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Spoken Speaks A word from the Editor
When deciding the theme for the second issue of Spoken only one thing ran through my mind. Obsession. We’re all obsessed with something, and if you’re anything like me you’re obsessed with multiple things at once. I’m not talking creepy, stalker-esque obsession here, teen obsession is way more fun. Ever spent hours waiting for your favourite band outside a venue just for them to reject your pleas for a selfie? I have. Or plastered your walls with your favourite person EVER just to grow to hate them and rip it all down the next week? Ditto. Even worse, has Channel 4 humiliatingly caught you on camera, crying over your favourite actor at a film premiere? No? Just me then… Social networking may be changing the way we can obsess over our idols (uh hello, Instagram stalking is like the best thing EVER), but is this ultimately a bad thing? There’s no doubting social media has made us more obsessed with ourselves, but whether this concept is dangerous is another argument. Celebrating everything slightly weird about the teen psyche, this issue explores all aspects of teen obsession. Because in reality, truth is stranger than fiction.
Ione Gamble Art Director
Danielle Holley
"For someone who enjoys vampires, blood and brains it might be a shock to some to find out my obsession is Titanic. It’s a beautiful cinematic film with the most talented actors, and lets be honest who cant resist a bit of Leo?"
Fashion Editor Claudia Walder
What was your first obsession?
"My first obsession was with Britney Spears. I used to perform in front of my parent’s friends with dance routines I choreographed to ‘Born To Make You Happy."
Features Editor Ren Mcann
"If someone asks me what my favourite things in the world are, my celebrity obsessions are undoubtedly the first thing I think of"
Copy Editor
Daisy - May Kent
"My first real obsession was the Barbie doll. Tanned with a tiny tummy and big breasts, she was everything that I have ever wanted to emulate."
Picture Editor
Rebekka Ayres
"A significant portion of my life has been consumed by a crazed infatuation with lead singer of Pulp, Jarvis Cocker. So, when I saw him by a bouncy castle at a festival, I judged this as a great opportunity to declare my unrequited love" Special Thanks To: Terry Newman and Rob De Niet
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Contents
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4-7 WHAT WE’RE OBSESSING OVER 8-9 BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT 10-11 STREET STYLE: COSPLAY EDITION 12-13 TOP 5 CELEBRITY APPS 14-15 FANDOM NATION 16-17 FANFICTION: THE ONLY SEX YOU’LL EVER NEED 18-19 TEEN DIARY 20-21 EPPIE CONRAD: ULTIMATE FANGIRL 22-23 WHY NOT TO DATE A CELEBRITY 24-25 A RETRO DELUSION 26-27 WHY YOU SO OBSESSED WITH ME 28-31 WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF A CELEBAHOLIC 32-37 DEVOUT 38-39 GENERATION ME 40-41 #INSERTPROBLEMPARTHERE 42-47 REVERIE 48-49 STALKING FOR THE MASSES 50-51 A FREAKISHLY REAL FAIRYTALE 52-55 THE 10 BEST FANZINES 56-57 THE WEIRDEST CELEBRITY PIGRIMAGES 58-63 GIRL CRUSSSH 64-65 SPOKENS TOP 5 MUSES
All rights reserved. For education purposes only. Spoken is a collection of Stage two BA (Hons) Fashion Journalism projects and has no commercial value. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without written permission from the publishers. 2013 BA (Hons) Fashion Journalism, University for the Creative Arts @ Epsom. The views expressed in Spoken are those of the respective contributors and are not necessarily shared by the course, it’s staff or the university of the Creative Arts @ Epsom these parties cannot be held responsible for them. Spoken is published twice a year.
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THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL Wes Anderson’s new movie “The Grand Budapest Hotel” premiers at Berlin film festival in February With unconventional friendships, The Grand Budapest Hotel is a humorously told, slightly bizarre adventure. Accompanied by an amazing setting (the hotel looks like a doll’s house looked at through the eyes of a child) and a fabulous colour palette. The film promises to offer everything you love about a Wes Anderson movie. The cast includes Wes Anderson’s regulars Adrien Brody and Owen Wilson. The UK release is the 28th of February. So mark this date in your calendar and use the waiting time to watch each and every Wes Anderson movie in existence, if you haven’t done so already. And if you have, just do it again. Trust us, it’ll be worth every minute. WO R DS : C L A R A H E B E L
50 SHADES OF GREY 50 shades of grey. A title that has become more than familiar recently. After the book was released in 2011, a film was demanded almost immediately. With a long list of renowned actors and actresses practically begging for the lead roles it wasn’t long before the making of the 50 shades film was announced. There are many forums online not only for the people obsessing over their adoration of the book, but also for men complaining about their other halves crazy obsession for this fictional story. It seems in general, the desire for a fluffy love story like The Notebook is no longer top of our lists. Women want a darker tale. Can this film live up to the bar set by people’s imaginations, which appear to be more sinister than ever? We can only wait and see. WORDS: SA R A H STON EL EY
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MEADHAM KIRCHHOFF STRIKES AGAIN This winter, Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff are collaborating with Topshop - for the fourth time - in such a way that will cause brain freeze for high-street enthusiasts everywhere.. The contrast of both pastels and strong block colour palettes allows the 80-piece collection to spiral off in several different directions. We can expect prominent animal prints on woolen knits, bold geometric shapes and squares and stripes imprinted on tights. The collection takes a more feminine approach in the form of cherry emblazoned socks, with dresses trimmed with a mixture of lace, frills, and ruched effects. Those with a thirst for creativity will be like a moth to the flame when embracing the cartoon-esque designs.
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WO R DS : S O P H I E YA P P
RANKIN : MORE Photography legend Rankin has just released his largest book to date. Entitled ‘More’, the book features spreads of many different famous faces including Tom Hardy, Heidi Klum and Emma Watson. Described as an ‘in-depth retrospective’, the book concentrates on Rankin’s work from the last twenty years. The book is formulated into different themes including beauty, fashion, myths, nudes and portraits. Part of the book even features a collaboration with Damien Hirst, portraying the idea of ancient monsters but in a contemporary setting. Speaking about ‘More’, Rankin said: “I am aware that my work is often a little bit uncomfortable, a bit strange, a bit challenging.” Rankin has also released 100 collectors’ editions of the book. Featuring Rankin’s own handwriting on the front cover, it contains a numbered photo-print and is sealed in a clamshell box. WO R DS : DA I SY - M AY K E N T
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SHOWSTUDIO: MARGEILA Opening on the 28th November, SHOWstudio’s latest exhibition is a must-see. Collaborating with Maison Martin Margiela, the exhibition’s theme is memory, particularly when a scent triggers a recollection. Featuring Margiela’s signature range of scents, the pair have come together within a joint installation to explore how just one scent can trigger a whole storybook of memories. Featuring images by a variety of different illustrators, who forged an original sketch that portrayed a memory personal to them, with the thought being triggered by one of Margiela’s ‘Replica’ scents. Instead of a timeline of histories, the drawings are seen as flashes of moments past, again giving them a more intimate touch. To accompany the images, a solid bar of perfume will be available so as to sample the Margiela scents. Objects from Margiela’s Line 13 and exclusively selected haute couture garments will also be readily accessible. WORDS : DA I SY - MAY K E N T
10 FACTS YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT LEITH CLARK 1.Leith Clark is the stylist extraordinaire every fashion savvy person aspires to be. 2. She is not just a stylist, but a senior contributing editor for Harper’s Bazaar UK and the creator of the fantastical Lula magazine. 3. Her career began as an assistant to another renowned stylist today Kate Phelan. Clark was Phelan’s right hand at British Vogue, where Clark says she learnt all she knows from her five incredible years with the fashion team.4. Leith Clark is a true feminist, believing in equality, freedom, self-respect and opportunity. 5. Leith has announced her departure from Lula to launch her new magazine, Violet. 6. The books that have impacted her life are; The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Power Politics: Poems by Margaret Atwood and Promiscuities by Naomi Wolf. 7. A beauty regime is not Leith’s forte but her fringe is her trademark. She hasn’t been without since she was fifteen years old. 8. Her dogs name is Tilda, a majestic Bishon Frise. 9. Clark believes her style channels Marianne Faithfull, Alice in Wonderland and Annie. 10. Blog: fuckyeahleithclark.tumblr.com gives an insight behind the scenes of her fashion ventures. WORDS: A L EXA N D R A STON E
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Beauty
school dropout
We may put celebrities on a pedestal, but in the not too distant past they were just like us…
fergie Fergalicious definition make them boys go loco. They want my treasures so they get their pleasures from my photo”, before Fergie could serenade the world with her poetic verse, she was known as Stacy Ann Ferguson. Straight-A student, cheerleader and spelling-bee champion of Glen A Wilson High School, California. Taken circa 1989, the yearbook picture captures her early image of showbiz, as she split her time serving as a cast member of Kids Incorporated and as the inimitable voice of Sally Brown in Snoopy. Sporting a handsome example of an ‘80s blow dry and stacked pearl choker, even in her formative years, it’s clear Fergie was every bit as G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S as The Duchess we know her to be.
#leo alike
Not technically a celebrity yearbook photo but some things are just too good to overlook. When Tumblr user lo-parksthecar was flicking through the pages of his grandmother’s high school yearbook from the 1960s, he came across this photo of ‘Di Caprio’…otherwise known as Judy Zipper, a kind-faced woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Leo. Leonardo Di Caprio is not the only actor to have a doppelganger from an age gone by; Sylvester Stallone appears to be manifested in in a 500-year-old painting, while rumours surfaced that Nicholas Cage was, in fact, a vampire, when his likeness appeared in a portrait from the 1800s.
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obama White suit, afro and collar opened wider than the sky, only someone with the charismatic capabilities of a certain ‘Barry’ Obama could pull this one off. Then the face of The Choom Gang, Obama and his friends would drive to Mount Tantalus in the Choomwagon (aka a Volkswagen microbus) where they would turn up their stereos to Aerosmith and Stevie Wonder and smoke ‘Choom’. This was of course, before becoming the Choompresident of the United States.
chloë sevigny
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Chloë Sevigny led something of a wayward adolescence, fighting off the well-to-do reputation of her Conneticut High School. Sevigny openly experimented with drugs and bunked school in favour of venturing Manhattan, where she once shaved her head and sold her hair to a Broadway wig maker; a trivial act of rebellion or an indication of the brilliance to come?
*
george clooney In a virtually unrecognisable guise, this teenage George Clooney hardly cast an image of your typical Batman poster boy. From altar boy to aspiring sportsman, despite being a high-achiever, Clooney loathed school as each day he endured the taunts and torments of his peers. A far cry from his former self, he now holds two Oscars to his name, three Golden Globes and stands at #1 on the prestigious TV Guide’s ’50 Sexiest Stars of All Time’ list - look who’s laughing now.
WORDS: REBEKKA AYRES
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STREET STYLE COSPLAY EDITION PHOTOGRAPHY : FELIX TREADWELL
Levi FROM attack on Titan
Snufkin from Moomin
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Armin from Attack On Titan
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une
Hats
Miku
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WOR DS : R E NE E B UR K E
TOP 5 CELEBRITY
APPS 1 2
Remember when you were younger and you’d find the fan-mail address for your favourite celebrities and you’d write to them? Then in return, if you were lucky, you’d received a signed photograph? That was before the Internet and social media websites - now you’re only a click away from your idols and have more of a chance of a mention or retweet. As an extension to the digital world celebrities are now creating apps for your smart phones to add to their online presence so you’re only a tap away. Some are quite self-indulgent, some quite fun - so if having celebrities spread all over magazines, TV and internet isn’t enough, find out what are the best of the best and have fun downloading.
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Artpop by Lady Gaga Free
Smize Yourself by TyraBanks - 69p
Gaga is everywhere and wants to make sure you are part of her third studio album Artpop. Along with the album, Artpop the app is out of this world – do we expect anything less from Gaga? The app has so much to offer, it includes music and space and you can build your own planet. Plus if you’re a super-fan, Gaga herself goes on to the app and chats with everyone. Download it for free and feel out of this planet.
Smize, or smile with your eyes as some may know it. If you buy in to this app. Tyra Banks teaches you how to smize with a lesson/tutorial in how to smize then you take a selfie and your eyes magically change. Editing apps are always funny, especially when you have Tyra Banks cheering you on.
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Rockpocalypse by WWE featuring The Rock - Free
WWE? Aimed at men you say? Honestly this app is for everyone, try it and you’ll find yourself screaming at the scree, it’s so intense. WWE, for most, is just absolute jokes but this app is strangely addictive and hilarious, plus when it’s free what’s to lose? Give it a go you will find your competitive side comes out.
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Snoopify by Snoop Dog Free
Wake up with Pam by
If you thought catwang was funny, try Snoopify. The smoothest of smooth Snoop Dog tries no harder than creating cartoons that you put on your photo to pimp yourself out, surrounding your snap by Snoop related cartoons - naughty and innocent.
People used to buy her calendars, magazines and posters for their wall but now, of course, everyone needs a digital version of Pamela Anderson. Well if that’s what you’re in to. Wake up with Pam doesn’t actually put Pam in bed with you (disappointed?). Instead, you get video alarms of Pamela enticing you to get out of bed. Buying this app, if nothing more, is at least a change to your everyday annoying alarm tone.
Pamela Anderson
69p
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fandom
POSITIVENE
WO R DS: KAY LA M A RT IN E Z
Welcome to the Fandom Nation. You are part of an elite club and for that you must be congratulated. Your dedication is commendable. You are an Olympian of the Fandom nation, with many attributing qualities. Dedication. Every time you have flown to another country, waited weeks for a premiere of outside of a cinema, dressed up like your idol or spent thousands to make yourself look like them, that is dedication. The party, the birthday, the graduation that you missed out on. The time it takes to sit at a computer for hours in order to get event tickets. Dedication. When all your time is dedicated to one cause, great results happen. Without that specific focus, your evenings would probably consist of scrolling mindlessly through a Facebook feed, but instead your focus is having a greater positive effect on your mood. In return your idol is able to develop and become the star they only could have dreamed of becoming. Team Spirit. Fandom is all about being a team, knowing that you’ll always have someone there who has the same interests as you. You’ll always have a large friendship group. You are the ones that have brought together all walks of life. Gleeks (Glee fans) have become a majority, instead of a minority clique at
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high school. Glee is now respected and no longer ‘bottom of the food chain’ and it’s all because of you. A Tumblr fan said: “Fandom can, and does, change lives for the better. It might be a story or discussion that gets you through a rough spot; it might be starting a conversation with a person who becomes someone you can’t imagine being without” Opposition. There’s always going to be haters. The majority wishes they had the time and the money in order to do these things. One thing that haters lack is passion. Passion is an emotion that drives you to achieve greater things. Congratulate yourself for having a passion. Everyone has to be a fan of something and if you’re going to do it you might as well do it properly! Identity. It has been said by Blumler and Katz that the people who you were a fan of are the people you identify yourself with . Based on the Uses and Gratifications theory, we are inspired by those who we can form personal relationships with, or see ourselves in. We give our idols our own personal identity, which causes you to transform yourself into them, but with a sense of hybridity, thus spreading your wings and creating your communities, your styles, your art, your everything.
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VENEGATIVE WORDS: MARIUM UL-HAQ
Before Justin Bieber, there was Justin Timberlake. Before One Direction, there was Blue. The list is endless but you get my point. These artists are selling millions of albums worldwide and touring in a variety of countries. Within these countries there are of course hundreds of thousands of fans. Artists tend to owe pretty much their whole career to their fans, who spend a ridiculous amount to go and see them in concert and on the merchandise that they bring out. Fans like these fund the celebrities’ live. These fans are crazy. Justin Bieber will be my prime example. Bieber is ‘cute’ and fans of his, also known as ‘Beliebers’ will give anyone who thinks otherwise a really hard time. Below is a countdown of the top 5 dramatic moments from these Belieber creatures, 5- The Shrine. The shrine is something that every super-fan will be familiar with. Young teens have dedicated a large portion, if not their entire room to The Biebs, and have developed an unhealthy obsession. Not cool. 4- Tattoos In my opinion, tattoos should never be taken lightly. Crazy Bieber fans clearly don’t care however, and go and get a tattoo of their icon. I’d say it’s even more stupid than mimicking a star’s tattoos or getting their song lyrics on yourself. I just can’t deal. 3- Death Threats
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To wish death upon another human being is vile, let alone over a boy. Well, Selena Gomez, Bieber’s Ex, received many a tweet from Beliebers threatening to kill her if she didn’t leave their man alone. A sign of unstable psychotic-ness, perhaps? These kids need help. 2- Plastic Surgery In extreme cases, people who have a lot of money and didn’t receive enough TLC from their parents seem to think that they won’t survive in the world the way they are, so what do they do? They get plastic surgery. In this case, Belieber Toby Sheldon paid $100,000 to get plastic surgery and look like his idol Justin Bieber. The joke’s on him, he looks nothing like Biebs. 1- Self Harm Amidst all the joking about how mental these fanatics are, there is the serious case of when fans do something very extreme to get themselves noticed. The leading example of this, is when a ‘trend’ started called ‘Cuts For Bieber’ and a variety of teenage girls all across the globe began cutting themselves in protest to Beiber’s alleged weed habit. Calm down, he doesn’t even know who you are; it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee.
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FANFICTION WO R DS: KATI E CLARKE
If you don’t know what fan fiction is you’re lucky in the fact that you have one of two things: a sexual partner or a life. Fan-fiction is a story about a romance with a celebrity or fictional character. So picture a story about Harry Styles falling in love with a “normal girl” from a small town or a tale of Ron Weasley’s true love that just happens to be you. These tales of erotic romance can be about anyone remotely desirable. The boys of One Direction are frequent stars, alongside Jacob Black, Edward Cullen, Draco Malfoy and even Simon Cowell. All slightly creepy and obsessive, these fan fiction tales are a huge hit amongst the younger generation and can be found scattered all over the Internet. Fan-fiction is more than a short story made up by hormonal teenagers. It is a way of life, a community of escapists choosing to live their lives through the adventures of a made up character. Why simply be obsessed with Justin Bieber when you could have a passionate forbidden romance with him in a fantasy world in which he adores you? Whilst being extremely embarrassing some of these fan fictions are well written. Sure we’re not expecting to find the next J.R.R Tolkien hiding on wattpad.com but some fan-fictions show originality and talent. The real success of fan-fiction is not the intimate scenes or the dramatic twists, its success lies in the point of view of the piece. Many successful fan fictions have chapters dedicated to the male’s point of view, giving readers a jaw-dropping insight into the minds of men. Whilst this technique is rather unheard of in popular romance novels, it is a huge selling point for fan-fiction. How interesting it is to read what Harry Styles thinks of you whilst you’re getting frisky between the sheets.
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“Her body moved so naturally against mine, dipping and curving to fit my own; my perfect match” This steamy abstract is taken from one of the most famous fan fictions “Strings Attached”. With over 2,542,384 readers this fan fiction is a worldwide phenomenon, which even has its own fans: ironic? This particular story is about one beautiful girl who has the One Direction boys fighting for her love. In this tale of passion we get to hear what the teen heartthrob thinks of the fictional character. It is every young girls dream to hear what her true love thinks of her and fan fiction gives them this. Although we can assume that when Harry Styles is bedding his latest conquest he is thinking of nothing other than himself. Of course there is a down side to fan-fiction, with plenty of girls being driven to 'depression' over their favorite fan fiction ending dramatically. Even so it’s better to be heart broken over a fictional love affair than a real one. The fan fiction world is arguably obsessive, pathetic and just plain sad. But to be honest what harm can a bit of romantic escapism be for young girls? At least they’re having pretend sex with Robert Pattinson instead of actual sex. Better to be reading fan fiction on a Friday night instead of partying, right? In fact at least these kids are reading something, even if it is soft porn.
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THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE
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ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED• ONLY SEX YOU WILL EVER NEED•
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EPPIE
conrad ULTIMATE fangirl WORDS: OLIVIA KELLY
Fashion graduate Eppie Conrad’s MA collection sure is unique, based on the unforgettable twins we all know and love, John and Edward Grimes. The pair rose to fame back in 2009 on the XFactor and were often described like marmite, you either loved them or you hated them. In Eppie’s case she obviously loved them and was slightly obsessed. Just like every fan girl her love for her idols has continued behind closed doors. On her Tumblr blog, Jedward is everywhere to be seen and her twitter confirms her excitement for the twins: ‘@PLANETJEDWARD YOU GUYS COMING TO LONDON!!! ? :D PLEASE SAY YES!’ ‘Super fan fashion from Jedward junkie! I AM A JEDWARD JUNKIE!!!’ ‘IM TALKING ABOUT @PLANETJEDWARD COS I LOVE THEM :D’ ‘I LOVE THESE GUYS SO MUCH!’ Being a crazy fan girl is one thing, but doing your whole graduate collection about your idols could be a risky choice. However, Speaking to Kingston University News she said “As long as I believe in what I’m doing and I have confidence in it, I know it will be
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a success”. The collection oozed of Jedward at every opportunity, with large hand drawn portraits of them that were screen-printed; one of Eppie’s favourite techniques. But WHY Jedward you ask? It certainly seems like an unlikely choice for a fashion student; most claim that Karl Lagerfeld is their one and only. “I loved their enthusiasm for performing and their determination and self-belief. They always bounced back, whatever criticism the talent show judges threw at them - they just rose above it and stayed positive”. The collection itself was based on sportswear and featured an array of fabrics from neoprene to denim, in neon colours that reflected the Eppie’s excitement for John and Edward. As well as the troublesome twosome, there was a definite 90’s feel to her collection. The iconic yellow smiley was printed onto garments and the technicolour fabrics used were sure to make you reminisce about acid house raves from the 80’s and 90’s. Infatuated with Jedward, we can only hope that Eppie’s love for the boys will continue to flourish into more great collections. Definitely a designer to keep an eye on!
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WHY NOT TO date A CELEBRITY
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WO R DS: R E N MCANN Lets pretend we have time travel our way back to ancient Greece. Back where people created their Gods with human traits, character flaws and drama. This is essentially what A-list celebrities are to us in present day. Along with the myths and tales of Gods, there have always been a number of chicks that Zeus falls for and they make passionate love. Could this be where we have been (ridiculously) lead to believe this could actually happen to us? Twenty-four percent of people actually believe that they could date a celebrity from a survey conducted by Spoken. One respondent added, “I think you’d be pleasantly surprised about how down to earth they probably are, I imagine Justin Timberlake would be a dream.” Yeah sure, Harry Styles picked a girl out of a crowd a couple of months ago and sent one of his slaves to retrieve her number. But, the point is, she was chosen because she looked like Megan Fox. Another thing you may have missed from the story was the 18-year-old girl and Mr. (un) Styles ‘hung out at the fivestar Culloden hotel until 5 a.m on Friday, when she passed out drunk on a sofa’. Ever the charmer, eh Harry? This isn’t even the first encounter of the One D guys prying on pretty girls for a onenight stand. Notice, they never actually even date these women. Imaging if in the alternate universe where you, the hopeful university student, manages to date the celebrity you have spent hours daydreaming about, could you actually handle the lifestyle? At first, you think, ‘Hell yes, designer clothing, film premieres, expensive hotels.’ Second thought would have to be realism. Firstly, there would be months of separation whilst they tour, meaning that they would be constantly meeting beautiful people and being tempted by girls/ guys who are willing to do anything
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for a one night stand with your star. You will have to become the most trusting and least jealous person in the world. Secondly, both you and the celebrity in question are going to be under constant scrutiny from each other, as you will have so much expectation to live up too. Chances are the celebrity in question is dating you because they want a certain level of normality in their life, they will constantly be watching if you are only with them because of their fame and fortune. And, chances are you are with them for their fame and fortune, so be careful not to expect a Birkin on the first date. Thirdly, you will become the pinnacle of hatred for their loyal fans. Don’t lie, you have looked at a celebrities girlfriend or boyfriend and thought, ‘You ugly: I’m better than they are.’ Well, you are going to be that ugly person. No matter if you are Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber’s pubescent fans are going to curse you daily. Fourthly, is your Facebook set to private? Do you lock your front door at night? Do you remove tags from the photos you don’t look your best in? Do you tell your mother every time you have sex? The lives of celebrities have a severe lack of privacy, and because you are in their lives, you will lose a lot of your privacy too. Photos of your cellulite on page 6, rating the outfit you wore to Tesco in the fashion section, your worst secret plastered in Now Magazine: it will not be pretty. Now taking all of this in to consideration: Could you realistically date Ryan Gosling? Should you realistically date Jennifer Lawrence? Would you realistically date James Franco? I bet the answer is still yes.
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RETRO D ELU SION WO R DS : SHA N N ON LAWLOR
Ob s e s s i n g ove r ba nds of t he pa st i s n’ t cool, it’ s just destroying the re put at i on of our generation. Earlier this year, The Beatle’s compilation album ‘On Air-Live at the BBC Volume 2’ peaked at number 12 in the UK and number 7 in the US charts. It is no secret that our current generation appears to be obsessed with old bands. With people sporting band t-shirts from The Rolling Stones to The Beatles to Guns n Roses, we are all keen to show off our musical taste. It appears that listening to retro music is something that is regarded highly by the self-proclaimed cultured hipsters of our time. The problem here lies within the fact that the majority of this supposed sub-culture doesn’t religiously listen to the music, let alone like it. After all, with an entire back-catalogue of music, who would appreciate the slow drone of Morrissey’s complaints about his hard-done-by life above all else? So if it’s not the talent that they’re drawn to, what is it? It could be down to the constant state of nostalgia that we have all found ourselves in. A dissatisfaction with the present has encouraged us all to reinvent the past. A happier time when young people were liberated and controversial: a handful of our peers buying into the media’s glorification of previous decades. Ironic really that the 20th Century teenagers that the hipsters desperately attempt to imitate are our parents, possibly the most uncool thing to happen to society in decades. So uncool, in fact, that the youth of the second half of the 20th Century dedicated every waking minute to escape the traditions of their parents. It appears that no one seems to like anything current any more. They argue that current bands don’t sound the same or
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aren’t as good. Can we all just take a step back and appreciate that Jake Bugg and the Arctic Monkeys are the epitome of 60s music in 2013. Their success would probably be even bigger if the stubborn minority accepted modern talent. But the sad reality is that they’re just way too cool for that. Appreciating current artists has some kind of messed-up connotation with being uneducated. Like we can’t all Google something as basic as ‘famous old bands’ and join their elite club. Do they see it as some kind of political statement to express their dissatisfaction with the creativity that the present day feeds them? This is probably the root cause of the retro music obsession. When The Smiths told David Cameron to stop referencing them as one of his favourite bands because it was bad for their reputation, you know something is wrong with the world. What reputation is Morrissey trying to uphold, exactly? The reputation of a being a 54 year old dickhead that relies on his book sales? Sounds to us like David Cameron is the man for him. What we all need to realise is that this obsession needs to be broken. People that feed it by idolising bands of the 20th Century to look ‘cool’ are fuelling the general discontent with the present. The reality is that this generation doesn’t lack the creativity that everyone thinks it does, everyone’s just blinded to it because they’re trying desperately to relive the past.
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WHY YOU SO
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WITH ME?
When asking Daniel Robbins what the idea is behind his vast collection of religious based decoration, he told me that to him ‘it is a constant reminder that our lives are filled with miracles should we chose to acknowledge them.’ Maybe this is something people don’t take a lot of time to consider? Religious believer or not, it seems that Daniels shrine is something that supports his ideas of growth and embracing life. Having an awareness of our surroundings is something that this creative expression represents also. With a depressing filter sometimes clouding 2013, the beauty of our comfort zone can be something that is overlooked and somewhat taken for granted. Appreciating
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the world with its intertwined – and sometimes unrecognized – miracles may not need a shrine or place for reflection. For some they may find this in family and friends. However the depiction of this shrine shows the beauty in creating time and space for acknowledgment of love, luck and life. Spirituality is an often-debated topic, yet it’s clear to see shrines are a personal declaration – nobody’s business but your own. Despite this, Daniels shrine poses a challenge for many in our secular world – but take the time to look a little deeper. If we all looked further than the end of our noses, perhaps we would find something worth valuing and cherishing.
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Admittedly there is something or someone we all adore; maybe some even to a point where obsessive thoughts are harbored and used to daydream about when trying to escape the day-to-day struggle. However, whilst many conceal these, some openly display these emotions in the form of a shrine. At the other end of the shrine spectrum is the teenage ‘fan girl’ and her love affair with the common 21st century pop band. Jessica is one of the millions of ‘One Directioners.’ When asked why she started her display for the adored group she reveals ‘I started it for a radio competition to meet the boys, I never thought I’d win.’ And yes, her shrine won her ‘the dream’ of meeting the 5 boys that make up One Direction. Jess told us, ‘they are incredibly talented… I think it brings a smile to everyone’s faces.’ Whether you agree or not, everyone has fallen to the power of someone in the spot light before - right? One Direction is not the first – and certainly won’t be the last – of well-marketed boy bands that cause frenzy for females globally. Inevitably it isn’t just their music that is cooed over. Their fans
seem to follow every move they make from their love lives to what they wear. Jess’ shrine is over flowing with images that, despite being perceived as maybe less important or intellectually demanding in comparison to Daniel’s, are important to her and her lifestyle. Both show a piece of the person they are, which is the idea of a shrine. Everyone has an addiction to something, and this is a way of presenting that addiction, allowing it to be a visual and creative part of day-to-day life. People such as Daniel and Jess may seem worlds apart, but both dedicate their time to a cause that they truly trust in. One Direction may seem a million miles away from the idea of spiritual consciousness, yet they are both parallel in ideas…just don’t say they are bigger than Jesus…
WO R DS : A LI CE CURTIS
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I'M REN + AND I'M A CELEBAHOLIC .
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Ever since I was little I have been obsessed with celebrities. When I was four years old, I loved the Spice Girls: I refused to wear the pretty dresses my mum picked out because ‘The Spice Girls wouldn’t have worn them.’ I hoped that when I grew up, that I would quit endlessly daydreaming about those terribly beautiful, super-humans who graced us with their many talents. Well, I didn’t grow out of it; my obsessive personality got much worse. Today, a couple of weeks away from turning 21, my walls are dripping with countless movie posters, gig tickets from my favourite artists and Tom Hiddleston photographs: I mean, DUH,
erally last week, I watched a webcam interview where he described picking girls out of the crowd and intensely singing certain lyrics to them- lyrics he feels like they need to have sang to them- keeping perfect eye contact the whole time. Although I have video evidence (that I have watched about a gazillion times), hearing it from the God himself really solidified it for me, it really did happen. A couple of years later Mr. Morrison switched on the Blackpool Illuminations and by using all my journalistic skills I managed to convince the event organiser to give me a backstage pass. This was the one and only time I actually met James, after being his No.1 fan for five years and waiting for hours
"Welcome to the world of a self confessed celebrity addict." I have to have pictures of my future husband next to me whilst I sleep right? WRONG! Only 30% of people admit having a celebrity obsession, which means that my overactive brain is in the minority. Not cool.
outside the venues of his gigs. It was an insane out of body experience - I told him about how I had gone to see him loads of times and really liked him, he said he liked me too. I THOUGHT I HAD DIED. What a moment.
July 2006 was when my insane James Morrison obsession started. This craze is still going strong. I have travelled across the country to see him play live, made my brother buy me tickets for his shows when I was too young to afford them and currently have seen him play five times live. One time, when I was 16, he stared at me whilst singing 'You Make it Real' at a concert in Sheffield.. I thought I was going mad, James Morrison could not have been staring at me! But, guess what? Lit-
On the fifth April 2011, Thor was released in UK cinemas and obviously I went to the opening screening. This is when I first discovered Tom Hiddleston as Loki. Oh my, he is literally a God amongst men. From there on, it was Tom Hiddleston everything. I have now seen Thor: The Dark World five times in the cinema (I love the number five, don't I?) including the midnight showing in IMAX. This leads me to probably my favourite story ever- one random day in 2012, a Serbian house-
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Y
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)
ing to pierce my own nose- I succeed in the end. I also spent a bomb the next day getting glue in extensions; obviously pre-no-hair-Miley. One year I liked Lady GaGa so much I saw her four times in a matter of months and applied nine boxes of bleach to my super long hair in a weekend to get it to turn to GaGa's platinum blonde shade; so much of my hair fell out. I am happy to say, however, my GaGa phase is well and truly over. It's now all about Katy Perry: I just spent an arm and a leg buying tickets to her upcoming UK tour, how excited am I? So, I'm pretty sure you all think I am crazy right now? But, in my defence, celebrity obsession isn't such a bad thing. I have made so many friends over the mutual appreciation for an A-lister. And, I like to see it as an expression of my creative side... no, I'm not convincing myself either. I am just obsessively, addicted to celebrities. Simple as that.
Y
wife/ jewellery maker contacted me via Facebook saying that she would like to hand make me a personalised Loki-inspired piece because we are fellow Hiddlestoners. A week or so later, a parcel arrived with an insanely cool necklace, matching ring and note that said, 'You were made to be ruled by Ren and bring her love, joy and all the best in life.' It was hands down the best present I had ever been given. To say thank you, I sent her a bag of beads I had hand selected from around London. She used these beads to make more jewellery to make other people as happy as I was, and even made a piece that she sent to Tom with my name on the contributors list. So far this article has been pretty male heavy, so I just want to clarify that I am not sexist towards females. My Miley Cyrus obsession got pretty out of hand when I watched 'The Last Song' and because Miley had a nose stud, I had to have a nose stud. It was 2 a.m on a Friday night and I grabbed a sewing needle and spent 45 minutes try-
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SHE BECOMES THE SHRINE, AND LET'S HER OBSESSION TAKE OVER. PHOTOGRAPHY : LEON ROWAN
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LEFT : FEATHER JACKET, TOPSHOP, BIKINI TOP, PRIMARK, CUSTOMISED DISCO PANTS, AMERICAN APPAREL, NECKLACE, EBAY. ABOVE : TOP, NASTY GAL, TIGHTS, FOREVER 21. BELOW : BUNNY EARS, EBAY, TOP, TOPSHOP.
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ABOVE : SHIRT, TOPSHOP
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JUMPER, NASTY GAL
JUMPER, NASTY GIRL, SKIRT, AMERICAN APPAREL
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GENERATION
ME
WORDS : HAYLEY HARRISON Like it or not our generation are all narcissists. We are fixated with our own endeavours and our own self-promotion. We document what we do to within an inch of our lives in an attempt to make ourselves look more interesting than we really are. A simple ‘be there in 5’ text to a friend has turned into public information. Informing our friend of our whereabouts via Twitter’s 140 characters isn’t actually for the purpose of keeping whoever we’re meeting in the loop. Instead, by tweeting our whereabouts we’re making a statement to our entire follower’s that no, we’re not just in the house, alone, watching TV. With assistance from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other online mediums alike, the whole world is now aware of what we’re having for dinner, what we’re wearing that day, what we’re thinking, where we’re going and who we are hanging out with. It’s as if we think other people genuinely take an interest in our lives. Do you care about how a girl you haven’t seen since you left school is spending her Saturday night doing? These online platforms have also made us believe that we have a right to an opinion, which is a dangerous concept. Due to the rise of the Blogger we all see ourselves as budding journalists, but do any of us have anything interesting to say? The Twitter ‘#’, no
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longer exclusive to Twitter, enables you to join in the conversation and voice your view on topics being discussed, regardless of whether or not you truly know what you are talking about. We have the power to cause an enormous amount of jealousy and unhappiness through the pictures we upload. “You get more explicit and implicit cues of people being happy, rich, and successful from a photo than from a status update,” Hanna Krasnova of Humboldt University Berlin, co-author of the study on Facebook and envy, has observed. “A photo can very powerfully provoke immediate social comparison, and that can trigger feelings of inferiority. You don’t envy a news story.” Although it is often infuriating reading through Facebook statuses and Tweets, seeing what people are spending their money on, and knowing you can’t afford it, is even worse. There is nothing wrong with a bit of self-expression, but we live our lives through an electronic device filled with apps that have essentially taken over. You can’t help but wonder what it will be like in years to come when our children are our age. It is more than likely that they will be much worse than us. Will our relationships with other people be based purely on technology?
ME
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+ &
ME ME
ME ME
ME
,
ME
}
ME
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Mass hysteria over despising your body parts is becoming an ever more extreme obsession….
WORDS : ELIZABETH MITCHELL The compulsive quest into gaining the ‘starving Ethiopian’ look is nothing new, and a different idealised body part frequently pops up on our Instagram feeds. So what bit of ourselves shall we loathe next? What limb do we pin point as a problem zone? Some teenagers don’t stop until they end up as fraught skeletons on IV drips…. Is fashion to blame? Essentially we are anxious over nothing. Yes, nothing because our bodies are becoming worryingly nothing. 21st century body obsessions are getting more extreme than ever, so much so, that we try to defy our genes just to get into those precious skinny jeans, and what for? To gaze into a dark black diamond hole of starvation, which can be found right between those two precious thighs. Yes, that’s the ‘thigh gap’ body trend women of all ages are working out for. Maybe precious should be used loosely here, as there’s nothing godly about unhealthy fixations on our bodies. The ‘thigh gap’ is just one section that has been amplified for media critique. We praise mediated bodies, airbrushed to perfection models, which are plastered everywhere our eyes gaze. But in theory, we are weakening ourselves to the tyranny of a commercialised industry. An industry that strives to disembody girls’ framework just for material for their magazines: “How to get the Perfect Abs” and “Acquire that Perfect Butt.” What’s so perfect though? Our self-esteem is toyed with constantly, that one more hit and our whole skin will crack away. Maybe that’s what these corporate giants want, a messed-up normal where people are wasting away into self-destructive corpses, with just one hash-tag away from death.
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We change our body shapes to conform to the narcissistic, idealised trends of the season, dissatisfied if you can’t fit a beach ball between your legs, or a pen in your collar bone, or even if you don’t have a Twitter account for the current glorified body part. Concerning the ‘thigh gap’ and all those women who are trying to strive for that ‘Spongebob’ look, just remember that square little animated character is a fantasy and no one can achieve a wide enough space to park a car between their legs. Or even live in a pineapple shaped house for all that matter. Get a tattoo of him like Marc Jacobs instead! The reality is, we are blinded by the ubiquity of bones and starving torsos. The prizing of this is the prizing of someone’s starvation. You know something is wrong with the perceptions of our body when a blog post titled ‘5 reasons to date a girl with an eating disorder’ can be found on our internet screens. The perpetual state of body delusion is a disturbing and overwhelming trend. Advisory precautions just used to be on films and music, but now when you search for #thighgaps on Instagram you are prompted by a warning about graphic content. When a body part becomes graphic that’s when it’s time to stop the horror show and realise we shouldn’t live in a fantasy world. We were not made for the cinema, and there’s nothing ‘pro’ or ‘thinspiring’ about a certain cult called Ana. Get yourself a cheeseburger and get yourself a healthy dose of life… because really, imperfection should be a form of freedom not scrutiny.
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REVERIE PHOTOGRAPHY : IONE GAMBLE STYLING : CLAUDIA WALDER
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WORDS : STEPHANIE TOMS
G N I K L STA FOR THE
MASSES In a world of social media where credibility is defined by an online ‘friend-count’ and beauty is determined by the number of ‘likes’ on a profile photo, the original - particularly parental - scare of internet stalking has now become somewhat of a modern phenomenon - and a widely accepted one at that. In a world of social media where credibility is defined by an online ‘friend-count’ and beauty is determined by the number of ‘likes’ on a profile photo, the original - particularly parental - scare of internet stalking has now become somewhat of a modern phenomenon - and a widely accepted one at that. Growing up with clichéd rom-coms and Disney movies, today’s teens have typically been brought up with the fairytale notion that romance is nothing if not filled with pixie dust, magic carpets and of course, a knight in shining armour. Yet, since the age of the millennium, we’ve begun to see the incarnation of the Internet user, the evolution of the ‘selfie generation’ and the rise of the blogger take over both the world, and even our potential love lives, as we know it. In fact, gone are the days of innocent, real-life interaction. We now find ourselves sitting on the Internet on a Friday
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night, swapping flickering candlelight for the artificial glare of a laptop screen. Scrolling through the ancient statuses, sexual preferences and tagged photos of our crush from the comfort of our own home. Binoculars and background checks no longer needed. The network of choice does vary however - with most favoring the classic stalking, trolling (and even poking) tool that is Facebook. Others decide to delve deep into the background of their subject through the likes of LinkedIn, Twitter and blogs. Sounding familiar? It should be. As luck has it, these people aren’t alone. In fact, during a recent study in London, researchers have found that almost 90 percent of Facebook users keep a digital eye on their exes and partners through Zuckerberg’s site, and- that’s just the number that admit to the snooping.
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This Sherlock Holmes approach does in fact have it’s own share of positive points. Thanks to readily available information via these social sites, users are able to sift through the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ of the online community. Saving valuable time and (laptop) energy that allows them to skip the awkward introductions and go straight from the chat room to the bedroom - so to speak. Essentially, the social networker becomes that of an online comparison shopper. That sweater’s too long. That man’s too tall. Mummy’s boy? Dry clean only? Allergic to cats? Maybe next time. Block and delete. But for those already in a relationship in the offline world, the idea of stalking proves a complicated one. You already know each other, but what’s to say there’s not more to learn? Gone are the days of secrecy within a partnership - thanks to GPS tracking and tagging, couples can literally
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pinpoint each other’s whereabouts and the company they keep. Meaning instant fuel for jealousy and an inevitable increase of distrust. Night out on the town? She’ll see the pictures. Cute guy at the bar? He’ll see the friend activity roll in. And when real-life ties are put into the equation it’s not quite so easy to abandon all further communications anymore. That being said, the idea of Internet stalking and social media typically boils down to is ironically, the total opposite to anything remotely social. The phenomenon in itself has managed to reduce any real aspect of interaction whatsoever, causing rifts in relationships, feuds in friendships and what is typically a failed attempt at speed dating. The outcome? A whole new level of consumerism. But if we can shop online for an outfit so easily, why not a partner, too?
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WORDS : DAISY - MAY KENT
“Mirror, mirror, upon the wall, who is the fairest fair of all?” “Oh lady queen, though fair ye be, Snow-White is fairer far to see.” One of the most prominent fairytales of all time, Snow White was one of the first texts to highlight a woman’s jealousy of youth. Published by the Brothers Grimm in 1812, the story depicts a Queen so incensed by her stepdaughter’s sheer beauty that she orders a huntsman to cut out her heart. Disney used this popular ideal to their hearts content, with film adaptations including Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland and The Little Mermaid all depicting an older woman as wicked, simply because she is so deprived of youth and beauty. There is an upmost tradition within literature that young girls are pure and virginal, almost like angels, and pitted against them are older, more sexual and powerful women whose role is to be envious and resentful of the younger girl, because of her youth and innocence. Within Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre, Jane - a virtuous and honest character - gets the man, whereas the headstrong Bertha becomes locked in the attic. Bram Stoker’s Dracula runs along this allied uniform theme, with the sexually ready Lucy being seduced and transformed into a vampire whilst the minimal Mina can think only of her husband-to-be, and so doesn’t become a member of the undead. One question that remains unanswered is why those in the ‘mother role’ feel such spite towards their younger counterparts. In a report published by psychologist Helen Deutsche in 1945, it was claimed that a mother’s envy was unavoidable. Deutsche believed that mothers saw their daughters flourishing adolescence as a signal of their own steep decline. She felt that particularly middle-aged mothers saw themselves being pushed out of the ‘sexual limelight’ and seeing their daughter’s blossom sexually was bound to make them feel begrudging. Terri Apter, a senior lecturer at Cambridge University thinks differently of modern life. Apter believes that younger women have more career opportunities than their mothers before them and this expansion of a ‘better’ life can certainly ‘arouse’ a mother’s angst and jealousy. Whatever the case may be, the fact remains that being
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young, pure and virginal is definitely the most popular ideal in almost all of the worlds sectors and especially within fashion. Meadham Kirchhoff’s Spring/Summer ’14 collection played on the ideals of youth and innocence. Models clad in not much more than bloomers, stockings and pure white petticoats sauntered down the rose strewn catwalk, looking not much older than twelve (despite most of them being in their mid 20’s). Kirchhoff himself explained that they had paid homage to Jacobean times, yet again relating to the ever-revolving world of fairytales. Tim Walker is another who plays constantly with the parallels of childhood innocence and fairytales. The fashion photographer is forever frolicking with storybook narratives, using ginormous props such as a Humpty Dumpty and a curly haired, bloomer-clad doll to display what was described by Naomi Nightingale, (Aesthetic Mag), as a ‘fairytale nature’ behind his images. When thinking of fairytales, it is clear to see that there are two roles to play. You can either depict the role of the virginal angel or take on the older and more sexually experienced woman. What is worth remembering, however, is that the little angel will one day grow up into a carnal, sensual being. And that bitter, older woman that you’re so afraid of? Well, she was once a little darling wrapped up in nothing more than cotton wool and a protective innocence, gained from her mother.
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REAL
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THE 10 BEST FANZINES
NEKOPS
WORDS : CHELSEA SIMOES Don’t fear venturing into the anarchist stigma that comes with a fanzine. Born out of punk and DIY roots, fanzines are the ultimate platform for creators with a voice to be heard. CHELSEA SIMOES rounds-up of the best fanzines out now in no particular order…
1
GAS
1. Each issue of GAS looks like a newsletter but reads like a magazine with thought-provoking editorials and artsy photography. It’s immensely clever and thoroughly readable and quotable- a real gem of the fanzine scene.
2
CRUSH
2. Fans of Andy Warhol’s fashion magazine Interview will love CRUSH, a fanzine split between NY and Paris, dedicated to peoples’ obsessions. Everyone knows that feeling of infatuation, be it with an item of clothing, a song or a man and CRUSH explores it beautifully with the help of guest art directors and fashion editors on each issue.
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PINK MINCE 3. The modern DIY fanzine comes in the form of Pink Mince, featuring stunning black and white photography against vintage cut-and-paste script. It’s not all fluffy words though, it’s a hardcore culture-shock embracing gay men. Stating it’s aims as being “to amuse and titillate,” editor Dan Rhatigan doesn’t disappoint providing confident and sassy content time after time.
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BOYS OWN MAGAZINE 4. The inspiration for Boys Own magazine and staple paper of the acid house scene in the late 1980s was Boys Own fanzine- now also a book. Boys Own encapsulated all aspects of life that were literally a boy’s own, including the way he dressed, danced and even spoke. This fanzine is truly the voice of a generation of infamously camp party-goers.
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TWIGS AND APPLES 5. The UK’s Twigs and Apples is jammed full of illustrations, poems, editorials, reviews and even recipes though, it never loses its touch. Despite it being a collective effort, the zine is professionally presented on recycled paper with equally weighty writing and artistic full-bleed photography.
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GIRLS GET BUSY Girls Get Busy is notably feminine with all the swirly fonts and glitter embossing, ironically pinpointing the stereotype placed on powerful feminist reads. Inspired by the Riot Grrrl movement, this fanzine is inspiring to say the least. Boasting designers Meadham Kirchhoff as fans and addressing issues of feminists of every age and colour, GGB is a staple fanzine.
WE DRINK PISCO
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7. In L.A., graffiti means status, worth and belonging. New fanzine We Drink Pisco highlights street bombs across South America and the US in moving full-page spreads. Provides artistic insight to a down-trodden culture.
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AMEN
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8. Amen is a Swedish fanzine with an amazingly sharp font, great subjects and excellent photography showcasing simplistic design in fashion, interiors and architecture. The styling and imagery are enough to make up for not being able to read Swedish.
9 BARON
9. In an era of half-naked selfies and promiscuity beyond belief, there is room for erotic literature to evolve. Enter Baron- wordplay, plastic sheet protection and all. Artists and photographers explore sexuality in today’s society and it’s more complex than you’d think.
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TOO MUCH
10. Tokyo-based Too Much is in itself, too simple in it’s refined layout. Look closer and you see human elements permeating the deign space perfection. A penis here, feces there- very interesting editorials tackle the imperfections that lie within all of us.
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THE WEIRDEST CELEBRITY PILGRIMAGES NEKOPS
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WORDS : LISA WALDEN
The emergence of celebrity pilgrimages is at an all-time high. Weird, remarkable and exotic are just some words to epitomize the ways of an over-loyal fan. The 5 weirdest (and often most extraordinary) pilgrimages may make you think twice about the next time you Google your favorite celebrity. Celebrity pilgrimages are the way forward, or so it seems. Whether or not you actually deem yourself an adherent of pilgrimages- joining the 600,000 a year- obsessive, celebrity-immersed fans will seemingly rise to any challenge in order to see/meet/ touch their idolised God, dead or alive. Elvis Presley’s grave has generated masses of public attention. So much that it’s actually gained its rightful place at the top 10 celebrity grave sites. The British Elvis Presley Fan Club (you read that right) offers fans a full tour of his Graceland home, grave site, and childhood school, all at a low-budget proposal of £250. Despite the fact that the king has been dead for over 3 decades, his grave, now a prevalent tourist attraction (what’s Disney Land?), floods in thousands of Elvis enthusiasts each year.
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Who knew a grave site could entice? Another celebrity tombstone, also swamped in flowers, we-love-you notes (which he’ll never read) and an affiliate on the top 10 celebrity gravesites, is that of Jim Morrison. The tourist burial attraction, which if you ever consider visiting as part of your celebrity pilgrim tour, is annually crowded with fans desperately clinging onto the memories of their hero. Pilgrimages don’t have to be repressed to visiting graves, homes or landmarks, they also come in a form of stalking. Modern-day celebrity pursuing, most likely influenced by Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi, sees fans desperately, and freakily, shadowing their every move: the third weirdest celebrity pilgrimage actually takes the longestyour entire life. Cases of people swimming
a mile to reach a star’s home and undetected men in guest houses is just the start of the ominous celeb-stalking truth. I certainly wouldn’t have the strength to swim a mile, let alone visit a house which Google lets me view perfectly, so why do many fans/stalkers/pilgrims do it. In ‘how to (legally) stalk a celebrity’, relatively constructive advice is given on how to become a celebrity pilgrim, and/or track your idol. Email them graced the top. Naturally followed by sending them presents and finding out when they leave their home. So if visiting grave sites isn’t your thing, i.e. you want to visit people who are actually alive, try another pilgrim-atic approach: frantic stalking. In terms of this next pilgrimage, if that’s what you want to call it, it’s pretty out
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there. Thousands of devoted fans descend from around the world, on a pilgrimage to spend a probably a cold day, standing by a grave, in honour of Bob Marley’s birthday. The Jamaican government actually declared this day a holiday, enabling fans more time to travel to his place of rest. So if you do consider attending, you’d have plenty of time to catch a plane. February the 6th has its mark in the diary of thousands of Bob Marley fans. So that rounds up the handful of (sometimes odd) celebrity pilgrimages embarked upon. I guess I’ll never be able to fully fathom the reasoning behind the extravaganza. Maybe I’m just not big enough of a fan to understand.
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PHOTOGRAPHY : REBEKKA AYRES
GIRL
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Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgwick
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Pop-Artist Andy Warhol and socialite Edie Sedgwick’s creative partnership was one of the most famous of all time. The two met at a party in 1965, and Warhol soon became infatuated by her, featuring her in twelve short films. She soon became one of the infamous Factory’s superstars. With the film Factory Girl largely based on their relationship, Warhol and Sedgwick have become one of the most iconic- and tragic- artist and muse relationships in history. “One person in the sixties fascinated me more than anybody I had ever known. And the fascination I experienced was probably very close to a certain kind of love.” Andy Warhol on Edie Sedgwick.
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Salvador Dali and Galarina (Gala) Dali
Meeting in 1929 the two instantly fell in love and shared a civil ceremony in 1934, then remarried in 1958. It was clear that Gala was his muse, even standing as a model for a lot of his work, our personal favourite is ‘The Madonna of Pot Lligat”. In the early 1930’s he began to sign his painting with both of their names. “It is mostly with your blood, Gala, that I paint my pictures.” Salvador Dali.
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David Lynch and Isabella Rossellini
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A year after Blue Velvet’s release Lynch and Rossellini started their five-year long relationship. The two were often called ‘the cult couple of the moment’ and she appeared in a small role in ‘Wild at Heart’ stating that she was there “solely to support David. And I did the film because I adore that world of excess, of surrealism."
Harmony Korine and Chloë Sevigny
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The two met in New York in 1993. Their friendship led to Chloë being cast in alt 90’s film, ‘Kids’, which Harmony wrote the screenplay for. The two started dating throughout the 90’s and Sevigny starred in more films directed by Korine. Including the more controversial end of Korine’s work such as Gummo. Becoming the epitome of New York cool kids, their relationship was doomed to fail. The two’s break-up was described as a “big messy one”. Korine may have moved on to younger, Disney star based muses, but Chloe Sevigny will always be the original alternative movie icon.
DONATELLA VERSACE AND LADY GAGA Donatella’s use of Lady GaGa as a muse may have been strikingly obvious. In the past few years, Donatella has been inspired by pop-singer, and visa versa. Gaga even named a song on her latest album after Donatella, and if that’s not a major exercise in sucking up to someone we don’t know what is. With the Launch of Versace’s Spring/ Summer 2014 ad campaign, it became painfully clear that GaGa shares a whole host of similarities with Donatella. This partnership is a narcissistic match made in heaven.
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