reverie, are the inner workings of a creative genius and over all trouble maker. Glenn is the guy behind the scenes, working out all the icky details so you have something nice to look at. A partner of Moxy Creative House, whose work has been published in etc etc…. Always styled to a T in an unassuming ‘I don’t care’ kind of way, Glenn gets gold stars for hardest working and best dressed…
@glnmchl | Picture & Type | Moxy Creative House

Colleen Nika

Techno Priestess

Colleen is a synth freq, DJ, and writer obsessed with what she calls the Future Noir. She even created an aesthetic manifesto, Nightvision, based on the idea that life should feel more like a William Gibson novel. When she’s not working on music, producing electronic events and sleuthing the globe for strange and modern artifacts, she helps emerging artists sneak onto the mainstream radar, kind of like when Sisters of Mercy played Top of the Pops. Where worlds collide, Nika is on it.

@colleennika / ThisIsNightvision.com

Lauren Festa

Editor, Cat Curator

This pale wisp has a knack for listening, and so people tell her things – deep, dark things – which is good, considering she likes interviewing. Lauren kind of fell into writing when she decided serving people wasn’t her cup of tea, and that she should probably try out the school thing one more time. It’s worked out pretty good so far. The obvious grasshopper of the lot, whose ideas are sometimes whack, she hopes to meet one million people and never stop wondering. You can often catch her with a glass of wine in hand, writing accidental poetry, or posting pics of her ridiculously cute cat.
@L_Festa | Red Wine Revelations

Merrill Moskal

Designer Shoe Collector

Merrill Moskall won’t take no for an answer, which is how she ended up in New York, shooting videos that capture the beauty of things and people. Among those people are her friends whom she can’t imagine life without, and, arguably her best friend, a tiny French bull-dog known as Marni. The Winnipeg-native dreams of one day having her own company where all of her friends could work, play and be creative. “The front door would say: We’re making cool things inside, come in if you would like to join in…non-contributors need not apply. Funny thing is everyone has something to contribute. You just have to have the confidence to realize it.” We’re confident! Perfect, because that’s one of Merrill’s turn-ons — as long as you’re not cocky. A collector of shoes — “it’s actually a problem,” she confesses — you can probably spot this petite blond on the streets of NYC, camera in hand, wearing her favorite Burberry Prorsum Trench with Moto leather sleeves and jet-black aviators, obvi. But never ever in purple.

Cody Ross

Contributing Editor

Cody Ross loves anything with spikes, is the proud owner of a gifted Shiffon named Hanzo and has an obsession with Nick Knight, David LaChapelle and Maurizio Cattelan. When he’s not designing his noirish streetwear label, PRIESTESS NYC, he’s penning articles for the likes of i-D, China Vogue, Z!NK and Bullett, to name a few. As thinkCONTRA’s roving reporter and special correspondent, Cody gushes about fashion, art, Pop culture and anything in his crosshairs. His educational journey includes a Master’s in Finance from the lofty London School of Economics, a degree in pattern construction from Central Saint Martins and ongoing immersive classes at the School of Hard Knocks. Guilty pleasures include a love for all Quentin Tarantino films, fat free biscotti, NIN and Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Cody splits his time between NYC and Shanghai.

Naphtali McKenly

Photographer / Videographer

This videographer.photographer has a soft spot for singers of the female type, but hates the new Old Spice guy. His talents and energy make heads spin, but rest assured, his head is spinning all the same. Self-admitedtly, his attention span is so short, if you’re talking and he’s smiling and nodding, don’t be fooled by his reception of “that’s funny”. He’s probably thinking about music or KFC.
@naphtalionline | Mauvaise Muse

Melissa Fox

Writer

Writer, purveyor and critic, Melissa Fox seems to have washed up from the shores of her hometown Bermuda in a glass bottle we can’t quite crack. It’s just part of her allure – not to mention that amazing head of hair. Besides writing about fashion [H&A, Style Bermuda, Live Dress], she’s got wicked taste, and one day hopes to amass a drool-inducing shoe collection, fit for a jet-set life. She’s honest in a way that hurts, but you probably deserved it. Don’t send her an early morning wake up call unless you’re bringing her a coffee. But do take her out for braised ribs and good wine. She likes that.
@think_likeafox

Daniel Sanchez

Photographer / Resident Face

A.k.a The Face, a.k.a. Manchez, a.k.a Young Chez is the model [Elite]/photographer cliche who we just can’t get enough of. Often the punchline, sometimes the joker, Sanchez smooth talking and smile have the ladies falling faster than an out of shape mma fighter in the 3rd round.
@thinkdaniel

Matt Ho

Writer

If Matt Ho wasn’t a writer at CONTRA, this film aficionado would probably be starring in some foreign action movie, using his conversational Japanese and kicking some European gangsters ass (don’t worry, he’d write the subtitles for you). This bit nerdy Batman fan writes because he likes telling stories; or maybe it’s just because secretly, he wants to be like Hemmingway – eat, drink, write, sleep – a romantic mantra we all envy. This wannabe nomad hardly leaves his desk, especially when he’s working on dope features (with paper! and pens!). But besides writing and movies, Matt Ho’s first love is and will always be, music. Special talents: Able to bring a calm zen to the crazy CONTRA bunch; can drink a ton (for an Asian), never saying no to free booze. It’s probably why you’ll see him at many an event. Sure he’s quiet, but those are the ones you have to watch out for…
@MHo_III

Katie Sadie

Photographer

If tattoos were an accessory, Katie Sadie would be trending on Twitter. This inked-up cat-loving Toronto-based photographer looks bad ass but we assure you, is sweet as peach pie; she’ll find you a job, and let you move in to her place no problem. She’s never on time, but she’s worth the wait. If she had it her way, Katie would put gold skulls in between your crotch and shoot you blowing smoke out your nose whilst you make devil horns on your head with your two index fingers. Her instagramming skills are bar none, and you can find her shooting our monthly street seen, contributing on photographer and muse, and a whole bunch of other cool shit on her personal website. www.katiesadie.com | @katiesadie_