celebration issue

CELEBRATION OF LIFE

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COMPLEXD MAGAZINE Celebrating Women of all Shades, Shapes and Sizes

EDITOR’SLETTER

HAPPY 1 ANNIVERSARY TO COMPLEXD MAGAZINE ST

Kered Clement / Editor-in-Chief

Although Complexd was launched a year ago, the concept has been in my psyche since the age of 13, when I realised the magazines I loved only represented a small portion of society.

My thought processes weren’t as advanced at that age so it was more to do with how alienated I felt from the pages I eagerly flicked through. I loved the fashion and features but I couldn’t try them out because they didn’t suit my complexion or I couldn’t dream of affording it. I created Complexd so it could be an alternative that was inclusive and which focused on features that aimed to encourage and inspire women to make their mark.

In our Celebration issue we shine a spotlight on mothers and their brood, which was inspired by our Sub-Editor who is expecting and the fact that I

often refer to Complexd as ‘my baby’ and the experience has been like nurturing a new born. I aim to develop Complexd into a publication that progresses as it grows and has the challenge of going against the grain in an increasingly saturated digital market.

And like a child on their very first day at school in their neatly pressed uniform, launching was slightly daunting, but the more I looked the more I saw the same type of conceptual fashion publication with lots of fantastic editorial that looked the same. The gap in the market for a publication that showed a true representation of the diverse women in our society widened and was readily accepted. Since inception Complexd has become the UK’s first digital publication for Multicultural women and has attracted an international following.

And 2010 into 2011 has seen the visual

representations of society in all forms of media become more varied.

I can go into even more detail about why I launched Complexd and the blood, sweat and tears that has gone into every issue. But instead I would like to thank each and every contributor who has believed in the Complexd concept and I will sum it up with a quote which explains to you why I couldn’t resist taking on the task of creating a fulfilling and relatable magazine for women of this generation.

‘If you want to complete a tax return or repair a dishwasher, go for logic every time. But if you want to overthrow a tyrant, or write a sonnet, to solve a great problem or to get people to think in an entirely new way, then go for passion’ – Life is a Pitch, Stephan Bayley & Roger Mavity.

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CONTEN C E L E B R A T I O N I S S U E

10 COMPLEXD BEAUTY - Beauty Wrap

18 COMPLEXD PROFILES - Celebrating Mothers

54 COMPLEXD FASHION - Roadside Refined

86 COMPLEXD FASHION - Fusion Confusion

94 COMPLEXD MAN - Celebrating Difference

26 COMPLEXD FEATURES - Celebration of Life

NT 34 COMPLEXD FEATURES - The Complexd Documentary - Women Stripped Bare

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kered Clement SUB EDITOR Darcel de Vlugt CREATIVE DIRECTORS Nicolas Fuhr and Julie Tommerup

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HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER Frederique Rapier www.frederiquerapier.com

COMPLEXD FEATURES - Celebrating True Beauty

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Irene Nagayo Simret Cheema Innis Stephanie Ifill Robert Leon

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COVER:

COMPLEXD TRAVEL + LIFESTYLE - Celebration of Culture

COVER SHOT Frederique Rapier MODEL Rachel and Rosalia MAKE-UP Alison Cameron

SUB-EDITOR’S LETTER

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L O V I N G

This issue we celebrate life… In 2011, I celebrate the beautiful – and oh so bittersweet! – experience of being an expectant mother. No holds barred, welcome to the journey…

Like many a young girl growing up, I was led to believe – thanks to Hollywood and the continuous gushing that surrounded the mothers-to-be at family gatherings – that pregnancy was the absolute most magical time a woman would ever ex

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perience in her life, aside from her wedding day. I believed in the glowing skin, the luscious hair and – thanks to red carpet yummy mummies like Reese Witherspoon and Anne Hathaway – I loved that it was still possible to look as stylish and sexy as ever in flowing baby-doll dresses and empire waistline gowns. I always joked that there were two things that defined a woman that no man could endure: an entire night on the dance floor in five-inch heels… and childbirth.

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I nailed one of the two time and time again.

Fast-forward to early December 2010, when I found out that I too was expecting my own little miracle. My partner and I were completely surprised and absolutely thrilled about this news and our parents’ support when we eventually told them only served to make the Christmas season even more joyous.

Image by: Irene Nagayo - www.irenenagayo.com

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And then Week 7 hit, sending waves of nausea catapulting through my body.

I was completely caught off-guard. Of course I had expected a little morning sickness and nausea – it was only normal. But those bitches on TV made it look so easy. It was anything but. In the days that followed, turning into weeks, I felt immobilized, demoralized and totally defeated by my ‘bundle of joy’. If anyone has ever wondered what it’s like to be completely happy and utterly miserable at the same time, this was it. My mornings consisted of waking up and lying in bed – after endless hours of tossing and turning and no sleep – mentally preparing myself for the moment my feet hit the floor and I sat upright, as the first gag would send me rushing straight down the hallway to the bathroom. And then breakfast… what breakfast? Anything I tried to eat would end up right where I had spent my morning, inspecting the condition of the toilet bowl.

That was just the beginning. I began calling my bump the Ninja, only because the best description for the way I felt during the next few weeks was that a masked warrior had hijacked my body and was dictating my every move from standing to sitting to breathing. Not only had the Ninja taken possession of my insides, to the point that even a glass of water was impossible for me to consume, but my face was breaking out in acne as though I were back in high school and the texture of my hair started to change, becoming coarser and

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more difficult to manage. Even worse, my ass started to sag. The loss of the plush apple bottom I had worked so hard for over many years of dance and sports training devastated me. It turns out that morning sickness had me losing weight during my first trimester, and apparently, this is normal.

Believe me, nothing about this felt normal. The upheaval of my hormones had me bursting into tears that I no longer felt sexy or attractive as my partner tried his best to reassure me that he thought I was beautiful no matter what – all the while tiptoeing on eggshells around me because he knew that the slightest irritating comment would end in the prompt removal of one or more of his testicles.

At Week 10, having tried every remedy from ginger to lemons with little result, the nausea peaked, with two days straight of regurgitating any and everything in sight to the point that an IV drip in the hospital started sounding like a damn good solution to getting some fluids in my tiny body. Fortunately, it never went that far and, in Week 11, I started to get a slight appetite.

Now, at the end of Week 12, I am thoroughly looking forward to next week’s ultrasound and actually managed to make it out of the house last night for a movie date with Daddy-to-be. Craziest of all, after weeks of waking up looking more like Helena Bonham-Carter in Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet

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Street, today I caught a glimpse of what looks like the beginning of – *shock, horror* - a glow! Could it be? And is that my hair growing?

I still gag in the mornings… If I don’t eat a little something every three hours, my stomach retaliates... Crackers and cheese are my best friends... And to be perfectly honest, I’m not sure I would jump at the news of having to do this again without remembering the ordeal of this first trimester (vividly), hence my crossed fingers at the possibility of twins…

So, onwards with the second trimester!

They call this the honeymoon period but I’m no fool, I’ve done my research this time: heartburn and fatigue are symptoms I think I can handle at this point!

Besides, everybody tells me that this all becomes worth it when I see my baby for the first time… Of course, I look forward to that moment every single day.

After all, that is the moment before the crying, the nightly feedings, the scraped knees and constant worrying for the next eighteen or so years kicks off…

Bring it on, I say!

Darcel de Vlugt – Chief Sub-Editor (now 5 months pregnant and doing much better!)

SUB-EDITOR’SLETTER

‘I BEGAN CALLING MY BUMP THE NINJA ONLY BECAUSE THE BEST DESCRIPTION FOR THE WAY I FELT DURING THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WAS THAT A MASKED WARRIOR HAD HIJACKED MY BODY’

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BEAUTY WRAP Wrap up your hair and make-up with 4 celebratory looks that bring out your eyes All products by MAC cosmetics

Beauty Kat Reyes / Photography Joyce O’neal www.joyceonealphotography.com / Model Scarlett @ next models Eyes: Moon’s Reflection and Deep Truth Eyeliner: Fascinating Eye Kohl COMPLEXD | 11 ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY

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W Eyes: Amberlights and Goldmine Eyeliner: Fascinating Eye Kohl

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Eyes: Pink Freeze and Da Bling Eyeliner: Fascinating Eye Kohl

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Eyes: Gorgeous Gold and Parfait Amour Eyeliner: Fascinating Eye Kohl

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Images by Frederique Rapier

CELEBRATING MOTHERS

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I had my first son, Ché, when I was 31 years old and my second son Noah soon followed. No matter what age you are nothing can really prepare you for motherhood, but all the love I get back from being the mother of my two boys is priceless. The wet dribble kisses, the tight hugs even when they wake me up at silly o’clock in the morning I really do not mind at all – it’s the best part of being a mum. For me the worst part (giving birth) wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. When my contractions got more intense I found that walking around and singing along to my D’Angelo album helped as a distraction. I was in labour for about 6 hours and by the end of it all, the pain and agony disappeared. I was so relieved and full of adrenaline that I felt like I could run a marathon. Having my two loving boys has made me more of a considerate person. I think about others and not just myself and I think that comes down to all my decisions revolving around how it will affect my children first. As long as you are strongminded and know that your number one priority is your family then it is possible to have a career and children.

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LESLY & ISABELLE

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I had my daughter – my first and only child – at the age of 37. On the day Isabelle was ready to come into the world plans for a water birth went straight out the window. She was already 4 weeks late and they had planned to induce me, which failed miserably. Onto plan number three – an emergency Csection! After much pain, discomfort

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and a feeling of helplessness my little bundle of joy arrived in the afternoon.

At first I felt out of my depth and slightly doubtful of myself the day I became a mum. I had lost my mother when I was a young girl and giving birth was the moment where I felt I needed her the most. Being a new mum is a mesmerising and baffling experience, which

no book can ever truly prepare you for, but I’m thankful to be able to have the experience that women often take for granted. When you are younger, you assume you can have children but this is not always the case. My daughter is a real character and she’s adorable in more ways than one. Life can be difficult as a single mum so the crucial part

is to have the support of family and friends or some sort of network because it’s extremely difficult and stressful to do it on your own. Overall, having Isabelle has made me a little happier. I couldn’t imagine my life without her.

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RACHEL

I had my daughter Jasmine Mya Pansy Ventour on the 6th May 2010 at 12.35pm and she was well worth the pain. It was a bittersweet combination of pain and amazement. I had gas and air for 6 hours and a failed attempt at an epidural and finally, after 24 hours of labour, Jasmine was born. Becoming a mother has made me more grateful and appreciative about life. I feel that being able to bring a child into the world is a blessing from God, which has made me more humble and focused. I also feel like it is up to me to continue the blessing by guiding and moulding Jasmine into a good person. I love the fact that I have a little daughter who relies on me but at the same time I work 5 days a week. If you have a getup-and-go attitude, somebody you trust and develop a routine that works it is possible to do both. I really think it’s important as a person to be in an adult environment while providing a happy and healthy future for your children.

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JASMINE

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COMPLEXDFEATURES Images by Frederique Rapier / Make-up Artist Alison Cameron / Make-up Assistant Cece Kwofie

Model Rachel/Rosalia / Location www.batterseaparkapartments.co.uk

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on Of Life

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Model/Actress Rachel Ritfeld was once voted one of the hottest women in the world in a bikini by Fashion TV, here she talks openly about the most challenging year of her life and why maintaining a bikini body is not at the top of her agenda.

I remember clearly when that little stick read ‘1-2 weeks’ last summer; I just stared at it in amazement. The first thing that came from my mouth when I turned to my sleepy husband Damien was: ‘Kiss my belly; it’s your baby’. After that I just remember us keeling over and laughing whilst repeatedly saying, ‘Oh my God, we’re going to be parents!’ We were just over the moon! We got married the summer before and decided on names for all our children about a year before our engagement, so we always knew that this is what we wanted.

Rosalia finally came into the world on the 30th August 2010. She means the world to me and Damien and she always has. Even before she was born, Damien and I would talk about what her personality would be like and who she would look like. She was very much a real person to us. In the very early stages, when we couldn’t see more than a heartbeat, we were joking that it looked like a little egg yolk on the screen and we temporarily named my bump Yoki.

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She was the perfect addition to our family after all we had been through whilst I was carrying her.

I always believed that everything that could go wrong would happen to me during pregnancy. At the same time I was always sure that I would give birth to a wonderful, healthy baby. Quite soon after I found out I was pregnant I was experiencing a lot of abnormal pain.

When my doctor relayed that they found a cancerous tumour the size of a tennis ball in my belly the most devastating part of it all was when the scenarios presented to me posed a threat to my baby and a possible hysterectomy. I didn’t want to do anything that would risk the life of my baby and I couldn’t live with the thought of not being able to have kids. I had the most difficult task of making a no-win decision but went with my gut instinct of continuing with my pregnancy. I promised myself that Rosalia would become my reason to fight for my own health and life and I would do everything I possibly could to protect her.

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‘I was in the critical care unit with a bunch of machines around me and the first thing I said to the nurse is "where is my breast pump?”’

Throughout my pregnancy the tumour kept growing, my promise meant that I refused to entertain its existence or thoughts of anything ever going wrong. Whilst the doctors were amazed that I was still pregnant, I entered a mental battle whereas my body was undergoing physical trauma.

The mental and physical eventually became a blur and I became a determined fighter in every way possible. The tumour was blocking the baby’s exit so a natural birth wasn’t possible. I was booked in for a planned Caesarean but went into labour two days earlier with Notting Hill Carnival happening right on our doorstep. Regardless of whether Rosalia was eager to enter the world, I convinced myself I was staying at home until my planned C-section.

My contractions were 8-10 minutes apart but after reading an article that crossing your legs would slow down labour, I lay in bed all day with my legs crossed determined to make it until Tuesday. My fighting spirit soon wore off and I remember blurting out to my husband in a frenzy: ‘Throw the hospital in the car!’ We now look back on this moment and laugh.

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‘My scar will always be a symbol of victory for me. My purpose is now far greater than my modelling career’ I was finally settling into becoming a mum when the tumour returned and started growing at an incredible speed and showing sinister features. I had lost most of my pregnancy weight but still looked pregnant 2 months later.

Hearing the urgency from my very cautious and diplomatic surgeon’s mouth was frightening. I couldn’t stop crying for the first couple of days because this time I had a life to look after. It was this very thought that helped me pull myself together again. At the time Rosalia was breastfeeding so we had to train her to take a bottle, but she would not cooperate. The day I went to hospital she stayed with me till the very last minute before my surgery. It was like she knew that she had to be strong for me because after trying for ages to train her to take a bottle, as soon as she got home with her daddy she drank from the bottle and behaved wonderfully. My mother had a difficult time dealing with things but my husband tried to remain strong. He always felt confident that I would be fine. I really believed that my

condition was 20% physical and 80% emotional so I had to believe that I was going to be OK. The day I woke up from my operation I was in the Critical Care Unit with a bunch of machines around me and the first thing I said to the nurse was: ‘Where is my breast pump?’ I was so determined to return home and restart my life as a family and put this all behind us.

Rosalia is now six months old and says ‘mama’. I absolutely love being a mummy. I love being needed and cuddled and that’s what Rosalia does all day. She makes up for the cuddles we might have missed out on. Its takes time to settle in as a mother and the special moments are when your baby can smile and giggle back at you. I plan my life around my family and work on average a couple of half days a week.

We bathe together, nap together and have our mealtime as a family. Thus far I have had a fruitful career as a model but family life is the most important thing to me right now. I do appreciate

that everyone’s situation is different. I personally don’t have to choose between motherhood and a career but in scenarios where the mother needs to put food on the table and nappies on her baby, she has to do what she has to do. I have alot of respect for single mothers because I now understand how much work and pressure it is. I know a few women who are not single parents but are very career-focused and chose to go back to work quite soon after their babies are born; it is not my place to judge anyone’s actions or choices so I just hope that all mothers do what is best for them and their children.

I’m so fortunate I have a husband like Damien who is very supportive. If I have a fashion show he will come and watch and bring Rosalia along. My surgeon was very concerned about how the operation would affect my career but I told him, his only worry should be that I survived and didn’t have cancer anymore. I was left with a 30 cm long scar

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‘Rosalia became my reason to fight for my own health and life and I would do everything I possibly could to protect her’ after the operation and I look almost butchered. I also developed a rare pregnancy related skin disease called Pemphigoid Gestationis which left me with scars and sores all over my body.

I am not concerned with how my scar and my body look. I am concerned with the fact I am cancer-free and I can put the whole experience behind me. My scar will always be a symbol of victory for me. It reminds me not to stress out about anything because I conquered a life-threatening disease. My purpose is now far greater than my modelling career and I am at a different stage in my life now. Yes, I love the art of creating a beautiful image but the hectic lifestyle of modelling is behind me in exchange for a different kind of excitement in our family life. Rosalia has changed me as a person and has strengthened my relationship with Damien. Our house is filled with more laughter as we sing, dance and play in appreciation for life and each other because you never know what life may bring. In fact we have managed to combine our love of family with fashion and we are currently

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in the planning process of starting up a lifestyle-clothing brand aimed at the Caribbean market. Rosalia’s grandmother is the head designer, I front the women’s wear, Damien is the face of menswear and Rosalia will be modelling the baby range. It’s the perfect project for us to show our strengths as a family.

I am Surinamese so we have decided to move back to Suriname for a while to try a different way of life. We love spending time together as a family so being in a country that is not as hectic as the London lifestyle is what we are now seeking. 2010 was physically and emotionally the hardest time of my life and I just want to be outdoors in the sunshine, eating nice food in my maxidress and flip flops. Rosalia loves being outdoors so until we have to settle somewhere for her to go to school, I want her to learn the life lessons that travelling and being amongst different cultures has taught me. I was born and raised Hindu, so I want her to see our beautiful festivals and celebrations of life.

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W OM EN COMPLEXDDOCUMENTARY

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By Frederique RapierANNIVERSARY / Words By Simret Cheema Innis

STRIPPED BARE

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Complexd’s Founding Editor and childhood friend Kered Clement and I had been contemplating a documentary addressing women’s issues for a long time.

It had been on both of our agendas in theory for nearly two years. When the launch of Complexd Magazine occurred it became our incentive to make a documentary that was no longer a note on an endless list to be discarded or forgotten about. It was for real and it provided the basis for an inspiring concept.

Six trips to fashion award ceremonies abroad, plus a few cupfuls of South Africa and Europe later, Kered and I finally started to plan the issues we wanted to address in the short film whilst making it specific to the focus of the magazine.

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Since its inception, Complexd has proven to be a masterpiece in its own right, representing a multitude of women from a multitude of backgrounds. It has also managed to make a standpoint targeting issues around contradicting images and messages in the media. It was inevitable that we were going to make a documentary based on content that Complexd has already produced – to provide the readership with an even more intimate experience and a clear understanding of what ‘to be a Complexd Woman’ actually means. We started the search to find the women who were going to be featured: the ambassadors of Complexd, who were going to represent the unique but everpresent women of our society.

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‘I have always been dismayed by massive tattoos spread across clear skin. Bianca’s interview was my eye-opener in understanding another woman’s reasoning for creating her own identity’ After doing a recce a month before the shoot, Kered and I were elated with our chosen location. Kered had come to the conclusion that a place in the midst of construction would be appropriate. Somewhere with dissipated walls and an environment not fit for the living that would reflect on the topic of discussion…thus being the perception of beauty. Due to the burst water main in October 2010 in the area of Brentford, my mum’s house had suffered from water damage that was incisive to say the least. This left us with the sound of a drum rolling to the beat of location – sorted!

Sneaking into the ‘building site’ weeks before filming, we were in awe at the baneful sight that proved delicious for any filmmaker. As we explored, we discovered an abandoned bathtub that would be perfect for an intimate cutaway. A stripped cupboard – left with its antique bookshelf – would prove suitable for the location of our extreme close ups and the paint-flaked wooden staircase would create the setting for some abstract film sequences.

We were excited about our barren location. This marvellous home stripped of its pristine walls and cluttered furnishings forced us to find the beauty in its simplicity and allowed us to use our imagination, seeing beyond its surface. That is exactly the effect we wanted to have on the viewer whilst watching and listening to each subject. We wanted the viewer to see the subject in her simplest form and explore the beauty of that particular woman when she is revealed, without other distractions.

Once her inner beauty is found, only then can we appreciate her when she is adorned.

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THE RECCE

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P ROB LEMS AT BAY We were confident with the concept and finally decided on a date for it to happen. It was a darned good thing that we had left the Midlands two days before the actual shoot because trouble awaited when we hit the city of London.

After having dinner and numerous cups of tea, my mum broke the news that there was a possibility that the house would not be available to film in. My world crumbled just like the walls at my mum’s constructional hazard of a house. My producer cap went on immediately and I took a trip to Southall in London – the land of opportunity and hope in the 60′s and 70′s – where my dad welcomed us to his abode. Guitars were placed on stands in an obscure fashion; scattered music sheets, old Christmas cards, wires and fibre optic tools posed lackadaisically like naturists on a beach. There was no balance in this terraced house. I would like to say that I had a sleepless night but I didn’t, because I soon realised that the re-location of the shoot was right under my nose. The stylish yellow, deep burgundy, red and green walls, the mirrored room, the rustic yet new-age staircase… it was unconventional, eclectic and there was an interesting character about each room. Just like there was an interesting character in each Complexd woman. This was it!

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‘A place in the midst of construction would be appropriate.

Somewhere with dissipated walls and an environment not fit for the living that would reflect on the topic of discussion... thus being the perception of beauty’ COMPLEXD | 41 ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY

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THE SHOOT I was awake by 6am; call time was 9am. Frederique Rapier, a photographer and a member of our crew was the first to be filmed. Frederique was very inquisitive as to how we were going to set up the scene and place her. I knew straight away that her artistic eye for a photo would prove an asset in our production. Happy with the position, Frederique sat in the chosen spot under the lime light and propped her feet on her camera bag ready for a grilling.

Kered found herself changing questions to delve further into Frederique’s life story to reveal a bigger story that was pinnacle to how Frederique had been shaped as an individual... a minority in her own right. Clementine, a plus-size model from Guadeloupe, had a stunning figure. She was gentle, but delectable to the ear with her accent.

Clementine Ancient gave us an insight into her world, which at times seemed quite a struggle: the downside of the fashion industry and building a thick skin for the harsh remarks about image that come with the territory of being a model. Our third model – Latesha Wilson – was quite shy at first; the model in Latesha soon revealed itself as soon

as she picked up one of my dad’s guitars and started to play it in a cherublike manner whilst looking demurely into the camera. We saw a model at her professional best coming to life when it was time to transcend into a new character.

Our final subject of the day for our London location was Bianca Wright, a fashion trader at Camden Market in London. It has been a personal choice of mine to be anti-tattoo. I even remember nearly splitting up with one boyfriend when he decided that he wanted a huge tiger scrawled across his back. I’m not hugely religious, but I have always been dismayed by massive tattoos spread across clear skin.

Perhaps I am conservative in my thinking that memories that are personal in our minds, do not need to be written or declared to the world on our skin.

I feel that sometimes, some things are so sentimental they should be kept in our souls. That was until I faced Bianca. She revealed the reasons why she had the tattoos and the risks she took to justify her body art. Coming from a strict Jamaican upbringing and having

a young son, Bianca stood up for her belief and reasoning behind her tattoos. As I trailed along her body with the camera recording each tattoo, hearing these justifications made me even more determined to capture each and every marking. Bianca’s interview was my eye-opener in understanding another woman’s reasoning for creating her own identity and understanding why our own opinions shouldn’t cloud our judgements about others’ choices in life.

Two days of intense shooting were finally over as we tidied up the ‘studio’, said our goodbyes and set off from London homebound to Wolverhampton. Stripped Bare proved to be an informative shoot and a ‘Complexd’ insight into the unique lives and experiences of these women.

Watch the Complexd documentary Stripped Bare and be enlightened by the stories of women revealed.

Make-up: Nishi V Subjects: Bianca Wright, Latesha Wilson, Clementine Anicet

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CELEBRATING TRUE BEAUTY Images By Frederique Rapier

During International Women’s Month, the Complexd team attended the Endangered Species Summit held at the Royal Festival Hall in London. The summit marked the launch of a worldwide campaign to discuss how to encourage young women to embrace their natural beauty and bodies. A variation of women’s organizations and concerned individuals from across the UK took part in sharing their expertise and unique projects on how to tackle body insecurities, eating disorders and the misogynist’s portrayal of women that could potentially harm a new generation of young women. Endangered Species is a segment of a bigger organisation, AnyBody, which is comprised of a group of men and women across various industries who are committed to encouraging change in cultural attitudes towards bodies, food and eating. During the event we met up with 23-year-old Creative Director Stephanie Ifill. As well as being on the board for Endangered Species, Stephanie is a dedicated mentor who uses her skills to arrange projects that encourage young women to appreciate their natural beauty.

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‘I don’t wear make-up because I promote a natural look. There is nothing wrong with make-up as long as you know before you apply it, you are already beautiful’

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‘I wanted to produce pure natural beauty portraits. The girls could not wear any make-up or style their hair and I couldn’t do any post production. This was so I could communicate to audiences that natural was indeed beautiful’

Creative Direction by Stephanie Ifill

- Stephanie

STEPHANIE ON STEPHANIE HEART When I completed my degree in Graphic Design Communication at the University of the Arts last year, I knew that I wanted to continue to create visual projects that value and encourage women. My passion for supporting women stems from working with young women who make up the Stephanie Heart community and has developed naturally over the past 5 years through mentoring girls at my local church. I was astonished at how all forms of media had affected the way they looked and felt about themselves and how, as they got older, their questions evolved into more serious and worrying ones about perceptions of beauty. I became somewhat of a role model, trying to instil within them a sense of self-worth and encouraging them to pass this onto their peers. However, I knew that the most effective way of doing this was not

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to verbalise but to use my skills to allow them to visualise how they should view their own natural beauty.

I am lucky enough to have a lot of sisters to seek advice from and a very determined and confident mother who is very sure of herself and her appearance.

This filtered down to me and during my school days – a time that is the most crucial for young adolescent girls – I knew that school was for learning, so getting the attention of boys and peers was not one of my priorities. My mum has never been heavily focused on looks nor does she wear make-up, so I have always been taught to feel comfortable in my own skin. Your mother or a womanly figure can rub off on you when you are a young girl, that’s how most of us learn to become women. I think if you have a

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strong role model then you’re less likely to be influenced by the messages the media spreads. However, in saying that, there are a number of things that contribute to beauty insecurities. The young girls I work with talk of peer pressure to look good and attract the attention of boys at school; and then there is the celebrity culture that makes them want to look like someone they have seen on TV. Whilst there are all these mixed messages flying around, I have discovered through my projects that a lot of these girls have never been told that they are beautiful. It just doesn’t happen often. This is why I try not to just be the visual communicator; I try to also be a big sister, so that I can relate to them and understand their thoughts and insecurities.

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‘ I have realised that it's not about how close we can get to perfection, but that we are already made perfect in our own individual ways’ - Vicky

NATURAL BEAUTY My main concern is the representation of true beauty. Beauty at the moment is seen as something that you buy or purchase, not something that you indeed are, so young women are growing up thinking that they have to buy a medley of products to be beautiful.

This is why I want all of my projects to be a celebration of uniqueness. In the early stages of Stephanie Heart, I started by hosting a focus group with young girls between the ages of 12-20 and I learnt that everything out there was bogging them down. A lot of the girls didn’t want to go school if they didn’t look good enough. I invited the girls to come to a casting where they each had individual interviews about beauty. They were simply asked what they liked about

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their natural appearance and what they didn’t like. Most of them found it very hard to describe what they liked about their appearance but had long list about what they didn’t like. For me, it’s shocking that young girls from the age of 12 do not like anything about their natural appearance, proving that insecurities are starting from a very young age and more pressure is put on young girls. This is because the industry’s new – and biggest – market is pre-teens who seem to have a lot more pocket money to spend.

At the moment these girls are sold a culture through the media that the way you are is not good enough and you need to purchase something to make yourself look better. My focus groups revealed that although their friends and

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family tell them personality is more important, the media is telling them to work on their looks. I think the best way to combat this is by changing a few young girls who can positively influence their friends. This is why I work hard to build the self-esteem of the young girls I work with through Stephanie Heart.

I aim to have a positive influence on young girls so that they can develop an alternative view to beauty and fashion.

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FASHION AND THE MEDIA

I did an in-depth study on magazines, and their effect on young women can at times be extremely negative. Everybody in consumer fashion magazines is perfected; young girls going through puberty who idolise these images of perfection are reading them. This is because the lines are blurry between advertisements and editorial. Unfortunately these magazines are so restricted by the revenue of the advertising that they are forced to follow their advertiser’s ethos. If make-up brands are paying big money for advertising, they want to see that same make-up plastered on the cover girl. Young girls may not know the politics of advertising and editorial but after reading these magazines, they feel insecure about themselves because they cannot com-

pare to anybody that they see on the pages. Until editorial becomes more important than advertisement it will continue to be a catalogue of a westernised ideal of beauty with no promotion of real beauty. It’s a very bittersweet debate because if women are made to feel good about their natural appearance, then they may not buy as much of these products that are advertised, resulting in the advertisers withdrawing their big payments. When I am around the girls, I don’t wear make-up because I think if you’re promoting something that you truly believe in, you need to make sure you’re living it too. I am not saying there is anything wrong with make-up; I just want young women to know that they are already beautiful before they apply it.

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‘The model meter was a visual way of showing that 95% of women are left out of the images in the media’ THE PROJECTS Every project I do has grown naturally as opposed to being heavily planned.

This is because I create ideas around things I feel strongly about. I have a heart for fashion but my wish is for it to remain creative and inclusive. The Come As You Are project was a fashion showcase that came out of that. I was thinking of a venture that would celebrate the different shapes and sizes of the girls within the Stephanie Heart Community but also make a catwalk showcase of it so that it would intrigue other young women. I wanted to also make sure that whatever we did would be fun and not intimidating. So I told the girls to ‘come as they are’ and when 50 young girls turned up for a fashion show, I presented them with black bin bags for clothing and various bits of colourful make-up. After the initial shock, they really got into it and started to become very creative with their bin-bag outfits. Then we gave them 1 minute to apply any make-up in a way that represented their personality. This encouraged them to be more creative as opposed to creating perfection. The next stage was to do the catwalk! I knew some of the girls might have felt conscious about that so we decided to call it a personality walk, where they walked down the catwalk in their biggest personality. In that night alone the confidence of the girls

involved grew immensely. This alternative fashion event took away from the feeling of being inadequate and imperfect and replaced it with a showcase of creativity and human personality.

When I joined the Endangered Species board as an Art Director it gave me the opportunity to use my talent to steer me in a positive direction and do more projects that not only engaged with women but also carried strong messages. As Endangered Species is a part of the organisation AnyBody, which promotes women of all shapes and sizes, I wanted to present a visual way of showing that 95% of women are left out of the images in the media and how they could break this mould. I made a graphic size-o-meter to physically show the height and measurements we are all ‘supposed’ to fit. I took it out onto a busy high street and encouraged women on the street to stand within the frame to see how many of them fit. Considering that a high percentage of women don’t fit the mould, we spent much of the day with women showing how we break the unrealistic image of women the media portray.

On the day women told me about the pressures they put on themselves to fit into the mould that represents only 5% of the population and the comments coming from men were very supportive

too! A lot of the men talked about their partners feeling immense pressures from images and trends in the media.

A lot of them were worried about the images of celebrity mums losing drastic weight after having a baby and they described how it caused a lot of stress and depression for their partners.

I will continue to strive to do these projects because, although at times finding funding is a struggle, I think it’s important to continue to inspire and influence women in a positive way. These young women also want to see a change and to start seeing more diverse images of beauty. To strengthen what I do, I aim to offer a service to people who want creative direction through film, photography, graphic design and motion graphics to support campaigns for women. I also aim to offer programs and projects for schools, churches and organisations who want to engage with women and have a positive impact on them. Currently I am working on the official Stephanie Heart Launch so that we can grow and spread the message for young women to have self worth and value true beauty.

For more information visit www.stephanieheart.com

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‘Stephanie Heart highlights the increasing issues that plague our society concerning the value of women young and old. The images put in magazines and seen on the TV and the internet are not reality and cause women to strive to be something that doesn’t exist’

I have learnt a lot a being involved with projects. I recognis had of myself was I am able to see m

- Jenaé

- Rasheeda

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about myself since h the Stephanie Heart sed that the image I distorted. But now my true beauty’

‘The natural beauty photographs encouraged me to celebrate the qualities that make me unique and to come out from behind the veils of the 'societal dictation' of what beauty is’ - Hannah

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ROADSIDE REFINED Photography Bob Packert www.packertphotography.com / Fashion Rina Patsiokostas / Hair and Make-up Mariolga Pantazopoulos / Model Jessica Carter @Click models New York/Boston / Wardrobe provided by Nirva Derbekyan www.nirva.com / Photographers Assistant Michael Cevoli / Location Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic

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The Dominican Republic is the second-largest island in the Caribbean. The country shares a border with Haiti and is nestled between north of the Atlantic Ocean and south of the Caribbean Sea. Photographer Bob Packert shares his experience shooting in a country with a blend of European, African and native Taíno Indian cultures.

The Dominican Republic shoot evolved during a studio shoot for Boston-based fashion designer Nirva Derbekyan, whose spring collection was infused with tropical prints and palettes. Rina, the stylist, made a pronto call to a relative who owned a house in the town of Monte Cristi on the northern coast. We knew Monte Cristi’s rustic structures and bold colours would be the perfect setting for the style and feeling we wanted to create. As soon as we arrived, I noticed the beautiful balance between the Dominican Republic as a vacation destination and the old traditions of the rest of the island and its locals. I also noticed how well dressed the locals were;

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they took great pride in their appearance, and the models’ elaborate styling blended in nicely with the surroundings. It is said that to truly understand Dominican people you must experience the Carnival. The crew and I were lucky enough to be there at just the right time to witness it. I remember a masquerade featuring a masked devil-like character – Diablo Cojuelo – that would battle with his whip versus the local male population. Men of all different age groups would try to drive away the devil. My perception of it was a rite of passage amongst local men and boys, which was an interesting thing to experience as a male.

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MEN OF ALL DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS WOULD TRY TO DRIVE AWAY “DIABLO COJUELO”.

MY PERCEPTION OF IT WAS A SORT OF RITE OF PASSAGE AMONGST LOCAL MEN AND BOYS

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FUSI

CONFUSION

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Dress Kate Moss Topshop / Gloves River Island / Scarf River Island / Brooch Topshop / Leopard print tights/ Headpiece stylist’s own

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Photography Georgie Wileman / Fashion Ghazal Karimaghaee / Model Cat B from M&P / Hair & Makeup Artist Theresa Davies / Photographers assistant Nastasia Niedinger

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I moved to the UK 11 years ago with my family. From an early age I loved experimenting with my style because I was brave enough to either wow or get laughed at. Styling is a big part of my life, but being in the UK has given me that freedom. I’m originally from Iran – the Turkish side of a beautiful city called Shiraz – but I know for a fact that I wouldn’t be a stylist if I were still there. Iran is an Islamic country with very strict laws based on religion. When I visit every summer, I have to cover up, but when in the UK, I wake up in the morning with the freedom to style myself.

It could be perceived as weird or frustrating but I actually find it fun living two different lives. This is what this shoot symbolizes.

The shoot is based on a tribe my grandmother was a part of called Qashqai. They live in tents and wear colourful gowns. My moth-

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er and I never experienced the Qashqai lifestyle but we do celebrate it, as it is a part of our lives.

In the Qashqai-inspired shoot, I wanted to display the confusion I sometimes feel when changing between the restrictions of an Islamic country and the contrast of Western fashion. I sought to achieve this feeling by mixing the styles from the Qashqai, Iranian and Western cultures. I styled authentic pieces that I had from Iran like my uncle’s Qashqai hat and my grandmother’s Qashqai wedding gown with a few high street pieces. Going back to Iran every summer is like entering a different world. The language, food, lifestyle and sense of dress are different. I live in the UK but my home will always be Iran.

That is why I always incorporate my culture into my creative work.

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Ghazal Karimaghaee

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Iwanted

to

display the

confusion

I sometimes

feel when

changing

between the

restrictions

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Blue Dress Motel / Red necklace Topshop / Qashqai Skirt/ Scarf/Boots stylist’s own

the contrast

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of Western

fashion

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T-shirt/Belt Vintage / Sequin top Topshop / Qashqai harem trousers and hat Stylist’s own

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Dress Kate Moss Topshop / Gloves River Island

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Blue Dress Motel / Red necklace Topshop / Qashqai Skirt/ Scarf/Boots Stylist’s own

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Lace dress River Island / Knitted jumper Topshop

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If the differences between cultures are being merged together into one, we find ourselves in a cultural battle, with one culture striving to become more dominant

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C E L E B R AT I N G D I F F E R E N C E An author, entrepreneur, technologist, photographer, husband and father of two multicultural children, William Loftus shares his thoughts on a concept he calls Synthetic Diversity.

Sometimes I feel as if everything and everyone in mass media is starting to look alike or fall into one of a few categories. In print, we have uncannily similar paparazzi photographs of the goodlooking people and in TV you have the monotone newsreader’s voice, which hardly ever has an accent. Sometimes I feel profound sadness when I see this false sense of homogeneity everywhere

I look, because this does not allow us to enjoy the benefits of a diverse society.

Maybe my rigid attachment to the tradition that no longer serves us as a society forces me to think more in-depth. I believe that holding onto tradition is a way of building a world culture that brings diverse people together into a community that extends beyond national boundaries. A world culture is a laudable goal.

But if the differences between cultures are being merged together into one, we find ourselves in a cultural battle, with one culture striving to become more dominant.

Cultural diversity confusion extends even further and is not limited to society

alone. It permeates through corporations that create working environments that prevent any sense of spontaneous celebration of difference. This difference is stifled by prescribed company policies carefully written for legal compliance to prevent discrimination and protect the minority from majority. Unfortunately, these strict rules reduce celebration of difference to celebration of uniformity, shying away from real, significant cultural diversity. The fear of harassment, lawsuits and uncomfortable situations all lead to suppression of differences not widely accepted for a culture that is deemed acceptable by all. In the end, the majority rules and one culture is created.

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So why should we care, you ask? Cultural expression is being lost and if we don’t identify and engage with it, it could become extinct forever. This is why I feel sadness when I see sameness around me. The desire for a cohesive society is a positive thing, but it is negative to try and create one culture.

If we look back in the past to when one culture smothers another, we find that brilliant ideas are lost or subtly forgotten. For example, sustainability practiced by American Indians, or medical practices of Brazilian tribes now long gone, are lost all because we did not know how to celebrate differences in a positive and engaging way.

All of this has led me to start a pho

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tographic experiment to observe difference rather than the desire to assimilate and reduce us all to a single concept.

Classical portraits focus on the emotional connection a viewer sees in the eyes and face of the subject. These are not classical portraits derived from Greco-Roman artists’ visions, but portraits derived from difference and multicultural life. I call it Synthetic Diversity, borrowing a concept from Kantian philosophy of synthetic knowledge, which is to create a new idea by combining two ideas whilst still recognizing the existence and knowledge of both ideas.

Photographs have the power to convey the celebration of difference instantly.

Photographs have already changed

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the world and will continue to change it again in the future.

Societies can also change overnight – we can become more aware of how we need to be inclusive and celebrate difference instead of promoting assimilation and elimination. One culture doesn’t have to win over another. We can make a positive celebrated multicultural society.

Contact William at gestaltphotographs.com

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Photographs have the power to convey the celebration of difference instantly

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COMPLEXDTRAVEL + LIFESTYLE Images/Captions by Robert Leon www.robertleon.com

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A Rajasthani woman from Khuri Villagee stands in front of her colourful homee

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In the Mapusa Market in Goa, India, this Goan woman sells fish to earn a living

‘I love the hustle and bustle of people on the streets of India and the energy that they give off, whether they are in a village or a metropolitan city. The people are open and welcome and it’s beautiful to see people simply sitting in their veranda enjoying the simple pleasures of life. When I'm home, I have a talk, laugh and a good time with my family’. I also love the women of India.

Their ability to sacrifice and to compromise is amazing. It is gratifying to see women with such a giving nature. They never complain and are very resilient and know what it takes to have a happy family’ - Shruti Bedi

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A Cuban family from Trinidad praying in front of a home altar at the house of German explorer Alexander von Humboldt’s who travelled extensively in Latin Americae

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At this traditional Greek Wedding on the Santorini Island, the bridee travels to the church on a donkey followed by friends and familye

e

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A Mam Mayan woman with her child in the Todos Santos village markete

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Cabaret showgirls at the Tropicana Nightclub in Havanaa

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A Female Turkish belly dancer in a nightclub in Istanbule

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Tzutujil Mayan woman weaving textiles with ae backstrap loom at Las Artesanas de San Juan weavinge co-operativein San Juan la Laguna Village on Lago Atitlane

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Women dancing at the Garifuna festival in celebration of thee arrival of the first Garifuna people on the shores of Guatemalae

Garifuna people come from a heritage of South American Arawak, Carib Indians and the Africans who fused together on the island of St. Vincent.

The Garinagu were the inhabitants of St. Vincent until the British forced them into exile in 1797.

They are the only Black Ameri-Indians who live in the Caribbean coast of Central America starting from Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Belize.

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